game day Share this Game Day Build-Up: Senators start Keystone State road trip against Phantoms in Allentown January 15, 2025 Belleville Senators Game Day Build-Up Jan.15/25 @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL Affiliate: Philadelphia Flyers) The Set Up: Just a few days after a thrilling last-second home victory to split a weekend set with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Belleville Senators have set up shop in the Keystone State for a pair of games, starting tonight in Allentown against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. With 41 games remaining in the season, the Sens enter tonight’s contest five points back of Syracuse for the final playoff spot in the North but are also only 10 points back of third, so there’s still more than enough opportunity to make a charge. Belleville matches up with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms tonight, who are tied for fourth in a very competitive Atlantic Division, but are coming off a 5-0 loss to the Islanders in Bridgeport last weekend. Previous History: While they did play twice last season, it’s been more than a calendar year since the Senators and Phantoms got together. Lehigh Valley beat Belleville in both matchups last season, 5-2 in Allentown on October 15, 2023 (the Sens second game of the season) and then 8-1 at CAA Arena in mid-November 2023. This is the 12th lifetime meeting between Belleville and Lehigh Valley, with the Senators holding a lifetime mark of 6-5-1-0 against the Phantoms and 2-3-1-0 at the PPL Center in Allentown. Roster Notes: Belleville, unfortunately, saw more bodies added to the injured list last weekend, with defenceman Wyatte Wylie, forward Tyler Boucher, and captain Garrett Pilon both going down and hurt. They join goaltender Mads Sogaard and Malcolm Subban in the Belleville Sick Bay. Still, the Senators get Jamieson Rees back after he missed 18 games after an injury in late November. The Sens are also expecting some reinforcements from both the NHL and ECHL, with Max Guenette set to rejoin the Belleville Sens from Ottawa and Kris Myllari from the Orlando Solar Bears. Guenette has nine points (three goals, six assists) and a team-leading +16 rating in 27 AHL games this season, while Myllari has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 29 ECHL games with the Florida Everblades and Orlando this season. Before the game, you can click here for a full list of up-to-date transactions, with lineup details available via the B-Sens social channels (@bellevillesens). Who to Watch: Another hat trick last Sunday afternoon has seen Wyatt Bongiovanni leap up the Belleville Sens team scoring race. With seven points (six goals, one assist) in his last three games, Bongiovanni has hopped into fifth with 16 points (12 goals, four assists). Forward Stephen Halliday has jumped into a tie for second in team scoring with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) after a one goal, two assist afternoon against the Penguins last weekend. While he was hurt on Sunday, Garrett Pilon’s assist put him atop the team-scoring race with 24 points (three goals, 21 assists). Sens forward Hayden Hodgson also makes his return to Lehigh Valley, where he played two seasons between 2021 and 2023, before moving on to play a season with the Ontario Reign. The Phantoms were shut out in their last match, so they have no players on significant point streaks headed into tonight. Lehigh Valley is led offensively by 22-year-old sophomore forward Samu Tuomaala who has 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) in 33 games this season, after putting up 43 points (15 goals, 28 assists) in 69 games during his rookie campaign last year. Follow the Action: Puck drop today is set for 7:05 p.m. ET from PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Broadcast coverage begins at 6:55 p.m. ET with David Foot and can be seen on AHLTV on FloHockey or heard free on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network. Ticket Info: Tickets for all Belleville Sens home games through the 2024-25 season are now on sale via Ticketmaster, or by emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com. Hours for the Belleville Sens Box Office at CAA Arena are available here. Fans can click the following links for more information on becoming a season seat member, purchasing a flex pack membership, or putting down a deposit for a group experience. For more details on those ticket options, plus details on premium seating and Business Elite packages, visit the Belleville Sens website or email tickets@bellevillesens.com. The full Belleville Sens 2024-25 regular season schedule is available here. About the Belleville Senators The Belleville Senators are the American Hockey League affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators and have been operating in the AHL since the 2017-18 season. The Senators play their home games out of the CAA Arena at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre and have graduated more than 60 players to the NHL since moving from Binghamton, New York. — Visit the Belleville Sens website: www.bellevillesens.com Engage with the Belleville Sens on Twitter: @BellevilleSens Like the Belleville Sens on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BellevilleSens Follow the Belleville Sens on Instagram: @BellevilleSens Listen to the Belleville Sens on Mixlr: www.bellevillesens.mixlr.com Watch the Belleville Sens on AHLTV on FloHockey: www.watchtheahl.com
