Bongiovanni scores again as Senators drop homestand finale to Wolf Pack

Even with close to 40 shots on net Sunday afternoon, the Belleville Senators weren’t able to convert enough to pick up a victory and fell 3-1 to the Hartford Wolf Pack, wrapping up their four-game homestand and three-in-three weekend at CAA Arena.

A miscue by Belleville goaltender Leevi Merilainen led to the game’s first goal inside the opening two minutes. Merilainen flicked the puck away to the far corner, but right to Brennan Othmann, who backhanded it past the Belleville keeper as he tried to get back into position. Othmann would factor into Hartford’s second goal as well, feeding Alex Belzile who made it 2-0 at 14:25. Belleville was outshot 14-8 in the opening frame.

The Senators would put together a more well-rounded second period, outshooting the Wolf Pack 13-10, but couldn’t find a way past Olof Lindbom in the Hartford goal. Merilainen turned aside all 10 shots he faced in the period.

Belleville got back within a goal midway through the third period, when Wyatt Bongiovanni finished off a nice passing play with Garrett Pilon and Jiri Smejkal. But, Belzile would add on an insurance marker a few minutes later, for his second goal of the game.

The Senators are off until Friday when they head to Laval to begin a two-game set with the Rocket at Place Bell.

Fast Facts:

• #5 Wyatt Bongiovanni scored his 10th goal of the season and second as a Senator.
• #13 Egor Sokolov had seven shots on net.
• #21 Max Guenette had five shots on net.
• #22 Garrett Pilon recorded his 27th assist of the season, along with four shots on net.
• #25 Tyler Kleven had four shots on goal from the blue line.
• #35 Leevi Merilainen stopped 29 of the 32 shots he faced.
• #39 Jiri Smejkal picked up his 12th assist.
• The Senators were 0/6 on the power play and 1/1 on the ViewTech Window and Door Penalty Kill.

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Belleville Sens Head Coach Dave Bell on Sunday’s loss:

“It was another bad start, so that’s multiple games in a row, so we’ve got to figure that out. We don’t have the roster to chase games and we’ve been chasing too many games, and it taxes the bench. Then obviously the power play. It wasn’t good enough, but that’s on me, we’ve got to have a better plan for that. Just not a good weekend.”

Belleville Sens Head Coach Dave Bell on the shots generated this weekend:

“Shots are good, but you’ve got to look at the quality. You can’t continually say you face hot goalies. Our shot selection has to be better, we’ve got to get guys on goalies, and find rebounds, and score on secondary chances. Yes, it’s great that we’re getting some shots, but I would like to see more traffic in front of these goalies.”

Belleville Sens Head Coach Dave Bell on the importance of the upcoming week of practice, ahead of a doubleheader in Laval next weekend:

“It’s very important. There’s a lot of work that’s got to be done. That was a tough three-in-three, but we definitely have some work to do this week.”

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