Gabriel Pizza Gameday Build-Up: Round six as Senators host red-hot Crunch

Wednesday February 18, 2026 vs Syracuse Crunch (NHL Affiliate: Tampa Bay Lightning)

The Set-Up:

Coming off a hard-fought win on Monday night, the Belleville Senators are looking to keep the momentum going against a familiar foe in the Syracuse Crunch. On 613 Country Night at CAA Arena, the Senators evened their season series at 1-1 against the Hershey Bears with a 3-1 victory. A third-period game-winning goal by Wyatt Bongiovanni and a 30-save performance from Leevi Meriläinen proved to be the difference in securing another two points, moving Belleville within four points of the final playoff spot. The Crunch have been red hot as of late, winning their last five games (two of them against the Senators), boosting them to 60 points, good for second in the North, with a record of 28-16-3-1. Led by Jakob Pelletier and Conor Geekie, Syracuse has successfully used its speed and skill, along with some grit, to frustrate opponents and win tight games. In both contests last week, the Crunch posted back-to-back five-goal performances, nabbing four big points. Post-game Monday afternoon, when asked how the Senators could build on their win, goaltender Leevi Meriläinen said their play will need to remain consistent during this upcoming stretch. “We really just have to do the same thing as we did today”…”Eliminate their chances, they (Syracuse) are a good defensive team too. We just need to make sure we bury the puck on our chances”. Tonight marks meeting number six of eight on the season between the Senators and Crunch, and if we learned anything from their last matchup, it will be anything but friendly in the Friendly City.

Previous History:

On the season, the series sits at 2-3-0-0 for Belleville against Syracuse. The last time these two teams met was just prior to the All-Star break, when the Crunch earned a 5-2 win at CAA Arena, led by a two-goal performance from Ethan Gauthier. In the loss, Carter Yakemchuk also recorded two goals of his own , the first multi-goal game of his AHL career. All-time, the series is deadlocked at 24-24-2-3, with last season’s record for Belleville finishing at 2-5-0-1. After tonight, Belleville will end off the year versus the Crunch in a home-and-home starting on April 17th at CAA Arena.

Roster Notes:

There are no roster changes for the Belleville Senators following Monday’s reassignment of goaltender Jackson Parsons back to Belleville. Forward Hayden Hodgson completed his five-game suspension on Monday afternoon and is now eligible to return to the lineup. Forward Keean Washkurak is still serving his six-game suspension, with tonight being the third game he has missed. Full roster and lineup details will be available closer to puck drop on the Sens’ social channels (@BellevilleSens).

Who to Watch:

Fresh off his five-game suspension, Hayden Hodgson will be looking to set the tone against a chippy Crunch team. Dating back to the Senators’ weekend set in Cleveland on January 31, Hodgson has been out of the lineup and is ready to inject some energy back into the group. Though not known for his point production, the Windsor, Ontario product has tallied 7 points in 29 appearances while leading the Senators in penalty minutes with 94, tied for seventh-most by a skater in a single season in franchise history. Hodgson brings an element that not every player is willing to provide, and after missing the last two meetings against Syracuse, he will be eager to establish a presence early.

Now second in AHL scoring this season, Jakob Pelletier has been one of the league’s most productive players during the Crunch’s winning streak. The Flames’ first-round selection has recorded 50 points in 42 games, putting him on pace to surpass his previous rookie-season best of 62 points set in 2021-22. Pelletier’s recent games have been particularly impressive, as he has registered seven assists for eight points. While the 24-year-old is crafty and utilizes his vision effectively, what makes him especially dangerous is his ability to play a run-and-gun style while staying committed on both the forecheck and backcheck. The offence runs through Pelletier, so if the Senators can limit his impact, the odds begin to tilt in Belleville’s favour.

Follow the Action:

Puck drop this afternoon is set for 6:00 p.m. ET from CAA Arena in Belleville, Ontario. Broadcast coverage begins at 5:50 p.m. with David Foot and Brock Ormond, and can be seen on AHLTV on FloHockey, with a free-to-listen option available on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network.

Ticket Info:

Tickets for all Belleville Sens 2025-26 home games are now on sale via Ticketmaster or at the Belleville Sens Box Office located inside the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre. Details on season seat memberships, flex packs, premium seating, the Business Edge Program, and more can be found by visiting the Belleville Sens Website. 

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