Gabriel Pizza Gameday Build-Up: Senators look for revenge in back-to-back versus Monsters

Friday January 31, 2026 vs Cleveland Monsters (NHL Affiliate: Columbus Blue Jackets)

The Set Up:

The Belleville Senators will look to respond and get back into the win column against the Cleveland Monsters in the second half of this back-to-back at Rocket Arena tonight. After a 6–5 scoring battle between the two sides on Friday night, another critical two points are up for grabs, with the Monsters now sitting three points ahead of the Senators for the North’s last playoff spot while holding four games in hand. Interim head coach Andrew Campbell noted in his post-game presser that there was “some really good stuff and some really bad stuff” in the loss, adding that keeping the puck out of the net will be a focus heading into Saturday night’s matchup. Despite the result, Campbell praised Philippe Daoust, who returned to the lineup after a four-game absence, saying, “Phil drives our offence, makes plays when other guys don’t, hangs onto the puck, and has great poise.” Daoust finished the night with two assists, while fellow returnee Olle Lycksell also made an impact, scoring Belleville’s fourth goal. Although their eight-game point streak was snapped Friday night, Belleville sits at 19-19-7-0, right at the .500 mark with plenty of time to make ground in a tightly contested playoff race. On the other side, the Monsters improved to 21-14-5-1, extending their winning streak to four games and tying Rochester at 48 points, just one point back of Toronto for third place in the North Division.

Roster Notes:

There is one roster move to note this morning as the Senators head into game two of this back-to-back. Xavier Bourgault has been loaned back to Belleville following a brief stint in Ottawa. Bourgault appeared in one game against the Colorado Avalanche, taking eight shifts and logging 5:12 of ice time in Wednesday night’s 5-2 Ottawa win. As mentioned earlier, both Philippe Daoust and Olle Lycksell returned to the lineup yesterday. Daoust picked up right where he left off, recording two assists after missing time since January 16. Lycksell also made an immediate impact, getting on the scoresheet with his seventh goal of the season and boosting his point total to 14 in 19 games after being sidelined since January 21st. Full roster and lineup details will be available closer to puck drop on the Sens’ social channels (@BellevilleSens).

Previous History:

With the Senators’ 6-5 loss on Friday night, their record against Cleveland this season drops to 0-2-0-0. Belleville has been outscored 10-6 across the two meetings, with Arthur Kaliyev finding the back of the net in both games. Friday’s matchup marked the 34th all-time meeting between the two franchises, and with a 14-18-0-2 record in the series, Belleville will look to grab a win tonight to even things up before closing out the season series back in 613 Country in March CAA Arena.

Who to Watch:

With points in back-to-back games and 20 on the season, Garrett Pilon continues to stand out in what should be another tightly contested matchup when he factors into the scoring for Belleville. The Sens captain has endured his share of injuries this year but has consistently led by example during a productive stretch for the Senators over the past couple of weeks. Resilience has become the defining trait of this Belleville team, and Pilon embodies it fully, returning from not one, not two, but three injury stints and still making an impact. When Pilon finds the scoresheet, the Senators are 6-5-1-0, including a 3-2-0-0 record when he scores, underscoring his importance to the lineup.

Corson Ceulemans was a force on the ice last night, seemingly being everywhere at once to help contribute. Starting off the game with a goal of his own and adding an assist later on, Ceulemans is a name to watch again. The 22-year-old from Saskatchewan has seen an uptick in his production, with five points in his last five games, all at even strength, four of those being goals. Shooting at 31% over that span, Ceulemans has confidence heading into Saturday night in what could be another two points to help space themselves from Belleville and secure a top-three position in the division.

Follow the Action:

Puck drop tonight is set for 6:50 p.m. ET from Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Broadcast coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. with David Foot 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. 

— 

Visit the Belleville Sens website: www.bellevillesens.com
Engage with the Belleville Sens on X: @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