Gabriel’s Pizza Gameday Build-Up: Back in the Bay of Quinte, Senators host Marlies in home opener tonight

Saturday, October 18, 2025 vs Toronto Marlies (AHL affiliate: Toronto Maple Leafs)

The set-up:

Excitement has been building around the Bay of Quinte hockey community for weeks. Finally, tonight, fans will get to let that energy out as they welcome the Belleville Senators back to CAA Arena for the club’s 2025-26 home opener! The Senators welcome the rival Toronto Marlies for the season’s first taste of the Battle of Ontario, as Belleville attempts to bounce back from a pair of road losses in the Atlantic Division to start the season, that saw Xavier Bourgault, Keean Washkurak, Tyler Boucher, and Carter Yakemchuk all score the first goals of the season for the Sens. Toronto, meanwhile, split its first two games of the campaign – a home and home with Rochester – with a 4-3 loss on the road and a 4-1 win at home.

Previous History:

This is the first of 10 meetings with the Marlies for the Senators, who were 4-3-1-2 against their provincial rivals in 2024-25. Wyatt Bongiovanni was Belleville’s more productive player in last season’s Battle of Ontario, collecting seven points (three goals, four assists) in eight games. Captain Garrett Pilon also had five points (two goals, three assists) over the season series. Toronto won’t have their top scorer from last season, after Alex Steeves (five goals, four assists in nine games vs Belleville) signed with the Boston Bruins over the summer. The Marlies do have their second-leading scorer against Belleville last season back, in the form of Jacob Quillan, who had eight points (five goals, three assists) in 10 games against the Senators. Lifetime in the Battle of Ontario, Belleville holds a 41-35-3-6 record, with a 20-19-0-4 mark at home.

Roster Notes:

Head Coach Dave Bell has already had to deal with some roster shuffling in this past week between games. Forward Arthur Kaliyev was called up to the NHL earlier this week, while fellow forward Olle Lycksell was loaned back to Belleville. The Sens also brought forward Danny Katic up from the club’s ECHL affiliate in Allen, Texas this week. A few of those players could see action over this coming weekend, with Bell saying that neither Jamieson Rees or Jan Jenik are expected to play this weekend. Full lineup details will be available via the Senators social media feeds (@BellevilleSens) at the start of warm-up, about half an hour before puck drop.

Who to Watch:

Belleville’s leading scorer from 2024-25 has picked up right where he left off. Stephen Halliday notched three assists for the Sens in Lehigh Valley and Bridgeport last weekend, giving him a strong start to his sophomore season. Meanwhile, rookie defenceman Carter Yakemchuk will make his home debut tonight, after playing his first two AHL games (and scoring his first goal) last weekend. Sens fans will also likely get their first look at Olle Lycksell, who was loaned from Ottawa yesterday. The 26-year-old from Sweden signed with the Senators this past summer and has split his last three seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers and their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley, after being drafted by Philadelphia in 6th round of 2017.

Former Belleville Captain Logan Shaw has been pacing his new team’s attack to start the season, registering three points (two goals, one assist) of their first two games. Fellow forward Jacob Quillan has three assists over that span, while Travis Boyd and rookie Borya Valis have each scored twice in Toronto’s opening two contests.

At the Rink:

It’s the home opener for the Belleville Sens tonight as they officially kick off the ninth season of pro hockey in the Bay of Quinte. Fans are encouraged to arrive early for photos and autographs, as players walk the red carpet from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. CAA Arena doors will open at 5:30 (90 minutes to puck drop), with a sign making station, balloon animals, and a meet and greet with Belly around the concourse ahead of the game. Fans can also snag one of a limited amount of exclusive Belleville Sens x Rien À Dire ball caps, which will be available for purchase, plus new Ottawa Senators red third jerseys in stock! And, fans can grab a “613 Country” t-shirt for just $20. Be in your seats early with player introductions and pregame ceremony starting just before 7:00 p.m.!

Follow the Action:

Puck drop tonight is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from CAA Arena in Belleville, Ontario. Broadcast coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. ET with David Foot and Brock Ormond can be seen on AHLTV on FloHockey or heard free on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network.

Ticket Info:

Tickets for the all Belleville Sens home games in the first half of the 2025-26 season 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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