Game Day Build-Up: Belleville Sens finish season series with Rocket in Laval to open road trip

Presented by Carpenters Union Local 397
Mar.8/23 @ Laval Rocket (NHL Affiliate: Montreal Canadiens)

The Set-Up:

It’s not quite “do-or-die,” but the playoff implications in tonight’s Belleville Sens visit to Laval can’t be ignored. Coming off two wins on a three-game homestand, the Senators enter Place Bell three points back of the final playoff spot in the AHL’s North Division, which is held by tonight’s hosts. It’s also Belleville’s last chance to make up ground directly on Laval as the two teams finish their 12-game season series. The Sens have been playing some of their best hockey, winning seven of their last ten and are hoping that trend can continue tonight against a Rocket team that has won five of their last ten games, with points in seven of those. Tonight’s game also kicks off a three-game road trip for the Sens, which also includes stops in Utica and Lehigh Valley.

Previous History:

It’s hard to believe that the 12-game season series between the Sens and Rocket comes to an end tonight. Belleville has dominated the results between the two teams in 2022-23, skating to an 8-3-0-0 record and a 4-1-0-0 mark at Place Bell. Lifetime against their divisional rivals, the Sens are 37-27-1-2 and an even 16-16-1-0 in Laval. Belleville forward Jake Lucchini leads all scorers in the season, notching 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 11 games against his former club this season, while Anthony Richard has scored the most for Laval, with 10 points (five goals, five assists), in 11 games played.

Roster Notes:

Ridly Greig will return to Belleville’s lineup tonight after missing Saturday’s win over Rochester. Kyle Betts has also been removed from the injured list after missing 12 games but isn’t expected to dress tonight. With Kevin Mandolese and Mads Sogaard both still in Ottawa, Dylan Feguson will likely get the start in goal. The Senators also made a trade on Tuesday, sending defender Xavier Bernard to the Bakersfield Condors in exchange for forward Graham McPhee. However, McPhee won’t be in the lineup tonight and is expected to meet the team in Utica tomorrow. Full lineup information will be available prior to puck drop.

Injury Report:

Who to Watch:

Sens all-time leading scorer Egor Sokolov has added another five points (three goals, two assists) to his total and brings a four-game point streak into tonight. John Quenneville has points in back-to-back games (one goal, two assists), as does Angus Crookshank (two goals). Both Roby Jarventie and Jake Lucchini will be looking to snap out of mini slumps, as they’re both pointless in their last three games. However, Lucchini has registered four shots per game over that stretch, and Jarventie had three shots on goal last Saturday.

The Rocket have been led lately by former Team Canada World Juniors standout Mitchell Stephens. The Peterborough, Ontario native has scored in four straight games and is on a five-game point streak overall (four goals, one assist). Nicolas Beaudin is on a four-game point streak (four assists), and Pierrick Dube, who had seven shots on net in Laval’s last game, has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) over his last 14 games.

Follow the action:

Tonight’s game can be seen on AHL TV or heard live on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network. Pregame coverage from Place Bell begins at 6:45 p.m. (ET) with David Foot.

Ticket info:

Tickets for all Belleville Sens home games are available via Ticketmaster or at the CAA Arena Box Office, with more information on group experiences, promotional packs and more available on the Belleville Sens website.

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