Game Day Build-Up: Senators kick off crucial six-game stretch in Cleveland

Presented by Carpenters Union Local 397
Feb.10/23 @ Cleveland Monsters (NHL Affiliate: Columbus Blue Jackets)

The Set-Up:

With the American Hockey League’s All-Star Classic come and gone, the Belleville Senators begin a critical six-game stretch against divisional opponents tonight as they play their first of two games this weekend in Cleveland against the Monsters. The Sens are coming off a two-game split with Rochester before the All-Star Break, which included a 5-3 win on Thursday and a 5-4 overtime loss on Saturday and are looking to start building some momentum under Interim Head Coach David Bell. The Monsters are also coming off a split with the Chicago Wolves and are tied in the North Division standings with the Senators, five points back of the Laval Rocket, who hold the last playoff spot.

Previous History:

Tonight’s matchup is the third-of-four meetings between Belleville and Cleveland this season, with the teams splitting their two previous matchups earlier in the season. Belleville picked up an 8-7 overtime win in a thriller on November 16, while the Monsters were able to edge the Sens 2-1 on January 13, with both games taking place at CAA Arena. That split puts Belleville’s lifetime record against Cleveland at 9-8-0-1 and 4-4-0-0 at the Rocket Mortgage Field House.

Roster Notes:

One significant lineup change over the all-star break is the addition of forward Mark Kastelic after being reassigned by Ottawa. The 23-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona has spent the whole season so far in the NHL after playing 95 games for the Belleville Sens between 2020 and 2022. The power forward is expected to join Belleville’s top line alongside Egor Sokolov and John Quenneville. Jarid Lukosevicius will get the night off as he prepares to return from a minor injury suffered last weekend, while defenders Kristians Rubins and Jack Dougherty will also be healthy scratches tonight. Kevin Mandolese will start in goal, backed up by Antoine Bibeau.

Injury Report:

Who to Watch:

Newly acquired forward John Quenneville made an immediate impact for the Senators on Saturday night, scoring his first goal of the season early in the second period. It’s hoped the 26-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta will be able to continue to chip in offensively during a crucial stretch of games. Fellow forwards Viktor Lodin and Cole Cassels each had a pair of assists in Saturday’s overtime loss to Rochester, while Egor Sokolov has points in back-to-back games (two assists).

For Cleveland, forward Josh Dunne has five points (two goals, three assists) in two games against Belleville this season, while Trey Fix-Wolansky has four multi-goal games this season and 12 multi-point performances, including four points (two goals, two assists) against Belleville in just one game this season. Marcus Bjork has points in back-to-back games (one goal, one assist).

Follow the action:

Tonight’s game can be seen on AHL TV or heard live on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network. Pregame coverage starts 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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