Game Day Build-Up: Belleville Sens eyeing playoff position as they visit Providence

Belleville Senators Game Day Build-Up
Apr.12/25 @ Providence Bruins (NHL Affiliate: Boston Bruins)

The Set Up:

The goal for the Belleville Sens this week was simple: win as much as possible and hunt down the Toronto Marlies for the final playoff spot in the North Division. And, after winning two of their first three games on this five-game road stretch, including a first-ever win in Springfield 4-2 against the Thunderbirds last night, the Sens have put themselves on the brink of achieving that goal, though they will need some help. Belleville visits the Providence Bruins tonight for the first time since December 2021, and another win, coupled with a Toronto loss at Cleveland this afternoon, would leave the Senators tied with Toronto on points but back in fifth place by way of the first tiebreaker. The Sens would then just have to scoreboard watch on Sunday with the Monsters and Marlies playing again in Toronto, and then take care of more business in their three-game set with Laval next week. But first, it’s a battle with the Bruins, who earned an emphatic 6-2 win in Hartford last night and are closing in on second place in the Atlantic with three games left.

Previous History:

Like Springfield, Belleville and Providence typically only see each other a couple of times a season, if at all. The Senators shootout loss to the Bruins at CAA Arena back in late October dropped their lifetime record against the Bruins to 5-2-0-1 over eight meetings. Belleville has visited Providence four times in their history and hold a 2-1-0-1 record at Amica Mutal Pavilion (formerly Dunkin Donuts Center).

Roster Notes: 

No further updates to the Top Pick Painters transaction report, with forwards Angus Crookshank and Hayden Hodgson still on recall to Ottawa. Injury-wise, defenceman Max Guenette, forward Zack MacEwen, and goaltender Mads Sogaard all remain out of action. Forward Jake Chiasson is still with the club after being reassigned from Orlando (ECHL) last week. You can click here for a full list of up-to-date transactions, with full lineup details ahead of game time via the Belleville Sens social channels (@BellevilleSens).

Who to Watch:

Belleville defender Donovan Sebrango seems to have found his offensive tough again, registering a goal and an assist with two shots on net in each of his last two games. The Ottawa-born blueliner started the season picking up consistent points and had a three-game point streak through mid-February. He’s on his best stretch since returning from a suspension then injury which kept him out 16 games. Forwards Garrett Pilon (one goal, three assists), Cole Reinhardt (two assists), and Jan Jenik (two assists), all have points in back-to-back games as well, while forward Tristen Robins scored his first goal as a Senator last night in Springfield.

There’s a little bit of local flavour on the Providence roster, with Madoc native Dalton Bancroft signing an entry level contract with Boston earlier this month. The 24-year-old, former Quinte Red Devil and and Trenton Golden Hawks captain, just finished his NCAA career at Cornell University and has scored once in three AHL games with Providence. His father Steve played 546 AHL games, including 106 with the Senators affiliate, when it was still located in Binghamton, New York. In terms of big producers for Providence, second round draft pick in 2022 Matthew Poitras had four points last night (two goals, two assists), along with five shots on net. John Farinacci and Frederic Brunet are both on three-game point streaks as well.

Follow the Action:

Puck drop tonight is set for 7:05 p.m. ET from Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island. Broadcast coverage begins at 6:55 p.m. ET with David Foot and can be seen on AHLTV on FloHockey or heard free on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network.

Ticket Info:

Tickets for the final Belleville Sens home game of the season, on Saturday April 19, 2025 against the Laval Rocket, are available via Ticketmaster, or by emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com. Hours for the Belleville Sens Box Office at CAA Arena are available here.

2025-26 Season Seat Memberships are on sale now by contacting the Belleville Sens office at 613-967-8067, emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com, or visiting the Belleville Sens website.  Fans who renew or purchase a season seat membership before May 2 are entered into our ’26 Days of Gifting’ contest, with daily draws for great prizes. Plus, all new and renewed season seat members will have a chance to ‘Shoot to Win’ $1,000 off their seats at a special event on May 15, 2025.

About the Belleville Senators

The Belleville Senators are the American Hockey League affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators and have been operating in the AHL since the 2017-18 season. The Senators play their home games out of the CAA Arena at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre and have graduated more than 60 players to the NHL since moving from Binghamton, New York.

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