Game Day Build-Up: Belleville Sens welcome Utica Comets on Indigenous Communities Night

Belleville Senators Game Day Build-Up
Feb. 1/25 vs. Utica Comets (AHL Affiliate: New Jersey Devils)

The Set Up:

The Belleville Senators will finish off the second game of a home-and-home set with Utica after the narrowest of losses, 1-0 to the Comets on Friday night on the road. Mark Sinclair stopped 26 of 27 shots, but a Mike Hardman goal early in the first period stood up as the only tally of the game, despite the Sens firing 37 shots on goaltender Isaac Poulter. The team played short one skater and missed the services of standouts Stephen Halliday, Jan Jenik and Max Guenette, continuing a trend of depleted rosters for Belleville. The team is 2-2 over its last four games nonetheless, and still in the thick of the AHL playoff race, sitting six points back of Syracuse for the final playoff spot in the North Division but with five games in hand. Utica, conversely, now sits just five points back of Belleville, but the Comets have played three more games.

Previous History:

This will be the third meeting between the Senators and Comets at CAA Arena this year, and fifth of the season series. Last night was Belleville’s first regulation loss to the Comets, dropping their season record to 2-1-1-0. Lifetime, Belleville is 21-17-4-0 against the Comets, with a record of 12-8-2-0 at home. The final two games of the season series will be later this month, first in Belleville on February 17th and then in Utica two days later.

Roster Notes:

The Senators recalled forward Jake Chiasson from Orlando (ECHL) on Saturday morning. The 21-year old has played 15 games for Belleville so far this season. Before the game, you can click here for a full list of up-to-date transactions, with lineup details available via the B-Sens social channels (@bellevillesens).

Who to Watch: 

It will be a big day for Senators forward Cole Reinhardt. Not only does the Irricana, Alberta product celebrate his 25th birthday today, but he is also projected to play his 241st career game in a Belleville Senators uniform. That will break the franchise record previously held by Egor Sokolov, who dressed in 240 games from 2020 to 2024. Despite significant time in Ottawa with the big club this season, Reinhardt continues to be a key catalyst for Belleville this year, tallying 17 points (7 goals, 10 assists) in 15 AHL games. Meanwhile, despite the shutout on Friday night, Sens defenceman Jeremy Davies’ four-point night on Wednesday put him into a tie for fourth among all AHL defencemen in point scoring this season, with 28 of them in 37 games.

For Utica, Mike Hardman was the only player to find the scoresheet on Friday night with his 12th goal of the campaign, ranking him third on the Comets this season. The 25-year old and first-year Comet from Hanover, Mass. has scored at least a goal in three of the four games he’s played against Belleville this season, and has both game-winners for the Comets, after he scored the overtime goal on New Year’s Eve at CAA Arena in a 4-3 Comets win. He is on a career point scoring pace this season, ranking fifth on the team with 12 goals and 8 assists in 32 games.

At the Rink:

The CAA Arena gates will open at 6:00 p.m as the Sens get set to host Indigenous Communities Night, welcoming members of Indigenous communities to CAA Arena to celebrate and honour their history and culture.

Fans will be able to check out Indigenous businesses showcased in a vendor’s market around the CAA Arena concourse. The club will also welcome some members of the LNHL (Little NHL) from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory and Alderville First Nation to take part in a ceremonial puck drop and an intermission scrimmage featuring the LNHL Tyendinaga Thrashers. The Senators will also host a CAA Chuck-A-Puck fundraiser benefitting the Quinte Mohawk School Nutrition program.

The Senators will also give away limited-edition Belleville Sens Indigenous t-shirts, designed by local artist Kory Parkin, throughout the game. Members of the National Lacrosse League’s newest franchise, the Ottawa Black Bears, will also be on hand to meet fans, sign autographs, and participate in the celebration.

The Locker Room Store will also be open inside the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre before the game, with all the latest Sens gear and merchandise available at the Gate 2 Locker Room Store kiosk.

Follow the Action:

Puck drop today is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from CAA Arena in Belleville, Ontario. Broadcast coverage begins at 6:50 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 all Belleville Sens home games through the 2024-25 season are now on sale via Ticketmaster, or by emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com. Hours for the Belleville Sens Box Office at CAA Arena are available here.

Fans can click the following links for more information on becoming a season seat member, purchasing a flex pack membership, or putting down a deposit for a group experience. For more details on those ticket options, plus details on premium seating and Business Elite packages, visit the Belleville Sens website or email tickets@bellevillesens.com.

The full Belleville Sens 2024-25 regular season schedule is available here. 

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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