Game Day Build-Up: Senators host Comets for Family Day Classic

Belleville Senators Game Day Build-Up
Feb.17/25 vs. Utica Comets (NHL Affiliate: New Jersey Devils)

The Set Up:

The playoff push continues for the Belleville Senators this afternoon with another key divisional matchup against the Utica Comets. The Sens are a little over a week removed from a tough 3-2 overtime loss to the Comets on the road last Saturday, but are also coming off of capturing 3 of 4 possible points in a weekend home-and-home with the Toronto Marlies. Belleville now sits just four points out of a playoff spot with five games in hand on fifth-place Syracuse. The Comets, meanwhile, haven’t won since that overtime victory over Belleville, dropping a 5-1 decision in Providence on Friday and falling 4-3 to Rochester in overtime at home on Saturday. Today’s game is a special early start for the Family Day holiday, with the Sens hosting their first skate with fans after the game as well.

Previous History: 

This is the penultimate matchup between Belleville and Utica this season with the Senators holding a 3-1-2-0 record over the first six games. The Senators are 2-0-1-0 at CAA Arena against the Comets this season and 1-1-1-0 away at the Adirondack Bank Center. Lifetime against Utica, Belleville is 22-17-5-0, with a 13-8-2-0 record at home. The Sens and Comets will finish their season series later this week, on Wednesday February 19, back in Utica.

Roster Notes: 

Goaltender Malcolm Subban returned from the injury list on Saturday for his first start since late December, stopping 19 of 22 shots against the Toronto Marlies. You can click here for a full list of up-to-date transactions, with lineup details available via the B-Sens social channels (@bellevillesens), ahead of game time.

Who to Watch:

Veteran forward Sam Gagner continues to rack up helpers for his new squad, tallying eight assists in ten games as a Belleville Senator with a +3 rating. The Sens have not lost in regulation in any of the six games in which Gagner has recorded at least one point. Defenceman Jeremy Davies moved up to third in the AHL scoring race among defencemen with a two-goal output on Saturday in Toronto, putting him just a point shy of tying his career total set last year with Rochester (35 points).

Forward Brian Halonen continues to lead the way offensively for Utica, scoring points in six of his last eight games. The Delano, Minnesota product also led the Comets against the Senators with three goals in three games against Belleville this season, before he was held off the scoresheet for the first time in the season series last Saturday in Utica. It was forward Nolan Foote who starred for the Comets in that game, scoring two goals to move his season total to fifteen, and moving him into the team lead in points with 30 in 40 games. He has now scored four times against Belleville this season, adding two assists for six points in six games of the season series.

Follow the Action:

Puck drop tonight is set for 3:00 p.m. ET from CAA Arena in Belleville, Ontario. Broadcast coverage begins at 2:50 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 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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