Game Day Build-Up: Senators set for icy Battle of Ontario finale tonight at CAA Arena

Belleville Senators Game Day Build-Up
Mar.29/25 vs Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

The Set Up:

It’s T-minus 10 games and counting for the Belleville Senators in their quest for a third Calder Cup Playoff Berth in franchise history. And, as the clock counts down toward the end of the regular season, the simple story is that Belleville needs to keep winning to punch its ticket. The Sens snapped an ill-timed three-game losing skid with a win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers) last night at CAA Arena and now turn their attention back to a divisional rival as the Toronto Marlies visit CAA Arena tonight to cap the 2024-25 AHL Battle of Ontario. In order to qualify for this year’s postseason, the Senators will need to keep winning games and, at least, make up a two-point gap on the Syracuse Crunch (AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning), who are hanging on to fifth place. A Senators win over Toronto tonight would also get them within three points of the Marlies and Cleveland Monsters, who hold the third and fourth seeds in the North, respectively.

Previous History:

The Battle of Ontario has been a 10-round heavyweight tilt this season, with Belleville holding a 4-3-1-1- record against their provincial rivals. Six of nine games so far have been decided by just one goal, four have needed overtime or a shootout, and the largest margin of victory in the season series three. Three of Belleville’s wins against Toronto this season have come on home ice. Ahead of their 85th regular season meeeting, Belleville’s lifetime record against the Marlies is 41-35-3-5, and 20-19-0-3 at CAA Arena.

Roster Notes: 

Another quiet day on the transaction front for the Senators, with no moves made overnight and no additional injuries reported ahead of tonight’s game. That leaves forward Jamieson Rees and Zack MacEwen on the injured list for the Senators. 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:

Big Belleville defender Filip Roos chipped with a pair of assists last night in his second game back from an injury layoff. It’s the first multi-point game as a Senator for the 26-year-old Swede, playing in his first season in Belleville. Meanwhile, captain Garrett Pion has points in back-to-back games (two assists), and  Malcolm Subban was the big story yesterday stopping 32 of 34 shots, including a handful of highlight reel saves to keep Belleville in the game.

Forward Jacob Quillan is the only Toronto player to bring a point streak into tonights game, registering a goal and a total of 11 shots on goal over his last three contests. The 23-year-old rookie, playing in his first pro season after three years at Quinnipiac University, is fifth on the Marlies in points with 31 (16 goals, 15 assists), and has seven points (five goals, two assists) in nine games against Belleville this season.

At the Rink:

While the overnight weather made things a bit slippery on area roads the Marlies did arrive at CAA Arena and tonight’s game is scheduled to go ahead as planned. In the unlikely event that there is an adjustment to the schedule, those changes will be communicated via the Senators (@BellevilleSens) and AHL (@TheAHL) social channels, as well as direct emails to ticket holders.

Follow the Action:

Puck drop tonight 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 Tim Durkin, 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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