Game Day Build-Up: Senators visit Crunch to kick off 2025

Belleville Senators Game Day Build-Up
Jan.3/25 @ Syracuse Crunch (NHL Affiliate: Tampa Bay Lightning)

The Set Up: 

The Belleville Senators are on the road to begin the new calendar year, as they make a quick two-game trip to Upstate and Central New York, needing to collect some more points to keep the North Division standings race as tight as it’s been all season. Belleville enters tonight’s game in Syracuse sitting sixth in the North, five points back of the Crunch, and 13 points ahead of Saturday’s host, the Utica Comets. The Senators are hoping their point against Utica on New Year’s Eve is a sign they’ll rediscover their early-season form, and rebound from 11 games in December that saw them hover around the .500 mark for the month.

Previous History:

While there are still 45 games left in the regular season, tonight’s matchup is the penultimate of the campaign between the Senators and Crunch. Belleville knocked off Syracuse 2-1 at CAA Arena in their last meeting but has a record of 2-3-0-1 against the Crunch on the year, with a mark of 1-1-0-1 on the road. Sens Captain Garrett Pilon has been their best player against the Crunch this season, notching eight points (one goal, seven assists) over the first six games of the season series. Crunch veteran Derek Pouliot (three goals, four assists) and rookie Niko Huuhtanen (two goals, five assists) over the season series so far. During their lifetime against the Crunch, the Senators are 23-19-2-3 and 7-11-2-3 in Syracuse.

Roster Notes:

Belleville’s injured list got longer over the New Year’s period, with goaltenders Michael Simpson and Malcolm Subban added and joining forward Jamieson Rees and defender Max Guenette. Guenette is on the trip this week and could dress for the Senators either tonight in Syracuse or tomorrow in Utica. Goaltender Mads Sogaard was reassigned this week from NHL Ottawa and has joined Belleville on this trip, with the Belleville Sens returning goalie Alexis Gravel to the Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL). You can click here for a full list of up-to-date transactions, with lineup details available via the B-Sens social channels (@bellevillesens) before the game.

Who to Watch:

Four Senators have points in back-to-back games, following the New Year’s Eve loss to the Comets at home. Tyler Boucher (one goal, one assist), Zack MacEwen (one goal, one assist), Garrett Pilon (one goal, two assists), and Stephen Halliday (two goals, one assist) are all looking to get point streaks going tonight. Angus Crookshank has been quiet of late for Belleville but is knocking on the door, with 17 shots on goal over his last three games.

Hulking sophomore forward Jack Finley has been one of the most productive members of the Crunch over the past couple of weeks. The 6’6’’, 220-pound centre from Kelowna, BC, has points in three straight games (two goals, one assist) and has registered at least a point in four of five games since returning from an injury that’s kept him out the entire season, until now. The Sens will also have to quiet down veteran forward Conor Sheary, who has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) over his last 10 games, plus one goal and two assists in three games against Belleville this season.

Follow the Action:

Puck drop tonight is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from the Upstate Medical University Arena in Syracuse, New York. Broadcast coverage begins at 6:50 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 remaining 2024-25 Belleville Sens home games 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 looking to get a head start on locking up tickets for any game on the schedule can do so now by becoming a season seat member, purchasing a flex pack membership, or by booking a group experience.

More information on those ticket options, plus details on premium seating and Business Elite packages is available by visiting the Belleville Sens website or emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com.

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.

—

Visit the Belleville Sens website: www.bellevillesens.com
Engage with the Belleville Sens on Twitter: @BellevilleSens
Like the Belleville Sens on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BellevilleSens
Follow the Belleville Sens on Instagram: @BellevilleSens
Listen to the Belleville Sens on Mixlr: www.bellevillesens.mixlr.com
Watch the Belleville Sens on AHLTV on FloHockey: www.watchtheahl.com