Game Day Build-Up: Senators visit Marlies for annual Boxing Day Classic in Toronto

Belleville Sens Game Day Build-Up
Dec.26/23 @ Toronto Marlies (NHL Affiliate: Toronto Maple Leafs)           

The Set-Up:

The short Christmas break has rapidly come and gone, and the Belleville Senators (11-11-2-2) are right back to action this afternoon, as they visit the Toronto Marlies (13-8-3-1) for the annual Boxing Day Classic at Scotiabank Arena (home of the NHL Toronto Maple Leafs). It’s also the second meeting in as many games between the provincial rivals, and the second of three meetings in just over a week, giving the Sens a chance to continue on the right track after edging Toronto at home just a few days ago andgetting them back in the win column. The Belleville win last week also gave the Sens points in seven of their last 10 games, halted Toronto’s 5-game winning streak and most importantly, shrunk the gap between the Sens and Marlies in the North Division standings to just four points.

Previous History:

The season series between Belleville and Toronto has been a tight one, with all three games decided by just one goal, and two of those games decided in extra time. Belleville has earned a point in all three games though, skating to a 2-0-0-1 record so far this season. Lifetime against the Marlies, the Sens are 34-29-3-4, with a 19-12-2-1 record away from CAA Arena. The Sens have a 4-1-0-0 record during the Boxing Day Classic and have outscored Toronto 11-7 over that stretch.

Roster Notes:

Full lineup details will be available prior to puck drop this afternoon.

Who to Watch:

Belleville forward Roby Jarventie is back on a three-game point streak (one goal, two assists) after scoring against Toronto before the break. The Senators are now 5-0-0-0 when Jarventie registers a goal this season. Garrett Pilon also has points in back-to-back games (three assists), giving him 20 points on the season and putting him second in Sens team scoring over this campaign. He has points in nine of his last 10 games played (six goals, five assists).

A handful of Marlies saw their point streaks come to an end in their loss to Belleville last week, including Alex Steeves, who had at least a point in 16 straight games. However, both Kiefer Bellows (four goals, two assists) and Nick Abbruzzese (two goals, six assists) have points in back-to-back games.

Ticket info:

Tickets for all Belleville Sens home games for the remainder of the 2023-24 season are now on sale online, via Ticketmaster or the Belleville Sens Ticket Hub, by visiting the Belleville Sens Box Office at the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre, or by emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com. Box Office hours are available by clicking here. Belleville Sens Holiday Packs are also still available until after tonight’s game.

Fans can also click the following links for more information on season seat memberships, flex packs, group experiences or Business Elite memberships, or send an email to tickets@bellevillesens.com.

Follow the action:

Tonight’s game starts at 2:00 p.m. (ET) and can be seen on AHL TV and heard on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network. Pregame coverage from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, begins at 1:50 p.m. (ET) with David Foot.

The full 2023-24 Belleville Senators regular season schedule can be found by clicking here.

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