Senators slide back into playoff spot with emphatic win over defending champs in Hershey

It seems like the Belleville Senators are finding their form on the road again and it’s led them back into a playoff spot in the competitive American Hockey League North Division.

After a 4-1 win in Wilkes-Barre against the Penguins (AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins) on Tuesday night, six different Senators found the net on Wednesday, as the Sens routed the two-timed defending Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears (AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals) 6-2 at Giant Center.

The Senators win moves them past the Syracuse Crunch (AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning) and back into the fifth and final playoff spot in the North.

After an expected early push, as the Bears tend to do on home ice, it was the Senators striking first on the tail end of their second penalty kill of the period. Jan Jenik was able to get the puck to Hayden Hodgson who looked up and saw Jeremy Davies coming out of the penalty box and hit him with a perfect pass. The Senators all-star blueliner would take the puck in on a breakaway and fire a wrist shot over the right pad of Hunter Shepard to make it 1-0 Senators. Hershey would outshoot Belleville 7-6 in the frame, but the 1-0 Sens’ lead stood at the first break.

The action would pick up immediately in the second period with a pair of scraps. Belleville’s Jan Jenik took on former Sens’ forward Brennan Saulnier, before Hayden Hodgson let the knuckles fly against Dalton Smith in a heavyweight bout. The fisticuffs seemed to spark the Senators, who not long after, would score twice in about a 35 second span. Belleville captain (and former Bear) Garrett Pilon would beat Shepard from the slot on the power play at 3:26 for his ninth goal of the season and then half-a-minute later, Cole Reinhardt streaked down the left side and converted on his 11th of the campaign to make it 3-0. Hershey would answer with a power play goal of their own, scored by Pierrick Dube on a rebound in the slot. But, the Sens would add one more before the break, to make it 4-1, when rookie defenceman Jorian Donovan took a pass in the right circle, from Max Guenette, and fired it far side past Shepard.

Jenik would complete his “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” (one goal, one assist, and one fight) by banking a cross-crease pass off a Hershey defender and past Clay Stevenson, who entered the game in place of Shepard at the start of the frame to extend the lead to 5-1, but Mike Vecchione would get one back on a low wrist shot about five minutes later. Max Guenette would cap the scoring with an empty netter for Belleville, his second empty net goal in as many nights.

The Sens will have an off-day on Thursday and practice Friday, ahead of another visit with the Penguins on Saturday and a trip to Hartford to face the Wolf Pack (AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers) on Sunday.

You can see the complete box score by clicking here.

Fast Facts:

• #4 Jeremy Davies scored his ninth goal of the season.
• #9 Angus Crookshank picked up two assists.
• #10 Zack Ostapchuk picked up an assist.
• #11 Jorian Donovan scored his second goal of the season and is now on his first three-game point streak of his pro career.
• #13 Xavier Bourgault had three shots on goal.
• #17 Zack MacEwen picked up two assists.
• #21 Max Guenette scored his 25th career goal, making him the Belleville Sens franchise leader in goals by defencemen. He also had an assist.
• #22 Garrett Pilon scored his ninth goal of the season against his former team.
• #23 Cole Reinhardt scored his 11th goal of the campaign.
• #24 Jan Jenik scored his eight goal of the season and collected an assist, with a fight, to complete the Gordie Howe Hat Trick.
• #30 Malcolm Subban stopped 23 of 25 shots in the win.
• #42 Hayden Hodgson was credited with an assist and also had a fight.
• #89 Sam Gagner notched another assist.
• The Senators were 1/1 on the Lifestyle Home Products Power Play and 3/4 on the ViewTech Window and Door Penalty Kill.
• Hershey outshot Belleville 25-23.

Highlights:

Media Availabilities:

Up Next:

• Saturday, March 8, 2025 – Bellevilhttps://youtu.be/0lx_dfFw_AIle Senators @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – 6:05 p.m. (Mohegan Arena)
• Sunday, March 9, 2025 – Belleville Senators @ Hartford Wolf Pack – 5:00 p.m. (XL Center)
• Friday, March 14 2025 – Belleville Senators vs Bridgeport Islanders – 7:00 p.m. (CAA Arena) (Sens Stampede presented by Cool 100)
• Saturday, March 15, 2025 – Belleville Senators vs Bridgeport Islanders – 7:00 p.m. (CAA Arena) (St. Patrick’s Day Game)

Tickets for all 2024-25 Belleville Sens home games are now on sale via Ticketmaster, by emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com, or at the Belleville Sens Box Office at CAA Arena during select hours.

Fans looking for details on other ticketing options can click the following links for more on  becoming a season seat member, purchasing a flex pack membership, or putting down a deposit for 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.

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