Late power play goal sinks Sens in Hartford, 4-1

A late power play goal by the Hartford Wolf Pack broke a 1-1 deadlock, and two empty netters sent the host squad to a 4-1 win over the visiting Belleville Senators on Sunday afternoon.

The loss moves the Sens’ record to 26-21-4-4, and a win today by the tiebreaker-holding Syracuse Crunch moved them just ahead of Belleville for the last playoff spot in the AHL North division, with each team holding 60 points in the standings.

Belleville tallied first with just 92 seconds left in the opening period on a rocket of a slap shot by Hayden Hodgson from the right circle. Off the rush, Hodgson labelled the puck for the top left corner, giving the Sens a 1-0 lead with his fourth goal of the season.

But with just 14 seconds left in the first, Hartford equalized when a long point shot was deflected past Leevi Merilainen by the stick of Jake Leschyshyn.

A spirited second period was filled with post-whistle scrums as the teams jockeyed for the physical edge, but goaltenders Merilainen and Dylan Garand combined for 20 saves to keep the game tied.

The matchup looked destined for overtime, until a late slashing call on the Sens sent Hartford to the power play. A point shot by Matthew Robertson was then deflected home by Leschyshyn for his second of the game to give the home side a 2-1 lead.

With just over 90 seconds left in the game, Xavier Bourgault had perhaps the Sens’ best chance of the night on a net front backhander, but a sprawling pad save by Garand kept the puck off the line. With a minute left, Nathan Sucese iced it with an empty net goal from the defensive zone, and Connor Mackey added a second off the ensuing faceoff to notch the 4-1 final score.

You can see the complete box score by clicking here.

Fast Facts:

• #14 Tristen Robins made his Belleville Senators debut and played his 150th AHL game
• #27 Keean Washkurak and #20 Philippe Daoust scored their 7th and 10th assists, respectively, of the season
• #42 Hayden Hodgson’s goal gave him points in three of his last four games
• Hartford outshot the Senators 29-27 in the game
• The Sens were 0 for 2 on the Lifestyle Home Products Power Play and 2 for 3 on the Viewtech Window & Door Penalty Kill
• #16 Tyler Boucher led the team with five shots on goal
• #35 Leevi Merilainen stopped 25 of 27 Hartford shots

Highlights:

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Head Coach Dave Bell on the result and the end to a heavy stretch of games:

“We cut our own throats with the penalty late in the game, but it’s a tough stretch. I don’t want to make excuses for the guys, but minus the all-star break that’s 18 games in 33 days with ridiculous travel, so it’s frustrating, but I felt the guys gave what they had.”

Bell on the keys to success with an upcoming homestand:

“We’ve got to get back to playing sound structurally. We’re not a gifted offensive team, so we’ve got to defend, and we’ve got to create by doing what we do, which is a heavy forecheck and getting bodies in front of the net.”

Up Next:

• 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)
• Friday, March 21, 2025 – Belleville Senators vs. Toronto Marlies – 7:00 p.m. (CAA Arena)
• Saturday, March 22, 2025 – Belleville Senators at Toronto Marlies – 4:00 p.m. (Coca-Cola Coliseum)

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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