Providence propelled by power plays, slipping by Sens 4-3 in OT

The Providence Bruins took full advantage of the nine power plays they were awarded against the visiting Belleville Senators on Saturday night, converting three times on the man-advantage including the overtime winner, to take a 4-3 decision in extra time.

The Sens battled back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to force the extra frame, led by a two-goal night from Wyatt Bongiovanni and a 35-save effort from goalie Malcolm Subban. The standings point earned puts Belleville three points back of Toronto and Cleveland for the last playoff spot in the AHL North.

Just over halfway through the first, Providence opened the scoring when a slapshot from the point by Daniil Misyul found its way in with traffic in front of Subban. Belleville spent lots of early time on the penalty kill, being sent to five of the first six kills in the game. That included a two-man advantage that carried over into the second period, when Providence doubled the lead just 35 seconds in on a one-timer from the left circle from Oliver Wahlstrom.

Jan Jenik responded for the Sens just over four minutes later, however, when directly off a faceoff he threaded the needle with a shot from the left corner that snuck in and cut the deficit to 2-1.

Providence then took its turn to get into penalty trouble, sending the Sens to their own 5-on-3 just over halfway through the game. Wyatt Bongiovanni would equalize the game with a perfectly placed wrist shot from the high slot to reset the game at 2-2.

Providence retook the lead in the early minutes of the third on another power play. This time, it was Jeffrey Viel who chopped the puck home on a net front scramble after an initial Subban save. But barely a minute later, Wyatt Bongiovanni streaked into the Providence zone on the left side and wired home his second of the game to make it 3-3.

In overtime, the Sens killed off an enormous two-minute power play to keep the game even. But moments later, after Garrett Pilon was hooked down to the ice in a similar sequence, play continued, until an official called the Sens’ captain for unsportsmanlike conduct while he was on the bench. Providence capitalized on their ninth power play chance of the game, with a one-timer from the right circle by Dans Locmelis giving the Bruins a 4-3 win.

You can see tonight’s complete box score by clicking here.

Fast Facts:

• The final shots on goal were 39-21 Providence
• The Senators went 1 for 4 on the Lifestyle Home Products Power Play and 6 for 9 on the Viewtech Window & Door Penalty Kill
• #5 Wyatt Bongiovanni scored his 21st and 22nd goals of the season
• #22 Garrett Pilon extended his point streak to three games with an assist; he now has one goal and four assists in the last three games
• #24 Jan Jenik scored his 12th goal of the season
• #30 Malcolm Subban stopped 34 of 39 shots

Highlights:

Postgame Availabilities:

Sound Bytes:

Malcolm Subban on the team’s performance:

“We had some unbelievable blocks – Jan [Jenik], that was amazing, when you see that as a goaltender it gives you lots of momentum. I can’t say enough about how hard we battled back, playing a back-to-back too, and with how well we played, it’s tough to lose like that.”

Wyatt Bongiovanni on his two-goal output:

“I thought I had a slow first period, so coming into the locker room I wanted to get a reset, and then I think I’m at my best when I’m a shoot-first guy, so getting that first one in the net gave me a lot of momentum to keep that ball rolling.”

Bongiovanni on the upcoming three games with Laval to close out the regular season:

“It’s obviously an emotional game right now, so we’ll take the day to settle down, get home, get a good meal in us, regroup as a team, realize our efforts, realize what we did well, and we’ll attack a couple of practices, and it’s always good, hard-fought games against Laval, so we’re excited for that.”

Up Next:

• Wednesday, April 16, 2025 – Belleville Senators @ Laval Rocket – 7:00 p.m. (Place Bell)
• Friday, April 18, 2025 – Belleville Senators @ Laval Rocket – 7:00 p.m. (Place Bell)
• Saturday, April 19, 2025 – Belleville Senators vs. Laval Rocket – 7:00 p.m. (CAA Arena) (Fan Appreciation Night)

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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