Sens score four straight to take down Americans 4-2

Stephen Halliday scored the game-winner with just 55 seconds left in the game, as the Belleville Senators stormed back from a 2-0 third period deficit to beat the host Rochester Americans 4-2 on Wednesday night at Blue Cross Arena, keeping themselves in the race for an AHL playoff spot.

Rochester took the lead on an early power play, in similar fashion to their game in Belleville on Saturday night. This time, it was Riley Fiddler-Schultz tipping a Kale Clague point shot past a screened Leevi Merilainen at the 3:07 mark.

Belleville had the vast majority of early chances, leading to a 21-11 shot lead just over halfway through the game; but a bevy of acrobatic saves by Rochester’s Devon Levi preserved the home side’s one-goal lead.

Rochester finally tallied again with just over a second left in the middle frame. Another shot by Fiddler-Schultz was saved by Merilainen, but deflected off Brett Murray in front of the net and back into the Belleville cage to make it 2-0.

Donovan Sebrango got the Sens on the board just under 90 seconds into the third, however, after a perfect centering pass from Garrett Pilon off the half-wall found the streaking Sens defender in the middle for a quick wrist shot goal, cutting the deficit to one.

Then, after two straight delay of game penalties against Rochester, Pilon tied the game on the two-man advantage just under halfway through the frame, sniping a perfectly placed top-shelf wrister from the slot.

In the final minute, Belleville completed the comeback when a Sebrango shot from the left circle deflected off of Halliday at the net front and into the Rochester net to give the Sens a 3-2 lead. Keean Waskurak sealed it with a few seconds left when he won a race to the puck at the left boards of the Rochester zone and slid the puck into the empty net to notch the 4-2 final score.

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

Fast Facts:

• The Senators outshot the Americans 37-25 in the game
• Belleville was 1 for 5 on the Lifestyle Home Products Power Play and 0 for 1 on the Viewtech Window & Door Penalty Kill
• #6 Donovan Sebrango scored his 7th goal of the season and added an assist
• #22 Garrett Pilon scored his 10th goal of the season and added an assist
• #27 Keean Washkurak scored his 10th goal of the season
• #34 Stephen Halliday scored his 17th goal of the season and added an assist
• #35 Leevi Merilainen stopped 23 of 25 shots for his 16th win of the season

Highlights:

Postgame Availabilities:

Sound Bytes:

Garrett Pilon on the team’s resilience:

“Super proud of our group, the way we handled that. It could’ve gone either way, letting in that late goal in the second, and we came out with our season on the line. I think we were generating quite a bit, and just not being able to get the puck in the back of the net, and once we did, that momentum stayed with us.”

Pilon on the upcoming playoff push:

“It’s always a tight playoff race in this division, but we’re just focusing on the next game, focusing on getting the wins that we can get, and if we go the next five here and we win out, I’m proud of our group, and we’re just looking to get some help.”

Stephen Halliday on the message in the dressing room after the second:

“A lot of guys were just chiming in saying we were playing good hockey, keep pressing them, and [Head Coach Dave Bell] was saying in the second, just to keep playing the way we were playing, have the D get a little more active, and I think it paid off with [Sebrango] getting two big points in the third to help us win.”

Halliday on getting back on the scoresheet with two points:

“When you’re an offensive player, you always want to score, and it’s been a little frustrating as a team not scoring as much, so obviously the top six guys, me, Wyatt, a lot of other guys take pride in doing that, and thankfully we did it tonight.”

Up Next:

• Friday, April 11, 2025 – Belleville Senators @ Springfield Thunderbirds – 7:00 p.m. (MassMutual Center)
• Saturday, April 12, 2025 – Belleville Senators @ Providence Bruins – 7:05 p.m. (Amica Mutual Pavillion)
• 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)

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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