Subban scintillating as B-Sens come back from 2-0 deficit to beat Laval

Tonight, at the CAA Arena, the Belleville Senators hosted the Laval Rocket in a tense, hard-fought game that ultimately saw Belleville prevail 3-2.

The first period started off slowly but had its share of intensity. Laval’s Logan Mailloux received a cross-checking penalty, while Belleville’s Tyler Boucher was called for interference. Senators’ forward Garrett Pilon kept the pressure on during Laval’s power play. Belleville’s Malcolm Subban came through with several key saves, showing his effectiveness despite not being the biggest goalie on the ice. Laval ended the first period leading in shots on net with 13, compared to Belleville’s 7.

In the second period, Laval appeared to take control, scoring five minutes in. Rocket’s Xavier Simoneau delivered a perfectly placed shot to the top-right corner, leaving Subban with little chance to stop it. The Rocket then doubled their lead with another goal, a quick shot that slipped through Subban’s pads, putting the Senators in a tough position. The arena grew tense as fans recalled Belleville’s recent struggles, with hopes for a win beginning to fade.

However, in the final minute of the period, the Senators found a spark. Despite being on the penalty kill, Belleville capitalized on a turnover, and Pilon fired a shot through Jakub Dobes’s legs, cutting Laval’s lead to 2-1 and energizing the crowd.

The third period began with Belleville on the power play after a cross-checking penalty on Laval’s Zach Hayes. Thirty seconds in, Belleville’s Xavier Bourgault scored a quick goal, assisted by Pilon and Stephen Halliday, tying the game 2-2 and reviving the Senators’ momentum.

Then, at 10:57, Maxence Guenette scored what would be the game-winning goal, putting Belleville ahead for the first time. In the final minutes, Halliday made a strategic play, engaging Mailloux in a scuffle that resulted in both receiving five-minute penalties. This move effectively sidelined Laval’s best player as the Rocket pushed for a last-minute equalizer.

Though Laval kept the pressure on, Belleville’s defence held strong, securing the Senators’ 3-2 comeback victory. Subban was named first star of the game as he secured his first win as a Senator with his 27-save performance.

You can click here to see the full box score.

Fast facts:

• Malcolm Subban secured his first win as a Senator with 27 saves.
• Oskar Pettersson scored a goal and an assist.
• Max Guenette scored the game-winner.
• Xavier Bourgault scored his second of the season.
• Stephen Halliday got in his first pro-fight and capped off a 3-point weekend.

Sound Bytes:

Goaltender Malcolm Subban on his first win as a Senator:

“It was my first start in a long time, and the guys did a great job of boxing out and allowing me to cover the rebounds. It was a great team win, great all-around effort, and we’re just looking forward to keeping that going here.”

Oskar Pettersson on his opening goal that began the three-goal comeback:

“It was a huge goal; I saw [Pilon] break up the play there on the PK, both of us knew that [Davies] was coming out of the box, so I was just trying to sneak out and go for the rush chance there, saw [Davies] got the puck there, and was just trying to fill in, felt that I was open. [Davies] made a great play, and I’ve just got to shoot it.”

Stephen Halliday on the team’s recent success:

“As a team, i think we put in the work this weekend, we’ve been playing some pretty good hockey, we played Syracuse really well last weekend and kind of built off that. Subban was great for us tonight and it’s not easy coming in yesterday and stopping as many as it did; it was a team effort.”

Highlights:

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Up Next:

• Wednesday, November 13, 2024 – Belleville vs Syracuse (7:00 p.m. ET – CAA Arena)

Ticket Info:

Tickets for all games through the first half of the 2024-25 Belleville Sens season 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 to get a head start on locking up tickets for any game on the schedule can do so now by 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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