Weekly Recap: Senators snag one point from Monsters during weekend doubleheader

The Belleville Senators continued their seven-game stretch away from home and began a run of nine days away from the Bay of Quinte with a pair of matchups in Cleveland against the Monsters (AHL Affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets) last weekend. Unfortunately, the Sens suffered a pair of 6-5 defeats: a comeback effort on Friday fell short in regulation, and another attempt to battle back on Saturday ended in an overtime loss.

The single point on the weekend leaves Belleville in sixth place in the AHL’s North Division, and there’s been some movement above them as well. The Sens now trail Rochester by two points, with the Amerks occupying the fifth playoff spot in the North. The Sens and Amerks will meet at Blue Cross Arena this coming Wednesday, before Belleville heads to Syracuse for a home-and-home series that begins Friday with the Crunch (AHL Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning). Syracuse sits second in the North, but is in a three-way tie with Toronto and Cleveland at 50 points, four ahead of Belleville. Laval still leads the division with 56 points.

Here’s a recap of last weekend’s meetings with the Monsters, ahead of a three-game week that leads into the 2026 AHL All-Star Break next week.

Friday, January 30, 2026: Belleville Senators – 5 @ Cleveland Monsters – 6

The Belleville Senators weekend in Cleveland got off to a competitive start, as they went toe-to-toe with the Monsters but came up just short with their third-period comeback effort in a 6-5 loss. Jorian Donovan (fourth), Arthur Kaliyev (27th), Oskar Pettersson (ninth), Olle Lycksell (seventh), and Tyler Boucher (sixth) all scored for the Sens in the comeback attempt, while Leevi Merilainen stopped 29 shots. Boucher would finish with three points after tacking on a pair of assists, while Garrett Pilon and Phil Daoust each had a pair of helpers as well.

GAME RECAP | BOX SCORE

Saturday, January 31, 2026: Belleville Senators – 5 @ Cleveland Monsters – 6 (OT)

The Belleville Sens suffered a bit of deja vu in Cleveland last Saturday, needing a comeback to eventually force overtime against the Monsters, during their final visit to Rocket Arena this season. After going down 4-0 midway through the second period, AHL leading goal scorer Arthur Kaliyev launched the comeback with his 28th goal of the season, followed by an unassisted marker from Garrett Pilon (sixth), and a trio of third period goals from Carter Yakemchuk (fourth), Jamieson Rees (fifth), and Jan Jenik (seventh). While, unlike Friday, they were able to get the game to overtime, Monsters defender Dysin Mayo beat Hunter Shepard with about two minutes left in the extra frame to hand Belleville the loss. Shepard stopped 22 of the 28 shots he faced in the game.

GAME RECAP | BOX SCORE

Recent Transactions

• Jan.29/26: #44 Djibril Toure (D) – DELETE – Loaned to Allen (ECHL)
• Jan.29/26: #18 Jake Chiasson (F) – DELETE – Loaned to Allen (ECHL)
• Jan.31/26: #13 Xavier Bourgault – ADD – Returned on loan from Ottawa (NHL)

You can click here for a full list of Belleville Sens transactions.

Statistical Leaders

Points: 48 (2nd in AHL)
#43 Arthur Kaliyev (F) – 28 G + 20 A

Goals: 28 (1st in AHL)
#43 Arthur Kaliyev (F)

Assists: 26 (T-8th in AHL)
#10 Phil Daoust (C)

Power Play Goals: 13 (1st in AHL)
#43 Arthur Kaliyev (F)

Plus/Minus: +7
#33 Lassi Thomson

Penalty Minutes: 94 (7th in AHL)
#42 Hayden Hodgson (RW)

Goals Against Average: 3.16
#35 Leevi Merilainen (G)

Save Percentage: .911
#35 Leevi Merilainen (G)

Wins: 6
#30 Hunter Shepard (G)

Shutouts: 1
#31 Jackson Parsons (G)
#35 Leevi Merilainen (G)
#40 Mads Sogaard (G)

This Week:

As noted earlier, the Senators finish their seven-game road trip and return home this week, stopping in Rochester against the Americans (AHL Affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres) on Wednesday, before visiting the Syracuse Crunch (AHL Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning) on Friday night. The Sens return home to host the Crunch at CAA Arena on Bellevegas Night, this Saturday, February 7, at 7:00 p.m. Players and staff will then be off for about a week as the league takes its annual All-Star Break, though Arthur Kaliyev will travel to Rockford, Illinois to represent Belleville in the 2026 AHL All-Star Challenge on February 10th and 11th. The Sens return from the All-Star Break with home games on Friday February 14 and Monday February 16 (613 Country Game) against the Hershey Bears (AHL Affiliate of the Washington Capitals). You can follow all the action by listening on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network, or watching along on AHL TV on FloHockey. 

Ticket Info:

Single-game tickets for all home games in the 2025-26 season are now on sale via Ticketmaster or at the Belleville Sens Box Office located inside the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre. Details on season seat memberships, flex packs, premium seating, the Business Edge program, and more can be found by visiting the Belleville Sens Website. 

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