Belleville Senators Game Day Build-Up
Apr.16/25 @ Laval Rocket (NHL Affiliate: Montreal Canadiens)
The Set Up:
There are just three games left for the Belleville Senators to qualify for a coveted North Division Calder Cup Playoff spot, and with each team in the North having the same amount of contests remaining, the math gets easier for the Sens, but the task does not. The Senators need at least four points over their final three games against the freshly-minted North Division Champion Laval Rocket to draw even with the Toronto Marlies for the division’s final berth – if the Marlies lose all three of their remaining contests. If Toronto collects one point, Belleville needs five, and if the Marlies earn two points, the Senators will need to win out. But the math only matters if Belleville can continue to take care of its business and extend a three-game point streak that included road wins last week in Rochester and Springfield and an overtime loss in Providence. They’ll look to do that against a Rocket team that has already clinched the division crown but has sights set on an American Hockey League regular season title as well.
Previous History:
This is the eight of 10 meetings between the Sens and Rocket this season with the teams trading wins back and forth and Belleville holding a record of 3-3-1-0 (1-2-0-0 in Laval) heading into tonight’s game at Place Bell. It’s the first time the teams have met since early March, when Laval picked up a 4-1 home ice win. Tonight’s matchup is the 89th lifetime between Belleville and Laval since the teams joined the AHL together in 2017/18, with Belleville holding a record of 47-35-2-4, and 22-21-1-0 at Place Bell.
Roster Notes:
As the NHL parent club in Ottawa prepares for its first Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance in eight years, there’s been no movement on the Top Pick Painters Transaction Report. Forwards Angus Crookshank and Hayden Hodgson remain with the NHL Senators, though Hodgson was recently injured and is listed week-to-week. The injured list remains the same in Belleville and includes goaltender Mads Sogaard, forward Zack MacEwen, and defenceman Max Guenette. You can click here for a full list of up-to-date transactions, with full lineup details ahead of game time via the Belleville Sens social channels (@BellevilleSens).
Who to Watch:
Senators Captain Garrett Pilon has been leading the playoff push through his emotion and solid play. The second-year Senator and first-year Sens…
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