Bourgault double backs Senators to first win of the season

The Belleville Senators hosted the Laval Rocket in the last of their three-game homestand on Wednesday and picked up their first win of the season, beating the Rocket 6-2.

Right from puck drop, the Senators dominated play with the first line being especially noticeable. Late in the period on the penalty kill, Xavier Bourgault got Belleville started off a pass from Philippe Daoust to score short-handed and make it 1-0.

Laval was quick to respond early in the second period on the power play, as Laurent Dauphin finished off a hard shot pass from Sean Farrell at the side of the net to tie the game 1-1. Later in the period, Belleville restored their one-goal lead when Xavier Bourgault continued his strong play, scoring his second of the game with help from linemates Stephen Halliday and Arthur Kaliyev. Less than a minute later, the Senators extended their lead in a big way. Hayden Hodgson buried his first of the season quickly, assisted by Keean Washkurak and Carter Yakemchuk, to make it 3-1. The Rocket cut the Senators’ lead late in the period when Adam Engstrom’s hard shot from the point beat Leevi Merilainen, narrowing the score to 3-2. The period closed with another Belleville goal, reinstating their two-goal cushion, as Wyatt Bongiovanni’s short-side shot beat Jacob Fowler on the power play to make it 4-2.

The Senators’ momentum continued to serve them well as their captain made his mark. An unassisted breakaway effort by Garrett Pilon extended Belleville’s lead to 5-2 early in the final period. Midway through the third, Cameron Crotty added to the Senators’ advantage with a wrist shot from the point, set up by Jorian Donovan and Garrett Pilon, to make it 6-2 and secure the Senators’ first win of the year.

Belleville travels to Toronto this weekend for two games against the Marlies on Saturday and Sunday, with both games starting at 4:00 p.m.

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