The Belleville Senators brought their best game to the biggest stage on Wednesday night, thoroughly dismantling the first-place Laval Rocket in a convincing 5-0 win at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
Goaltender Leevi Merilainen led the way with a scintillating 24-save shutout, punctuated by a bevy of desperation and point blank saves on Laval’s best chances in the first and third periods, while Stephen Halliday led the way offensively with two goals for the home side.
The win, coupled with a Syracuse overtime loss to Toronto tonight, moves the Sens just five points out of the playoff picture in the AHL North, with still five games in hand.
Much as they did in their previous game against Utica, Belleville got its first goal via a rocket of a wrist shot from the left circle by Ottawa’s own Donovan Sebrango at the 4:50 mark of the opening frame. This time, it would stand up as the game-winner. Halliday’s first came exactly nine minutes later, when he tipped home a net front feed from Jorian Donovan, beating Laval goalie Cayden Primeau.
Just over halfway through the second, Maxence Guenette made it 3-0 on a long point shot through a screen that found paydirt for his fifth of the season. With just 1:06 left in the period, Jamieson Rees jammed the puck home on a net front scramble to extend the lead to 4-0.
Halliday capped off the scoring with his second at the 3:40 mark, when he sniped home a power play shot from the slot off a perfect pass from Sam Gagner off the wall.
The Sens return home Friday night to CAA Arena in Belleville where they will host the Toronto Marlies at 7 PM.
You can see the complete box score by clicking here.
Fast Facts
- Belleville outshot the Rocket by a whopping 10-2 margin in the second period in extending the lead to 4-0
- The shutout was Merilainen’s second of the season and fourth in his AHL career
- Eleven different Senators registered at least a point in the game; multi-point scorers included Stephen Halliday (2G), Sam Gagner (2A), Garrett Pilon (2A), and Angus Crookshank (2A)
- The Sens were 1 for 2 on the Lifestyle Home Products Power Play and a perfect 4 for 4 on the Viewtech Window & Door Penalty Kill
Up Next:
- Friday, February 14, 2025 – Belleville Senators vs Toronto Marlies – 7:00 p.m. ET (CAA Arena)
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