The Belleville Senators kicked off their four-game homestand in impressive fashion, earning a 4-2 victory over the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders), at CAA Arena on Saturday night.
Just like last night, the Senators would score first, despite being outshot in the opening frame. Tonight, it was Garrett Pilon ripping s wrist shot past Henrik Tikkanen, on the power play just over five minutes in. Angus Crookshank and Jacob Larsson assisted on the goal, and Leevi Merilainen stopped all 13 shots he faced in the period.
Belleville extended the lead to 2-0 just 27 seconds into the second period when Nikolas Matinpalo flipped a puck on goal and Egor Sokolov chopped it by Tikkanen. Bridgeport would get a goal back from Julien Gauthier, pouncing on a rebound about four minutes later, but Sokolov would bury his second of the game midway through the period. He finished off a cross-slot from Pilon, to make it 3-1 Belleville after 40 minutes.
The Islanders made it close late in the third, when Seth Helgeson hammered in a slap shot, with all kinds of commotion around the Belleville crease. But Pilon would cap the night with an empty net goal just a few minutes later, hustling to beat out an icing call and converting his second of the night.
The Senators homestand continues on Friday and Saturday with important games against the Laval Rocket, before the Hartford Wolf Pack visit CAA Arena on Sunday.
Fast Facts:
- #3 Dillon Heatherington recorded his sixth assist of of the season.
- #4 Jacob Larsson had an assist and has points in back-to-back games (two assists).
- #5 Wyatt Bongiovanni made his Belleville Sens debut and registered two shots on goal, with a +2 rating.
- #6 Donovan Sebrango recorded his seventh assist of the season.
- #9 Angus Crookshank had an assist, to stretch his point streak to seven games (five goals, three assists).
- #13 Egor Sokolov scored his 16th and 17th goals of the season and was named the game’s second star. He has points in five consecutive games (four goals, two assists).
- #22 Garrett Pilon scored his 15th and 16th goals of the season, and added an assist, extending his point streak to three games (three goals, three assists). He was named the game’s first star.
- #35 Leevi Merilainen stopped 29 of 31 shots and earned his eighth win of the season. He was named the game’s third star.
- #52 Nikolas Matinpalo picked up his seventh assist and had four shots on net.
Highlights:
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