Senators’ late push falls short in 6–3 loss to Bruins

The Belleville Senators were back at home to start a back-to-back Hockey Fights Cancer weekend matchup against the Providence Bruins, losing 6-3.

A lively CAA Arena saw the Senators generate some good pressure, though the Bruins would strike first. Ty Gallagher and Fabian Lysell combined to feed a streaking Patrick Brown, who cut in tight and slipped one through the five-hole to give Providence a 1-0 lead. The lead was short-lived, as the Senators answered with their first of the game. Just over halfway through the opening frame, Tomas Hamara’s slick skating helped him find Lassi Thomson, who scored from a tough angle to tie it 1-1. Toward the end of the period, the Bruins regained the lead on the power play. Lysell added another assist as he worked the puck over to Frederic Brunet, who quickly fed Jacob Perreault for a one-timer. The initial shot was stopped, but Perreault buried his own rebound to make it 2-1.

The second period saw the Bruins’ puck luck continue to go their way. A rush into the Senators’ zone, led by Matthew Poitras and Dans Locmelis, created heavy pressure in front of the net, with the puck popping out to Perreault for his second of the game, putting the Bruins up 3-1. Providence added another with eleven seconds left to extend the margin. A point shot from Victor Soderstrom bounced around to Perreault, who found Poitras in front to bury his second of the year and make it a 4-1 game.

The final twenty minutes started off quietly, but Belleville cut the deficit on the power play. Stephen Halliday sent Arthur Kaliyev in alone on a rush, and he beat Michael DiPietro glove side to make it a 4-2 game. After another penalty, the Senators went right back to the power play and trimmed the gap to one. A high shot off Halliday’s stick, followed by a scramble from Carter Yakemchuk, kicked out to an open Xavier Bourgault, bringing Belleville within 4-3. The momentum was short-lived, however, as Providence answered just over a minute later on a power play of their own. Quick passing from down low to the blue line by Soderstrom and Christian Wolanin set up Locmelis, who buried his second point of the night to restore a 5-3 lead. The Bruins added an empty net marker courtesy of Jake Schmaltz, for a final of 6-3.

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