A day after dropping their home opener to the Binghamton Devils, the Belleville Senators got some revenge with a 5-4 overtime win, thanks mainly to a combined 12 point effort from the top line of Drake Batherson, Logan Brown and Nick Paul.
Despite the strong finish, things started in a similar fashion to Friday, with Binghamton scoring with one of their first few shots on goal.
Chris Conner snuck around Jack Dougherty and potted the rebound off a Joey Anderson shot to open the scoring just 47 seconds in.
The Sens mounted a counter attack moments later, on a partial breakaway by Jordan Szwarz, but he couldn’t beat Gilles Senn, who was making his AHL debut after playing the majority of his career with HC Davos in Switzerland.
Logan Brown also had one of his first chances of the night at the side of the net, but his low shot went wide.
Following that brief push back, a string of three straight penalties proved to be costly.
After killing a Jack Rodewald penalty cleanly, Rodewald immediately went back to the box for hooking and Brett Seney one-timed home a pass from Conner, to make it 2-0.
Belleville would force Senn to make another couple of saves and Mike Carcone would hit the post, but that was the best of the Senators’ chances in the frame.
The Belleville Senators celebrate a goal, during a game against the Binghamton Devils at CAA Arena, on October 12, 2019. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
After somewhat of a rough start to the second period, the Senators were able to turn things around and eventually get even.
Jordan Murray went off for a head check, leading to Gustavsson making a couple of saves and Conner almost burying into a half-empty net, but Belleville was able to kill off the penalty.
That kill led to a bit of Belleville momentum, as the Senators broke the goose egg moments later.
Murray fired a low wrist shot from the point, which bounced off of Drake Batherson and Brown, then past Senn, for Brown’s first goal of the season.
Murray’s assist on the play was his 50th AHL point.
The Senators would go to the power play right after that, but it would be short-lived as Murray laid a huge hit and was sent off for elbowing, leading to a four-on-four situation.
During that stretch, Ryan Schmelzer got a friendly bounce, broke in off the right side and beat Gustavsson to make it 3-1.
But Belleville bounced back with Brown’s second of the game cutting the lead back to one at 9:19, when he finished a cross-crease feed from Nick Paul, with Batherson earning his second assist of the night as well.
The Sens would draw even at 18:21 when a rebound came all the way out to Jack Dougherty in the high slot and the big defenceman slammed home his first of the season.
Batherson and Paul were also credited with an assist on that play, which evened the game 3-3 after 40:00.
Belleville Senators defenceman Jack Dougherty skates for the puck, during a game against the Binghamton Devils at CAA Arena, on October 12, 2019. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
Belleville seemed to have some jump to start the third, generating a few chances, including a JC Beaudin shot off the post at 4:21.
But at 5:43 the Senators broke up a Binghamton rush involving Bastian and Conner, with Conner falling near the puck in the corner.
Conner was able to hit Michael McLeod with a hard pass, which he redirected past Gustavsson to make it 4-3.
The Senators killed off another two man advantage to keep it a one goal game and then the big line went back to work again.
Brown carried the puck into the zone and dropped a pass off to Paul, who wired a wrist shot past Senn to tie the game at 15:40 and force overtime.
The Belleville Senators celebrate a goal, during a game against the Binghamton Devils at CAA Arena, on October 12, 2019. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
The team’s traded chances in the extra frame and Batherson eventually finished off his five point night with 28 seconds to play.
Brown sent a long feed out of the defensive zone to Batherson, who cruised in from the red line, deked Senn low and popped the game winner over the Binghamton netminders right shoulder.
It’s the second time Batherson has scored at least five points in a game in his B-Sens career and he told Quinte News post game that his line seems to be clicking again, after the success they had last season.
Senators’ coach Troy Mann called it a character win for his young team.
He says the performance from the top line shows exactly what that group is capable of.
You can click here to read the box score from Saturday night and see highlights from the game below.
The Senators see action next on Friday October 18, when they welcome the Hershey Bears to CAA Arena.
That game can be heard on 800 AM CJBQ, starting at 6:50 p.m., for Eastern Overhead Doors and Deerhaven Farm and Garden
