After only playing once at home over a 30 day span, the Belleville Senators kicked off a stretch of seven-of-nine games at CAA Arena, playing the Toronto Marlies for the seventh of 12 times and scoring five unanswered goals en route to a 7-4 win.
It was Belleville’s sixth win in a row and gives the North Division leaders a 15 point cushion on the fifth place Marlies, with five more regular season meetings to come.
Jordan Szwarz, Mike Carcone, Josh Norris, Erik Brannstrom, Morgan Klimchuk, JC Beaudin and Parker Kelly all scored for the Sens.
Mason Marchment led the Marlies with a hat-trick in the losing cause, while Toronto’s leading scorer Pontus Aberg also found the net.
Joey Daccord made 36 saves in the victory for Belleville.
After a trio of early shots by the Senators, it was Toronto who would get on the board first scoring at 4:30, on just their second attempt on goal of the game.
Belleville couldn’t clear the defensive zone and Aberg walked to the far circle and wired a wrist shot past Joey Daccord with Tanner MacMaster and Kristians Rubins drawing the assists.
Toronto would get another few chances on a mid-period power play, but Belleville would even the score on a man-advantage of their own.
Norris blasted a one-timer from the near circle, which careened off the shin pads of Szwarz and past Kasimir Kaskisuo.
The Norris helper extended his point streak to four games, with Erik Brannstrom credited with the other assist.
The 1-1 scoreline stood after 20 minutes.
Belleville Senators defenceman Max Lajoie tax a shot, during a game against the Toronto Marlies at CAA Arena, on February 7, 2020. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
The second period started with a Rudolfs Balcers goaltender interference penalty and a Toronto power play goal to make it 2-1.
Marchment got body position on Hubert Labrie and re-directed a pass from Nic Petan into the back of the net.
Marchment would count his second of the night just under 3:30 later, when he scored on a one-timer, again from Petan, to make it 3-1.
The Senators would cut the lead to one just as a power play expired, with Carcone banking a shot in off Kaskisuo, from behind the goal line, for his 12th of the season.
Another penalty with about 2:00 left would cost the Senators once more as Marchment earned his hat trick on a broken play around the net, as he tapped the puck past Daccord, who was sprawled out in the crease to make it 4-2.
But Norris would shovel a puck past Kaskisuo, from the goal line area, with just three seconds left to cut the lead to 4-3 before the end of the frame.
The Senators would take the lead midway through the third period on a pair of long wrist shots and not look back, scoring four times in the frame.
First, Brannstrom tied it with a highlight real effort, rushing up the ice, dancing around a Toronto player at the blue line and beat Kaskisuo with a laser beam into the top corner.
Then just 51 seconds later, Klimchuk stepped over the blue line and fired home a high-slot wrister of his own to give Belleville its first lead and chase Kaskisuo from the net in favour of Joseph Woll.
Beaudin’s goal would come shorthanded at 14:27 and was initially waved off, but confirmed after video review moments later and Kelly would finish things off with the empty netter.
Belleville Senators forward Josh Norris tries to tip a puck past Toronto Marlies goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo, during a game at CAA Arena, on February 7, 2020. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
Senators Head Coach Troy Mann says his team’s depth has made them confident that they can win every night.
Klimchuk, who became the 17th Senator to score a game winning goal this season, agreed that the offensive depth has been a key to the recent success.
He added that it was great to get a win at home, in front a full building and bring Belleville’s record at CAA Arena back over the .500 mark.
Belleville is back in action at home against another divisional rival on Saturday night when they welcome the Laval Rocket back to CAA Arena.
Game time is 7:05 p.m., with 800 AM CJBQ’s coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m., for Eastern Overhead Doors and Deerhaven Farm and Garden.
You can click here to see the box score from Friday night and watch highlights of the game below.
