(Vitaly Abramov scores the winning goal in Laval)
What a difference a couple of days makes.
After starting the American Hockey League season with back to back 5-1 losses to Laval, the Belleville Senators responded with a 4-1 victory over the Rocket for their first win of the season.
Vitaly Abramov broke a 1-1 tie at 8:30 of the third period, and touched off a 3 goal spree over a span of 4:08 with Clark Bishop and Alex Formenton providing plenty of insurance for goaltender Filip Gustavsson.
He had just returned from the Ottawa Senators to make his first start of the year. Gustavsson stopped 25 of 26 shots and was particularly sharp in the first period when Belleville was outshot 14-3.
Logan Shaw also scored his second of the season to tie the game at 1 in the second period. Jordan Weal gave Laval a first period lead.
Coach Troy Mann says there were a number of areas of improvement since their last game on Saturday.
Mann adds that the two days following Saturday’s loss were productive.
Forward Logan Brown, Filip Chlapik and Joseph LaBate did not play last night. All three are day to day with various injuries.
Belleville plays Laval again on Friday at the Bell Centre in Montreal and then won’t play again for 11 days.
