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AHL Belleville Senators

Bongiovanni's Hat Trick Propels Sens to 7-2 Blowout in Utica

January 4, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Belleville Senators News Release


Utica Comets' Isaac Poulter versus Belleville Senators' Wyatt Bongiovanni
Utica Comets' Isaac Poulter versus Belleville Senators' Wyatt Bongiovanni
(Belleville Senators, Credit: Utica Comets)

Wyatt Bongiovanni scored his first career AHL hat trick, Mark Sinclair recorded his first AHL win, and the Belleville Senators set a new season high for goals scored in a game, in a 7-2 romp over the host Utica Comets on Saturday night.

The win snaps a four-game skid for the Sens, moving their record to 14-10-1-4 on the season.

Belleville took advantage of early power play opportunities, opening the scoring on a 5-on-3 when Bongiovanni blasted home his first on a feed from Jeremy Davies, beating goaltender Isaac Poulter from the right circle at 3:29 for a 1-0 lead. With just over three minutes left in the frame, Hayden Hodgson tallied his second of the season when he wired a shot past Poulter on the rush, also from the right side, making it 2-0.

The Sens turned it into a blowout in the second; it began just 1:24 into the frame with Bongiovanni's second of the game, after he drove to the right side of the net and slid the puck between Poulter's pads. Jan Jenik tallied at the 6:18 mark, firing a centering feed to the net front that a Utica defender accidentally tipped into the net; that goal chased Poulter from the net in favour of Jeremy Brodeur. But less than 90 seconds later, Angus Crookshank made it 5-0 when he took a drop pass from Stephen Halliday, sped to the right circle, and rocketed a wrist shot home for his team-leading 13th goal of the season.

With just over a minute left in the period, off of an offensive zone faceoff, Bongiovanni tried to chip a puck toward goal from the left point; it took a fortuitous bounce off of a Utica defender's stick and came right to Max Guenette at the backdoor, and the veteran Senator quickly chipped in his third goal of the year for a 6-0 lead. Utica responded with just 11 seconds left in the second when Joe Gambardella scored on a net front scramble to cut the deficit to 6-1.

After a couple of early third period saves by Sinclair to open the third, Hayden Hodgson dropped the gloves in open ice with Daniil Misyul just under seven minutes in, scoring a bevy of right hooks in a decisive fight victory. A few minutes later, Bongiovanni completed his hat trick when he tapped a rebound past Brodeur after a long range shot from Garrett Pilon for a 7-1 Sens lead. Brian Halonen scored a late goal for Utica with 11 seconds left in the game, notching the 7-2 final score.

You can see the complete box score.

Fast Facts:

Belleville goalie Mark Sinclair stopped 19 of 21 shots for his first win in the AHL

Tyler Boucher extended his point streak to four games, with two goals and two assists in that span

Wyatt Bongiovanni scored the first hat trick by a Belleville Senator since April 14, 2023 (Rourke Chartier)

Bongiovanni's four points were a career high, and the third time in his career he's scored three or more points in a game

13 different skaters registered at least one point for Belleville

The Senators were 2 for 4 on the Lifestyle Home Products Power Play and 0 for 1 on the Viewtech Window & Door Penalty Kill

Highlights:

Sound Bytes:

Forward Wyatt Bongiovanni on getting back into the win column:

"It was about time for us. We were playing the right way, as a group, we felt that we were doing the right things, and it was a matter of time until we saw some pucks go in the net."

Bongiovanni on his hat trick and four-point night:

"Getting one early is key to feel good - you see a puck go in the net, as a line, as a power play group, it's easy to build momentum and get that ball rolling. So for me, I feel like lately I've been passing up some shots, and today I saw some fall."

Goaltender Mark Sinclair on recording his first AHL win:

"It means a lot. Starting off in the [ECHL], got that one game a few years ago, back down last year, and back up for a game last year, and grateful that I got called up again here with the chance to play a couple of games and finally get that win."

Sinclair on the team's play in front of him:

"Unbelievable. They've been great every time I've gotten in there. Even the last game, they were great, we just came out on the wrong side, but tonight, they were really helping me out, and scored a few goals to ease the nerves a little bit."

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Images from this story

Utica Comets' Isaac Poulter versus Belleville Senators' Wyatt Bongiovanni
Utica Comets' Isaac Poulter versus Belleville Senators' Wyatt Bongiovanni
(Utica Comets)		   

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