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AHL Belleville Senators

Reinhardt and Bourgault Notch Two-Point Nights, as B-Sens Beat Amerks to Begin 2024-25 Season

October 11, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Belleville Senators News Release


Belleville Senators on the ice
Belleville Senators on the ice
(Belleville Senators, Credit: Freestyle Photography)

ROCHESTER, NY - The Belleville Senators kicked off the new season in a big way, picking up a 3-2 victory over the division-rival Rochester Americans, at Blue Cross Arena.

The Amerks came out of the gates first, exactly 12 minutes into the game, as they got in on an odd-man rush. Josh Dunne, making his Rochester debut after playing the past four seasons with Cleveland, would bury a one-time feed from Victor Neuchev past Leevi Merilainen to open the scoring.

But Belleville would answer back a little over five minutes later on the power play. After some strong in-zone play, the puck fell to the stick of Xavier Bourgault, and the 21-year-old winger wired his first goal as a Belleville Senator past Felix Sandstrom to tie the game, assisted by Cole Reinhardt and Max Guenette.

After killing off a short two-man advantage to start the period, the Senators would get ahead for the first time this season late in the frame. Reinhardt sped in on the left side and snapped a wrist shot over the left pad and under the glove of Sandstrom, to make it 2-1 Belleville. Jan Jenik picked up an assist, as did Donovan Sebrango and the B-Sens took that lead into the break.

Phil Daoust extended the lead for Belleville early in the third, again on the power play. Daoust did some good work around the walls and behind the net, eventually capitalizing on a goalmouth scramble to notch his first tally of the season, which would stand up to be the game-winner.

You can click here to see Friday's complete box score.

Fast Facts:

#4 Jeremy Davies made his Belleville Sens debut against his former club

#6 Donovan Sebrango picked up his first assist of the season

#9 Angus Crookshank had four shots on goal

#13 Xavier Bourgault had a goal and an assist in his Belleville Sens debut and was named the game's second star

#20 Phil Daoust scored his first goal of the season and registered seven shots on net

#21 Max Guenette had notched his first assist of the season

#23 Cole Reinhardt earned his 100th career AHL point with an assist and also added a goal, to be named the game's first star

#24 Jan Jenik earned an assist in his Belleville Sens debut

#27 Keean Washkurak made his Belleville Sens debut

#38 Wyatte Wylie made his Belleville Sens debut

#48 Filip Roos made his Belleville Sens debut

#52 Nikolas Matinpalo had four shots on net

#35 Leevi Merilainen stopped 22 of 24 shots to earn his first win of the season

The Senators were 2/6 on the Lifestyle Home Products Power Play and 5/5 on the ViewTech Window and Door Penalty Kill

Sound Bytes:

Belleville Sens Head Coach Dave Bell on the victory:

"A lot of good things came out of that. I thought our goaltending was outstanding, and our special teams were real good, so in a nutshell that was the game. But there were a lot of really good efforts in certain moments of the game from a lot of different guys."

Belleville Sens Head Coach on the importance of the special team's success on Friday.

"Especially at the start of the year, it's tough if you get behind with the numbers, psychologically, you're climbing an uphill battle. So, to get a game like that and give you a good start, it helps every aspect mentally and with the logistics of getting a good job done out there."

Belleville Sens forward Cole Reinhardt on starting in Belleville, after a strong NHL preseason in Ottawa:

"I just wanted to change the tide for myself. I just wanted to make a big impression at camp, and I thought I did. I don't have any regrets and I just want to keep it moving. I think I know, and they know, I just have to play my hard-nosed game."

Up Next:

Saturday, October 12, 2024 - Belleville @ Syracuse (7:00 p.m. ET - Upstate Medical University Arena)

Saturday, October 19, 2024 - Belleville vs Utica (7:00 p.m. ET - CAA Arena) (Home Opener Weekend presented by CAA)

Sunday October 20, 2024 - Belleville vs Syracuse (3:00 p.m. ET - CAA Arena) (Home Opener Weekend presented by CAA)

Ticket Info:

Tickets for all games through the first half of the 2024-25 Belleville Sens season are now on sale via Ticketmaster, by emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com, or at the Belleville Sens Box Office at CAA Arena during select hours.

Fans looking to get a head start on locking up tickets for any game on the schedule can do so now by becoming a season seat member, purchasing a flex pack membership, or putting down a deposit for a group experience. More information on those ticket options, plus details on premium seating and Business Elite packages is available by visiting the Belleville Sens website or emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com.

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Images from this story

Belleville Senators on the ice
Belleville Senators on the ice
(Freestyle Photography)		   

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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