Belleville defenceman Carter Yakemchuk scored a goal in his club’s 6-5 overtime loss in Cleveland Saturday. (AHL/Cleveland Monsters photo)
It took a three goal outburst in the third period Saturday night but the Belleville Senators managed to secure a point in their two game stopover in Cleveland this weekend.
A regulation tie improved the Senators record to 19-19-8 as they head to Rochester for a Wednesday night tilt with the Americans. The Senators trail the Amerks for fifth place in the American Hockey League’s North Division by two points although Rochester has four games in hand.
After the Sens dropped the opener 6-5 to the host Monsters Friday, Belleville looked bound to post their first two game losing skid since early January when they emerged for the third period trailing 5-2.
Belleville had a disastrous second period where they came unglued, taking five minor penalties and surrendering three power play goals. Coach Andrew Campbell didn’t divulge what was said to the squad in the second intermission. But rest assured the message was delivered with a strong tone.
“It was based on what happened in the second and our lack of discipline,” Mr Campbell said. “The guys responded to the challenge in the third and we were able to get a point out of it.”
Belleville fell behind 4-0 through the first 35 minutes of the game so scratching out a point by forcing overtime was a glass half full scenario, all things considered.
The Sens finally solved Zach Sawchenko with 4:29 left in the second on the power play. Xavier Bourgault’s cross ice feed teed up leading goal scorer Arthur Kaliyev for his 28th of the campaign.
Just under 90 seconds later, Captain Garrett Pilon cut to the net from the right side corner and stuffed home his 6th of the year to carve the Cleveland lead in half.
But former Belleville Bull Brendan Gaunce victimized the Sens on a late frame powerplay to put the hosts up three.
The visitors came alive in the third, sending 13 volleys on the Monsters net. The comeback started when Mr. Pilon sprang rookie Carter Yakemchuk from the blueline and the starry rookie bought and sold the Cleveland goaltender with a forehand-backhand deke 3:41 into the final stanza.
Just under two minutes later, Belleville inched closer when Jamieson Rees took an Oskar Pettersson pass in the slot and went off the near post and in on Mr. Sawchenko for his fifth of the year.
Belleville completed the comeback with 7:28 left in regulation. Mr. Pilon threaded a pass from the far side half wall to a lurking Jan Janik who had a tap-in for his 7th of the season.
Tied at 4-4 inside the final five minutes, Olle Lycksell had the game on his stick during a Belleville man advantage. Mr. Yakemchuk made a slick backhand feed to the side of the Cleveland net where Mr. Lycksell hammered a one timer into the glove of an awaiting Mr. Sawchenko who kept the game knotted at 5-5 with an act of leather-bound larceny.
In overtime, a cross ice pass was intercepted by Mr. Gaunce who fed a streaking Dysin Mayo. Mr. Mayo spread Hunter Shepard in the Senators crease before depositing a backhand off the goal post and into the Belleville net at 3:10 of the extra session.
On Friday, Belleville was undone by a bad opening period and could never quite tame the Monsters.
Down 3-1 after 20 minutes, the teams traded goals in the second. Mr. Kaliyev and Mr. Pettersson bookended a pair of Cleveland tallies.
62 seconds into the third, Mr. Lycksell drew the Sens to within a goal at 5-4 but Mr. Gaunce potted the eventual game winner at 9:59.
Tyler Boucher picked up Belleville’s fifth goal with under 10 minutes to play.
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