The Toronto Marlies lived up to the Belleville Senators arch-rival moniker, spoiling the Sens home opener on Saturday night.
Borya Valis’ two-goal effort lifted the Marlies to a 2-1 overtime victory at CAA Arena in front of 4,200-plus spectators.
The B-Sens battled through a physical opening period, with tight defence helping to save a couple of close calls on rebounds.
Mads Sogaard, in his sixth season as a B-Sen, was strong between the posts in denying all 10 chances from the Marlies and keeping the game at 0-0.
The second period featured more of the same from the Marlies, as they were denied on a couple of occasions by Sogaard’s long limbs.
Belleville’s best chance came on a shorthanded breakaway courtesy of Keean Washkurak, but he couldn’t settle a bouncing puck enough to beat Dennis Hildeby.
The Marlies finally figured out Sogaard late in the second when Valis converted short-side on a cross-seam pass from Jacob Quillan with 2:34 remaining in the frame.
The third frame saw a spark for the B-Sens, with some of their best chances at the offensive end and Hayden Hodgson dropping the gloves with Michael Pezzetta following a huge hit he threw on Ryan Tverberg crossing inside the Belleville blueline.
Eventually, the Sens broke through with that wave on an Oskar Petterson tally.
The Swedish forward blew a wrist shot through the legs of Hildeby on a two-on-one while using his teammate as a decoy for his first of the 2025-26 AHL campaign.
Tyler Boucher and Scott Harrington drew their first assists each of the season.
Belleville dominated the third, outshooting Toronto 10-4.
Toronto dominated the overtime session and got paid for it when Valis got a bit of open ice and whistled a shot low blocker on Sogaard for the winner.
Sogaard finished with 24 saves and the first star honours in the losing effort.
Belleville gets right back at it on Sunday at 3 p.m. versus the Syracuse Crunch.
(BROCK ORMOND)
