Family Day Monday was a happy one for the 3,300-plus spectators at CAA Arena.
The Belleville Senators scored three unanswered goals in a 3-1 dispatching of the Hershey Bears, exacting some measure of revenge for a loss on Saturday night.
The Sens locked down the Bears defensively until the dying seconds of the opening frame, when Louie Belpedio one-timed an off-speed shot off a Belleville skate and through Leevi Merilainen’s legs for the opening goal.
Hershey had the best chances with Graeme Clarke rattling a shot off the post and Andrew Cristall rocketing a shot off the crossbar
Belleville kept trying desperately and eventually its efforts paid off through an Olle Lycksell rebound goal off a failed shot by Lassi Thomson at the 15:28 mark of the middle frame.
Phil Daoust drew a second helper.
The home unit grabbed the lead at 8:10 of the final regulation frame when Wyatt Bongiovanni lasered a snapshot top shelf on Mitch Gibson, making his second straight start versus the Sens.
Thomson drew another assist on the go-ahead tally.
Daoust iced the contest with an empty-netter, awarded after being hauled down by a Bears back checker in the final stages.
Final shots favoured Hershey 31-27, with Merilainen bouncing back after an uncharacteristic off-night on Saturday with 30 stops.
Belleville hosts the Syracuse Crunch again at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
