Story by Belleville Senators
The Belleville Senators opened their season at the newly named CIBC Place, welcoming in the Hamilton Hammers, falling by a score of 5-2.
The first period saw the Hammers strike first just under three minutes into the frame. Mitchell Chaffee notched his first of the season and the first goal in Hamilton Hammers history. Assists came from Liam Foudy and Marshall Warren, making it a 1-0 game.
The second started similarly to the first as the Hammers extended their lead. Just past the halfway mark, Hamilton got their power play going. Pierre Engvall got on the board, with Matthew Highmore and Kashawn Aitcheson picking up the helpers to make it a 2-0 score.
The Senators would answer and get the crowd going, cutting the deficit in half. Xavier Bourgault put one home in tight, with Eskild Bakke Olsen picking up his first point as a Senator and Tyler Boucher also adding an assist to make it 2-1.
The third and final period had both sides hit the back of the net. Hamilton secured another power-play marker as Chaffee doubled up, with Cole Eiserman and Foudy helping set him up for a 3-1 contest.
Then, at the 14:41 mark, Belleville got back within one. Shane Bowers scored his first as a Belleville Senator, sneaking it past Vitek Vanecek to pull the Senators back in. After some hard pressure in the offensive zone on the man advantage, the Hammers restored their two-goal lead.
Foudy and Eiserman combined to help cap off a hat-trick night for Chaffee, putting Hamilton in front 4-2. The Hammers added an empty-net goal courtesy of Joey Larson as Hamilton would go on to win 5-2.
The Senators see the Hammers next on Friday, November 20th, as Belleville travels to Hamilton for their second meeting of the season. Puck drop comes at 7:00 p.m. inside TD Coliseum.
Belleville has a chance to bounce back on Sunday as the Rochester Americans (AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres) come to town for the first of six meetings. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. at CIBC Place.
