Another tough loss against the Utica Comets for the Belleville Senators.
Following a 5-3 loss the previous night, the Sens dropped a tough 5-1 affair at CAA Arena on Saturday evening.
Once again, the Sens found themselves behind again early in the first, when a Marc McLaughlin point shot found its way through traffic and beat Mads Sogaard over the left shoulder.
The marker came 2:11 into the opening period.
Carter Yakemchuk drew the Sens back even at 6:52 of the middle stanza, circling the Comets net and wiring a shot under the left elbow of Jakub Malek in the Utica crease.
Hayden Hodgson and Dennis Gilbert drew the assists on the rookie blueliner’s eighth of the year.
The rest of the period was a huge letdown for the Sens though, allowing three unanswered goals after Wyatt Bongiovanni narrowly missed giving Belleville the lead on a shot off the post.
Xavier Parent tapped home a go-ahead marker immediately after, before snapping home a powerplay goal about two-and-a-half minutes later.
A quick strike came after Parent’s second marker off the ensuing centre ice faceoff, with Jonathan Gruden squeaking a shot through Sogaard’s pads just nine seconds later
Parent completed the hat trick on another man advantage to finish off the outstanding frame for Utica.
The Comets outshot Belleville 20-10 overall in the dominant period.
Belleville’s third period effort was a decent one, but another post from Arthur Kaliyev left the team searching for more answers.
Final shots favoured Utica 35-28, with Sogaard making 30 stops in the defeat.
These two teams meet for the third and fourth straight game next Friday and Saturday, with the March 6 game starting at 7 p.m. in Utica, NY.
