The Belleville Senators evened up this season’s Battle of Ontario at a game apiece, after a 4-2 win over the Toronto Marlies at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
The Senators scored first on Saturday afternoon. Carter Yakemchuk notched his second of the season when his wrist shot from the right boards deflected off a skate and past Artur Akhtyamov in the Toronto net, a little over eight minutes in.
Keean Washkurak would deflect his second of the season past Akhtyamov, following a point shot from Jorian Donovan, before the end of the frame.
Shots were even at 10 after 20 minutes, with the Sens holding that two-goal lead.
Belleville extended the lead to 3-0 just past the 13-minute mark of the second frame. Phil Daoust dug a puck off the near boards and fired a pass across to Oskar Pettersson, who wired a slap shot home for his second goal of the season at 13:17. The Marlies cut the lead back to 3-1 with an Alex Nylander tip a little over a minute later.
But, Belleville increased the lead to 4-1 when Hayden Hodgson tapped in a pass on the near post, after a great effort by Garrett Pilon to reach him with a pass. Belleville held that 4-1 lead til the end of the frame, despite being outshot 12-8.
Toronto would count one on a goalmouth scramble late in the third, but despite getting outshot 9-5 in the period, Hunter Shepard stood tall to help the Sens secure their second win of the season.
The Sens and Marlies will tangle again on Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m., before returning home.
