Roster Notes:
There were no transactions announced by either AHL or NHL Senators overnight, with forwards Cole Reinhardt and Zack Ostapchuk, and goaltender Leevi Merilainen remaining with Ottawa. Forwards Jan Jenik and Hayden Hodgson returned to the Belleville lineup in Laval last night and added more scoring depth, physicality and energy to the group. Jamieson Rees remains the only Senator injured.
Click here for a full list of up-to-date transactions. Full lineup details will be available via the B-Sens social channels (@bellevillesens) before the game.
Who to Watch:
First-year Senator Jan Jenik returned to the Belleville lineup in Laval last night and made an impact, after missing 16 games due to an injury in October. The 24-year-old from Czechia had a goal in his last game before the break and notched an assist, with three shots on goal yesterday. Longtime Senator Max Guenette did become the first Belleville defenceman to reach the 100 points plateau with his goal last night, hitting the mark in his 201st AHL game.
For Springfield, Swedish winger Marcus Sylvegard has points in three consecutive games (one goal, three assists), including an assist in their loss at Charlotte this past Wednesday. Signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Blues in the spring, the 25-year-old is playing his first pro season in North America after racking up more than 300 games in the Swedish top league. Meanwhile, rookie Dailbor Dvorksy, who is set to represent Slovakia at the upcoming IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, had a goal and three shots on Wednesday and had an eight-game point streak snapped in the game prior to that.
At the Rink:
Tonight is the Belleville Sens Holiday Celebration Game presented by McDowell’s Independent Grocer. Fans can celebrate the season with friends and family at CAA Arena, with holiday music, arena theming, intermission activations, and even in-seat visits from Santa himself! Some lucky fans will also take home special gifts from the big man in red. Fans can also get some last-minute holiday shopping done at the Gate 2 Merchandise Stand or at the Locker Room Store inside the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, with the Locker Room closing for the holidays on December 23.
Follow the Action:
Puck drop tonight is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from CAA Arena in Belleville, ON. Broadcast coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. ET with David Foot and Tim Durkin, and can be seen on
AHLTV on FloHockey, or heard free on the
Belleville Sens Entertainment Network.