Senators forward Graeme Clarke has nine points in three games since being acquired by Belleville. (AHL/Hershey Bears Photo)
The Belleville Senators were clutch in Chocolatetown, USA and gave their 2026 Calder Cup playoff aspirations a shot in the arm last weekend.
The Sens went into Hershey, PA and swept the Bears in a two-game set to move within three points of the Rochester Americans and the final playoff spot in the American Hockey League’s North Division.
After being road warriors for most of the second half of the season, Belleville is eyeing a long stretch of home cooking at CAA Arena. Their next handful of games are at home where they aim to make a push towards the playoffs. The home stand starts Wednesday when Belleville welcomes Cleveland. They host Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Springfield on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Sens skipper Andrew Campbell admitted after Belleville’s 5-2 win on Sunday that it felt great to escape Hershey’s Giant Center with a full four points in tow, particularly since the locals knew the Bears would be a motivated bunch in the second game.
“We knew they would be coming hard after Saturday’s loss and we responded with some good shifts early to keep momentum in our favour,” Campbell said after the contest. “(Graeme Clarke’s) power play goal at the end of the first was huge for us.”
The coach added that the two-game sweep should galvanize the group as they try to outmaneuver the Amerks for the North Division’s final playoff spot.
“We just have to focus on the day-to-day and get ready for Cleveland,” he added.
The Bears sent 14 shots Leevi Meriläinen’s way in the first but Belleville struck for a pair late in the frame. Mr. Clarke came back to haunt his former team by breaking the ice with his 19th goal of the season. Since escaping Hershey via trade, the Ottawa native has four goals and five helpers in just three games.
Before the end of the period, Olle Lycksell outskated his defensive check to receive a Sam Bolduc pass in the slot area and rifled a puck past Hershey starter Garin Bjorklund to put Belleville in the driver’s seat.
Sonny Milano carved the Senators’ lead in half at the 4:10 mark but Belleville would beat a path to the Hershey net in the second with three different Senators lighting the lamp.
Xavier Bourgault potted the eventual game winner at 8:34, converting on a pass from Mr. Bolduc.
Landon Hookey bagged his 5th of the year on a seeing-eye wrister from the top of the circle at 11:22.
Finally, AHL Player of the Week Carter Yakemchuk made a brilliant pass in the slot area to set up Tomas Harmara for Belleville’s third goal of the frame.
A third period goal off the stick of Hershey’s Alex Suzdalev notwithstanding, Mr. Meriläinen was brilliant in Belleville’s net, making 38 stops for his 7th win of the season.
On Saturday, former Senator defenceman Wyatt Bongiovanni pushed Hershey ahead 2-1 with a goal in the second but the visitors pulled away with a three goal outburst in the middle frame.
Mark Duarte tied the game 2-2 with his fourth of the season just over a minute after Hershey took a momentary lead.
Mr. Bourgault buried the game winner at 10:13, firing a feed from the slot area past Mitch Gibson.
The Sens added some insurance late in the frame with Mr. Clarke finding the range on the power play at 15:10.
Bogdan Trineyev got the Cubs to within a goal with a power play tally at the midway mark of the third but an egregious turnover by Ryan Chesley allowed Hayden Hodgson to drive a stake into the heart of any Bears comeback at 14:23.
Keean Washkaruk’s 8th of the season was fired into a vacated Hershey net with under three minutes left to make the final 6-3.
Mads Søgaard made 15 saves for his 6th win of the year.
Check out bellevillesens.com for upcoming games and ticket availability.
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