The Belleville Senators (21-23-8-0) will visit the Providence Bruins (37-8-1-0) on Friday, February 20, at the Amica Mutual Pavilion, starting at 7:05 pm EST. This Belleville Senators game preview highlights a challenging matchup as the Senators aim to halt the Bruins’ dominant run while continuing their own push for improved performance.
Performance Review: Belleville Senators’ Recent Struggles
After a narrow 2-1 defeat to the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday, the Senators have posted a 2-4-0-0 record in February. They are averaging 2.5 goals per game but have been conceding 3.3 goals per contest. Their track record against Providence this season shows no wins, with a 0-2-1-0 record and a goal average of 2.7 per game.
Providence Bruins Riding a Strong Winning Streak
The Bruins come into this game on an 11-game winning streak, having swept the Bridgeport Islanders last weekend. During this stretch, Providence is scoring 3.5 goals per game while allowing just 1.4 goals against. They have proven formidable against Belleville, with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record and an impressive 4.7 goals per game average in their encounters this season.
Predicted Lineups for the Senators
The Belleville lineup is expected to include Lycksell, Daoust, Bourgault on the top line, followed by Bongiovanni, Halliday, and Kaliyev. Other forward groups are Hodgson, Pilon, Boucher and Rees, Pettersson, Duarte, with Gilbert and Yakemchuk supporting on the lower lines. Defense pairs include Donovan-Thomson, Harrington-Toure, and Merilainen-Parsons.
Predicted Line Combinations for Providence
Providence is likely to feature forward lines led by Tufte, Brown, Blumel and Merkulov, Poitras, Harrison. Additional groups include Duran, Farinacci, Lysell, and Abate, Schmaltz, Perreault. Their defense units of Wolanin-Sweezey, Brunet-Gallagher, and Callahan-Soderstrom will support goaltenders DiPietro and Cavallin.
Key Players to Watch: Senators’ Offensive Leaders
Arthur Kaliyev stands out as the Senators’ top scorer with 49 points and 29 goals, leading the league in goals and ranking third in points overall. Philippe Daoust contributes notably with 29 assists, while Tyler Boucher holds the team’s highest plus/minus at plus-nine.
Critical Contributors on the Bruins’ Side
Providence captain Patrick Brown leads his team in points (43), assists (29), and plus/minus (+29), currently topping the league in the latter category. Riley Tufte, leading the Bruins in goals with 20, and Billy Sweezey, tied for second in plus/minus, present additional threats to the Senators.
Looking Ahead to the Next Games
Following this encounter, both teams face away games on February 21: Belleville travels to face the Hartford Wolf Pack, while Providence heads to play the Springfield Thunderbirds. These upcoming matches will continue to influence playoff positioning as the season progresses.
