Playoff Game Day Build-Up: B-Sens and Monsters tangle in Game 4 of North Semi-Finals, with Belleville looking to extend its season
MAY 10, 2024
Belleville Sens Game Day Build-Up
May.10/24 @ Cleveland Monsters (AHL Affiliate: Columbus Blue Jackets)
2024 Calder Cup Playoffs North Division Semi-Finals – Game 4 of 5 (Cleveland leads 2-1)
The Set-Up:
For the second time in these 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Belleville Senators find themselves in an elimination game and needing a win to extend their season. The difference tonight is that if Belleville comes up victorious in Cleveland in Game 4 against the Monsters, the work isn’t done, and they’ll have to extend their stay to play a fifth and deciding game here on Sunday. Despite playing about as competitive as can be, the B-Sens trail 2-1 in the series, and continue to battle through the Club’s second-ever postseason appearance, which has seen all but one game decided by just one goal. With that in mind, the group is recharged after the double overtime loss in Game 3 earlier in the week and ready to flip the script on the Monsters and force a fifth and deciding game here at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Sunday afternoon.
Previous History:
The Senators are behind in a series for the first time in the 2024 postseason, trailing the Monsters 2-1 in the best-of-five set, after a nail-biting 3-2 defeat in double-overtime earlier this week. Stephen Halliday and Lassi Thomson each had a pair of assists in Game 3, while Josh Currie and Donovan Sebrango scored for Belleville, and Mads Sogaard stopped 38 of 41 shots he faced. Belleville’s lifetime record in the regular season against the Monsters is 12-14-0-2 and 5-9-0-0 on the road in Cleveland.
Roster Notes:
As we get deeper into the playoffs, early roster details will be tougher to come by. Forward Zack Ostapchuk did return to the Belleville lineup on Wednesday, after missing Game 3 with a minor injury and there’s been no word yet on if there will be any changes tonight. Full lineup info will be available via the B-Sens social media channels (@BellevilleSens) before the puck drops in tonight’s game.
Who to Watch:
Two Belleville forwards bring four-game point streaks into tonight’s contest. Rookie centreman Stephen Halliday continues to turn heads putting up eight points (one goal, seven assists) over that span and sits second in AHL playoff scoring and first in rookie playoff scoring coming into tonight’s game. Josh Currie extended his point streak to four games (one goal, three assists) by scoring on Wednesday and is tied for fourth in AHL playoff points, with six. Garrett Pilon is also among the top scorers in this year’s Calder Cup Playoffs with five, while Jacob Larsson’s four points have him sitting tied for third among defenders in the postseason.
Two Monsters players have points in back-to-back games, as veteran forward Stefan Matteau has picked up assists in consecutive games, and sophomore standout defenceman David Jiricek has three points over his last two games, including a goal and an assist in Game 3. Forward Mikael Pyyhtia also had two points in Game 3, picking up a goal and a helper en route to Cleveland’s 3-2 double OT victory.
Follow the action:
Tonight’s game begins at 7:00 p.m. (ET) and can be
seen on AHL TV, or
heard free on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. (ET), with David. Fans can also
listen via TSN 1200 Radio,