Game Story: Belleville - 2 at W-B/Scranton - 1 (OT) 2/25/23

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - In a battle of two teams desperate to make a push closer to the postseason picture, a low-scoring and hard fought affair between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Belleville Senators resulted in one-goal game decided in overtime.

Senators goaltender Dylan Ferguson, acquired by Belleville in a trade with Toronto on Friday, made a good first impression with his new teammates on Saturday night at the Mohegan Arena - stopping 38 of the 39 shots that came his way.

Leaned on often after Roby Jarventie gave the Senators a 1-0 first period lead, Ferguson preserved his team's one-goal lead into the waning moments of regulation before a goal from Tyler Sikura with Penguins' goaltender Taylor Gauthier pulled for the extra attacker allowed the Penguins to even the game and get it to overtime.

That allowed Cole Reinhardt to play the role of hero, using a burst of speed after gathering possession of the puck in the defensive zone to stickhandle his way into the offensive zone before sniping one in to give the Senators the 2-1 win.

After a rather uneventful start to Saturday night's game, Belleville opened the scoring with 2:42 left before the first intermission on a rebound goal from Jarventie as the Senators forward followed up a Lassi Thomson shot toward the net from down low in the cornerboards. The rebound popped into the slot for Jarventie's put-back bid - his 8th goal on the season.

The Penguins got some life on a power play to end the period, peppering Ferguson with shots, but the Senators' goalie stood tall to preserve his team's 1-0 lead heading into the middle frame.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton appeared to carry their momentum from the tail end of the first frame into period two, recording the opening four shots of the middle frame and holding Belleville without a shot through the first seven minutes and change.

But every time the Penguins had a Grade-A scoring chance, Ferguson was in position to make the save and his further preserve his team's one-goal lead. Most notably, Ferguson made a dazzling sliding save to rob Nathan Legare on a 2-on-1 chance in what was the Pens' best chance of the contest to that point.

In fact, the Senators rode Ferguson and that 1-0 lead deep into the third period - with the Penguins firing 19 third period shots Ferguson's way.

It wasn't until the Penguins pulled Gauthier for the extra attacker, that they were able to get one past the Senators' goaltender. Sikura chased down a loose puck behind the net coming off his teammate Valtteri Puustinen's stick and snuck a quick wraparound bid into the net with 2:08 left to tie the game at 1-1 and ultimately force overtime.

In the three-on-three, the Penguins had the first quality chance in the opening minute of overtime but a burst of speed from Belleville's Reinhardt allowed him to weave his way into the offensive zone before firing a shot in past Gauthier to lift the BSens to the 2-1 victory.

Post-Game EXTRA!

Belleville Senators Interim Head Coach David Bell

On his team's effort to battle through to the win

"There were some guys that were banged up - some guys left the game, some guys came back into the game that were hurt  - and [they] gave a great effort [and] dug deep."

On newly acquired Dylan Ferguson making good 1st impression

"Obviously the star of the game is Ferguson, and it's just an outstanding story.  It's the land of opportunity, and he got an opportunity. It's a great story. He was on his way to the ECHL. And we were fortunate enough to acquire him. To come in and have a performance like that. It's awesome."

Belleville Senators Lineup Notes

Newly acquired goaltender Dylan Ferguson made his Belleville Senators debut in net Saturday in Wilkes-Barre. served as the team's backup.

Ridly Greig returned from NHL Ottawa and was back in the B-Sens lineup centering the team's top line.

Senators Scratches: Kevin Mandolese, Antoine Bibeau, Logan Flodell, Jacob Larsson, Xavier Bernard, Viktor Lodin, Philippe Daoust, Kyle Betts, Rourke Chartier, Matthew Wedman, Brennan Saulnier and Scott Sabourin

Lines/Pairings:

Jake Lucchini - Ridly Greig - Egor Sokolov Angus Crookshank - Roby Jarventie - Cole Reinhardt John Quenneville - Cole Cassels - Jarid Lukosevicius Matthew Boucher - Mitchell Heard - Jayce Hawryluk

Dillon Heatherington - Jacob Bernard-Docker Jonathan Aspirot - Max Guennette Kristians Rubins - Lassi Thomson

Dylan Ferguson - Luke Richardson

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Lineup Notes

Taylor Gauthier got the start in net for the Penguins Saturday night against Belleville. Dustin Tokarski, who played last night in Syracuse, served as Gauthier's backup.

Colin Swoyer slotted in for Chris Ortiz on the blue line in on change on defense from Friday night's game in Syracuse.

Raivis Ansons and Jamie Devane returned to the Penguins lineup up front Saturday, while Justin Addamo and Ty Glover were scratched to make room.

Penguins Scratches: Filip Lindberg (day-to-day, upper body), Chris Ortiz, Sam Poulin, Justin Addamo, Ty Smith (upper body), Jonathan Gruden (undisclosed), Ty Glover and Xavier Ouellet (ankle surgery, out for season)

Lines/Pairings:

Drake Caggiula -Tyler Sikura - Alex Nylander Filip Hallander - Sam Houde - Valtteri Puustinen Corey Andonovski - Lukas Svejkovsky - Nathan Legare Jamie Devane - Raivis Ansons - Kyle Olson

Taylor Fedun - Mitch Reinke Jon Lizotte - Jack St. Ivany Josh Maniscalco - Colin Swoyer

Taylor Gauthier - Dustin Tokarski

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

17:18: BEL - Jarventie (8) - Thomson, Boucher 18:10: BEL - (PP) Aspirot, minor (cross-checking)

2nd Period

10:06: BEL - (PP) Reinhardt, minor (high-sticking) 14:40: WBS - (PP) Andonovski, minor (interference)

3rd Period

1:49: BEL - (PP) Rubins, minor (holding) 17:52: WBS - Sikura (7) - Puustinen, Hallander

Overtime

1:26: BEL - Reinhardt (7) - Guenette, Lucchini

BOXSCORE

Belleville Sens 1 - 0 - 0 - 1 = 2 W-B/Scranton  0 - 0 - 1 - 0 = 1

Shots

Belleville Sens 6 - 10 - 5 - 0 = 18 W-B/Scranton  9 - 10 - 19 - 1 = 39

Goalies

HER: Dylan Ferguson (38 saves - 39 shots) WBS: Taylor Gauthier (20 saves - 22 shots)

Power Play

BEL: 0-for-1 WBS: 0-for-3

Penalty Kill

BEL: 3-for-3 WBS: 1-for-1