Penalties bite Belleville in OT loss to Providence

The Belleville Senators are chasing a spot in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. Heading into Saturday night, a crucial showdown against the Providence Bruins arrived.

Belleville was dealt a blow when earlier in the day, the Toronto Marlies won to remain four points ahead of Belleville in the standings. With a chance to keep within two points behind Toronto, a mistake costed Belleville.

Providence defeated Belleville 4-3 in overtime at Amica Mutual Pavilion to drop Belleville within three points behind Toronto.

A major issue Belleville had throughout the game was taking penalties. Belleville took a combined nine minor penalties. The first five penalties came in the first period just over 19.5 minutes into the game.

After Oliver Wahlstrom scored a powerplay goal 35 seconds into the second period to extend the Bruins' lead to 2-0, Jan Jenik and Wyatt Bongiovanni each scored a goal to tie the game at two in a span of 6:16 span to have the game tied at two heading into the intermission.

Then 2:20 into the third period, Jeffrey Viel scored Providence's second powerplay goal of the game, but the lead wouldn't last long. Just 64 seconds later, Bongiovanni scored his second goal of the game to tie the game at three for his 22nd goal of the season.

Both goals Bongiovanni scored in the loss were to tie the game. Bongiovanni also recorded his fifth multi-goal game of the season with his two-goal game.

"Rising to an occasion when there needs to be an answer is always a fun time to show up for the team," Bongiovanni said.

Overtime would be needed to determine a winner. Belleville went to the penalty kill 1:30 into overtime after an Xavier Bourgault penalty. Twenty-eight seconds later after killing off Bourgault's penalty, Belleville went back to the penalty kill again after Garrett Pilon was called for unsportsmanlike conduct.

At 4:46 of overtime, Dans Locmelis beat Malcolm Subban to win the game in overtime for Providence on the powerplay. Pilon's frustration continued after the goal as he received a 10-minute game misconduct penalty. In defeat, Subban made 35 saves to keep Belleville in the game.

"All the shots from the point I saw," Subban said "You know, I was able to cover up."

Three of Providence's goals came on the powerplay in nine attempts. Cole Reinhardt, Jeremy Davies and Pilon each had two penalties in the game.

Belleville will return to action when they take on the Laval Rocket three times in a four-day span to close out the regular season. The first two games on April 16 and April 18 will be in Laval. The final game will be on April 19 in Belleville. It's a 7 p.m. ET puck drop for all three games.

"As the games get closer to the playoffs they get harder and harder," Subban said.