Montgomery Off the Mark as Senators Triumph in Thriller
IslandStats.com
Belleville Senators bid a breathless farewell to their home fans for the regular season, securing a 6-4 victory over the Syracuse Crunch in a game defined by a clinical professional milestone for rising star Blake Montgomery.
In a wild final home stand at the CAA Arena, the spotlight fell on the young forward who chose the perfect moment to open his account in the American Hockey League. After a scoreless opening frame that saw both sides trade chances on the power play, the game ignited in a frantic second half that left the capacity crowd stunned.
The deadlock was finally broken midway through the second period when Hoyt Stanley notched his first professional goal, but it was the start of the third that provided the highlight of the night for the Senators faithful.
Just minutes into the final period, Graeme Clarke intercepted a loose puck and threaded a sublime pass into stride for Blake Montgomery. Showing the poise that earned him a three-year NHL deal with Ottawa, Montgomery accelerated clear of the Syracuse defense, went in alone, and expertly tucked the puck home. The strike marked his first goal in a Senators jersey and his first in the AHL, doubling the Belleville lead and sparking a goal-scoring frenzy.
Montgomery’s milestone touched off a period of absolute carnage. Arthur Kaliyev soon made it 3-0 with his 40th goal of a remarkable campaign, before the Crunch began a desperate fightback. Syracuse defender Ethan Samson struck twice to keep the visitors in contention, but every time the Crunch threatened to parity, Belleville found an answer.
Xavier Bourgault was instrumental in the closing stages, netting twice in quick succession to stifle the Syracuse momentum. Despite a late surge from Gabriel Szturc, who pulled the Crunch within one goal with less than three minutes remaining, the Senators held their nerve.
Keean Washkurak eventually found the empty net to seal the 6-4 win, ensuring the Senators head into their final road games with maximum momentum. While the scoreline suggested a defensive struggle, the night belonged to the debutants and milestones—none more significant than Montgomery proving he can find the net at the professional level.
The Senators now prepare for a final home-and-home series against the Crunch, where they will look to replicate this attacking masterclass on enemy territory.
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Montgomery & Senators Fall on Debut Against Comets
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Belleville Senators endured a frustrating night at the CAA Arena, falling 3–0 to the Utica Comets.
The contest marked a significant milestone for forward Blake Montgomery, who made his professional debut with the Senators. Having recently signed a three-year entry-level contract with Ottawa following a stellar freshman year at the University of Wisconsin, Montgomery registered two shots on goal in an industrious first appearance.
The opening frame remained deadlocked until the midway point, when former Senator Angus Crookshank broke the tie. Receiving a crisp feed from Lenni Hameenaho, Crookshank utilized his size to cut inside and fire home his 22nd goal of the campaign.
Belleville struggled to find an equalizer in the second period, and the Comets soon doubled their advantage. Matyas Melovsky found the net from a sharp angle at 7:36, sneaking the puck past Senators netminder Kevin Reidler, who was also making his AHL debut. Utica’s dominance was further cemented when Crookshank struck for a second time, finishing a three-on-two rush to record his 23rd of the season and the 100th goal of his AHL career.
Despite a spirited push in the final stanza—with both teams firing 11 shots—the Senators were unable to solve Comets goaltender Jakub Malek. Malek turned aside all 25 shots he faced to record his third shutout of the season. At the other end, Reidler finished his debut with 26 saves on 29 shots.
The Senators now turn their attention to a season-ending home-and-home series against the Syracuse Crunch, starting this Friday in Belleville.
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Goal-Fest at PCC as CG & BDA Spirits Secure Vital Wins
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The PCC Hockey Rink played host to an explosive evening of Bermuda Ball Hockey as a high-scoring double-header delivered thirteen goals and plenty of drama across two intense fixtures.
Alexandra Mosher 2 CG 5
The opening contest of the night saw CG produce a clinical performance to overcome Alexandra Mosher in a seven-goal thriller.
Jeremy Estey set the tone early in the first period, finding the back of the net to give CG the initial momentum. Alexandra Mosher responded through Adam Mattatall, but their parity was short-lived as Ryan Sulley restored the CG advantage before the first buzzer.
The middle frame proved to be a tighter defensive affair, with only one goal separating the sides. Andrew Leavy managed to break through for CG, extending their lead and putting Alexandra Mosher under immense pressure heading into the final period. While Brett Shirreffs gave Alexandra Mosher a lifeline with a well-taken goal in the third, CG slammed the door shut. James Vansickle widened the gap once more before Estey capped off a standout individual performance with his second of the night, sealing a 5-2 victory for CG.
BDA Spirits 4 Hamilton Princess 2
In the second match of the evening, BDA Spirits staged an impressive late comeback to defeat Hamilton Princess 4-2.
The contest began in favor of Hamilton Princess, who took a narrow lead into the first intermission thanks to a strike from Jean-Michael Tremblay. The second period saw the Spirits finally get on the board through Ryan Marshall, but John Duda struck back quickly for Hamilton Princess to ensure they held a 2-1 lead going into the final twenty minutes.
However, the third period belonged entirely to BDA Spirits. Jeff Loper found the equalizer early in the frame to shift the momentum, leaving Hamilton Princess struggling to contain the mounting pressure. Andrew Bonner then turned the game on its head by putting the Spirits in front for the first time. With Hamilton Princess pushing forward in a desperate search for a late leveller, Alex Larouche made sure of the result, firing home the fourth and final goal to complete a dominant closing period for BDA Spirits.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Montgomery Signs with Ottawa Senators
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Freshman forward Blake Montgomery is turning pro after his freshman year with the Badgers, signing a three-year entry-level contract that begins with the 2026-27 season, the franchise announced on Wednesday.
The forward was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft at 117th overall.
Montgomery will play out the balance of the season with the AHL's Belleville Senators on an Amateur Tryout Agreement (ATO) contract.
"It means everything," Montgomery said about signing with Ottawa. "It's what you dream of since you're a kid. You watch the NHL growing up. It's pretty surreal for it to be happening. I kind of can't even believe it's still real. I'm trying to stay kind of calm and prepare for what's coming ahead. It's very exciting.
"My family might be more excited than me. They're pumped up. They're happy for everything. All the time and all what they put in as well other family members - anyone who helped me get to this point, the credit goes to them just as much as the time and work I put in myself."
Montgomery becomes the first UW skater to turn pro after his freshman year since 2020, when forward Alex Turcotte signed an entry-level contract with the NHL's Los Angeles Kings.
He finishes his NCAA career with nine goals and 17 points in 38 games played. His nine goals were tied for fifth on the roster and led all UW freshmen. His 17 points ranked fourth among Badger rookies.
From Oct. 25-Nov. 8, the Bowie, Maryland, native tallied five goals in five games after notching his first NCAA goal versus Alaska on Oct. 25, earning Big Ten Star of the Week nods on Nov. 4 (first star) and Nov. 25 (second star).
Before starting his NCAA career, Montgomery played for both the USHL's Lincoln Stars and OHL's London Knights in 2024-25, helping the Knights to an OHL Championship title and their second consecutive Hamilton Spectator trophy, given to the OHL regular season champions. He also notched one goal and two points in five games played to help the Knights win the 2025 Memorial Cup.
"It taught me a lot being here," Montgomery said. "It taught me about discipline, relentlessness and it added maturity to my game.
"I take the friendships and memories I made and will never take for granted the time I spent in Madison. I'm so proud of this group. Nobody expected us to get to where we did, so for us to get there, I'm just so proud."
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Merritt Hits Six as Spine and Sport Dominate on Return
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The Bermuda Ball Hockey League returned from its two-week hiatus with a clinical offensive showcase at the PCC Hockey Rink, where Spine and Sport overwhelmed ACT in an eighteen-goal thriller.
Spine & Sport 12 ACT 6
In a match defined by high-intensity transitions and ruthless finishing, Spine and Sport secured a commanding 12-6 victory. The headline story of the evening was the unstoppable form of Christopher Merritt, who delivered a masterclass in positioning to finish the night with a staggering six goals.
The opening period set a frantic pace as both sides traded early blows. Chris Jackson opened the scoring for ACT, but the lead was short-lived as Merritt responded with his first of the night. While Samuel Vieira managed to find the net for ACT to keep the contest level in the early stages, Spine and Sport soon began to pull away. Further strikes from Jake Fenske and Rob Osborne, alongside Merritt’s second, ensured the momentum shifted firmly toward the league leaders before the first interval.
ACT attempted to claw their way back in the second period through the efforts of Vieira and Anthony Kapsimalis, but they struggled to contain a rampant Spine and Sport attack. Merritt continued his personal onslaught with two more goals in the frame, while Ben Wilshaw’s solitary effort for ACT was canceled out by Fenske’s second of the night.
The third period saw Spine and Sport put the result beyond any doubt. Johnny Talbot and Adrien Faucher joined the scoring parade before Merritt added two more to his tally, including a clinical effort to cap off a six-goal individual performance. Fenske also completed his hat-trick during the final session. Although Vieira managed to secure his own hat-trick for ACT with a late consolation goal, it was not enough to derail a Spine and Sport side that looked entirely refreshed following the mid-season break.
