Ottawa Senators Prospect Update and Belleville Recap – May 1st

Before we get to the much more intriguing narrative that is the Belleville Senators’ second-round matchup against Cleveland, let’s take a quick look around and the other prospects in the Sens system who have kept their seasons alive through April.

In the BCHL postseason, Vladimir Nikitin reclaimed the starting netminder’s role with Chilliwack who found themselves down 0-2 in their series against Alberni. Alas, Nikitn couldn’t play the hero as he lost his last two decisions and Chilliwack’s season came to an unceremonious end. Despite allowing 12 goals on 77 shots through three postseason contests, I would chalk this season up as a good first impression for Nikitin within the Ottawa Senators system and I look forward his next act in the fall.

In the USHL, Owen Beckner’s season with Tri-City has come to an end but not before he racked up three goals, an assist, and eight shots in six games. He’ll report to Colorado College next year. In the semi-finals Filip Nordberg and Muskegon have fallen into a two-game hole against Kevin Reidler and Dubuque. So far Nordberg has four shots and no points through seven games. Reidler has played exceptionally in the postseason, allowing nine goals on 153 shots and currently finding himself on a five-game winning streak. The Sens love to only connect on goalies at the draft and also never have goaltending at the NHL level. Ya gotta love it, folks.

Closer to home, the London Knights (who eliminated Matthew Andonovski (one assist and 13 shots through ten games) and the Kitchener Rangers) currently have a 2-1 series lead over the Jorian Donovan and the Saginaw Spirit. Through 14 postseason games, Donovan has a goal, six assists, and 21 shots. Game four of that series goes down tonight in the battle of the sons of former Senators.

And most importantly in the AHL, the BSens kick off their series against the Cleveland Monsters tonight. I won’t get in depth on that because Spencer will have you covered on all things Belleville but I do want to do some quick hits on the prospects impacting that round-one victory over the scumbags—err, Marlies.

Mads Sögaard doesn’t have a sterling save percentage having allowed eight goals on 67 shots but at the end of the day he recorded the two wins required to secure the series. Cleveland actually scored fewer goals than Toronto in the regular season (and allowed more goals than Belleville) so maybe Søgaard can improve his rating in round two.Belleville’s veterans contributed much of the offence in that first round so Ottawa’s prospects took on a more secondary scored role. Angus Crookshank had 11 shots and Sokolov had six through three games to note. Both of those guys and Max Guenette had an assist each. Newcomer Stephen Halliday impressed with two assists in three games. Tyler Kleven, Zack Ostapchuk, and Donovan Sebrango each scored a goal in said three-game series. Again, no one jumps off the page but I can appreciate the distribution of the workload especially in the absence of players like Roby Järventie and Lassi Thomson.