The Belleville Senators’ 2025-26 campaign reached a muted conclusion as they fell 4–0 to the Syracuse Crunch at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
In a season finale defined by special teams, the Crunch utilized a relentless power play to dismantle the visitors, ensuring the Senators finished their year on the wrong side of a shutout. Despite the result, the spotlight remained on the franchise's future, with top prospect Blake Montgomery wrapping up an eventful debut week in the professional ranks.
The 6ft 4in winger, who arrived in Belleville just days ago after a standout freshman season at the University of Wisconsin and an NCAA Championship final appearance, has quickly shown the speed and skill that made him a fourth-round pick for the Ottawa Senators. While he was unable to find the net in the finale, his highlight-reel backhand goal in Friday’s 6–4 victory over the same opponents remains a significant marker for his transition to the AHL.
The opening period saw Syracuse take immediate control, capitalizing on a man advantage just three minutes in. Spencer Kersten was the beneficiary of quick puck movement from Dylan Duke and Ethan Gauthier, slotting home from close range. It was a baptism of fire for Senators goaltender Kaidan Mbereko, who was making his AHL debut. Mbereko was a standout despite the scoreline, turning away 15 of 16 shots in a frantic opening frame to keep Belleville within touching distance.
Syracuse doubled their lead in the second period, once again exploiting a Belleville penalty. Cooper Flinton provided a deft tip-in from an Ethan Samson point shot to make it 2–0. The Senators struggled to find a response, failing to convert on three power-play opportunities of their own during the middle period, a missed chance that ultimately proved decisive.
The final twenty minutes followed a familiar script. Spencer Kersten secured his second of the night with a screened shot from the slot, effectively putting the game out of reach at 3–0. The Crunch added a fourth at the six-minute mark when Max Grondin redirected a Simon Lundmark effort to finalize the scoring.
