The AHL’s Battle of Ontario continues as the Belleville Senators visit the Toronto Marlies this Saturday in the FloHockey AHL Game of the Week (1:30 p.m. ET).

The two rivals met in the North Division First Round last spring with the B-Sens eliminating the Marlies for the team’s first-ever playoff series win. The 2024-25 season series got underway Oct. 25-26 with each team taking a shootout win on home ice. Fifth in the North Division, Belleville is off to a 5-2-0-4 start while the Marlies are challenging Laval for the North Division lead at 7-1-2-1. 

Saturday’s game will be the first of four contests that the Marlies stage at Scotiabank Arena, home of the parent Toronto Maple Leafs. The B-Sens-Marlies matinee starts a busy day of hockey at Scotiabank Arena, where the Leafs will welcome the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday evening.

The FloHockey AHL Game of the Week will stream live and free across FloHockey's social media platforms. See below for details on how and where to watch.

What You Need To Know About Belleville Vs. Toronto

Game Details

Belleville Senators at Toronto Marlies, Saturday, 1:30 p.m. ET*

Where to Watch: Subscribers can continue to watch via FloHockey.tv or the FloSports app 

Free Streams: Follow the game across FloHockey's social channels including YouTube, Facebook and X. More details below.

Belleville Senators - What To Watch For

The B-Sens have had to deal with injuries to goaltenders Mads Sogaard and Leevi Meriläinen in the season’s first month. Sogaard’s injury prompted Belleville to go out and get experience via Malcolm Subban, who joined the team on an AHL deal. With Sogaard and Meriläinen out, Subban now has the number-one job in Belleville.

Ottawa Senators prospect Angus Crookshank has gotten off to a hot start with seven goals in his first 11 contests. The 25-year-old forward has 26 and 24 goals in his past two AHL seasons, respectively, and is continuing to make a case for a further look in Ottawa. Zack Ostapchuk, a forward taken as a 2021 second-rounder by Ottawa, is 1-4-5 through seven games as his second pro season gets underway. He played six games with Ottawa earlier this season as well. And following two seasons with the Bakersfield Condors, Xavier Bourgault is now in Belleville following a July trade between Edmonton and Ottawa that brought him east; the forward went in the first round to the Oilers in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Toronto Marlies - What To Watch For

The Marlies also have their typically deep base of veteran help, starting with captain Logan Shaw. He is joined by Joseph Blandisi and Alex Nylander while NHL veteran defenseman Matt Benning joined this team this week.

They are joined by forward prospects Nikita Grebenkin (3-6-9 in 11 games), Roni Hirvonen (2-4-6 in 11 games), and rookie Fraser Minten (1-2-3 in three games). The back end also features Topi Niemela, who had an excellent first run with the Marlies last season.

Alex Steeves, who had nine goals in his first 10 games for the Marlies, remains on recall to the Leafs.

Ottawa Senators Prospects To Watch From Chris Peters

Cole Reinhardt, LW

The 24-year-old sixth-round pick from 2020 is in the midst of what appears to be his best pro season. Reinhardt has 11 points through eight games for Belleville. He also got called up for a pair of games with Ottawa, notching an assist against the Vegas Golden Knights in his season debut. Reinhardt is in his fifth pro season and seems to be coming into his own more as one of the offensive leaders for this Belleville squad.

Leevi Meriläinen, G

We won't know for sure if Meriläinen is starting in Saturday's contest, but he's worth highlighting among Senators prospects as he still possesses serious upside. The 22-year-old netminder was picked in the third round in 2020 and has played parts of the last three seasons in North American pro hockey after stints in Finland and the OHL. This season, Meriläinen has won four of his eight starts with a .902 save percentage. His numbers don't jump out at you yet, but his skillset still suggests a player firmly on an NHL track with plenty of time to grow into his game.

Zack Ostapchuk, LW

Recently returned to the AHL after a six-game stint with Ottawa, Ostapchuk is one of the Senators' top prospects presently in the AHL. The big, rugged forward is off to a strong start in Belleville with five points through seven games. Rounding out his offensive game is going to be key to get him more looks at the NHL roster. Ostapchuk has plenty to offer as a depth forward, but if he can bring more scoring to the table, he'll be able to make a bigger impact both now and at the next level.

Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects To Watch From Chris Peters

Nikita Grebyonkin, RW

The early returns on Grebyonkin's first pro season in North America have been largely positive. The 2022 fifth-round pick has power forward potential with good size and an ability to drive the net. He has nine points through is first 11 games with the Marlies after a 41-point season in the KHL last year. He's made the adjustment seamlessly and looks like he could be a call-up option for the Maple Leafs sooner than later. Still, getting him reps in the AHL is going to go a long way for preparing him for the top level.

Fraser Minten, C/W

After starting the season on the injured list, Minten has wasted little time in making his presence known in his first professional season. The 2022 second-rounder has a point in each of his first three games including his first pro goal scored Wednesday. Minten was over a point per game in the WHL last season after a brief audition with the Leafs at the beginning of the season. The early indications now are both that he is healthy and thriving in his first full-time pro campaign, which is great news for the Maple Leafs.

Topi Niemelä, D

In his second full AHL season, things keep coming together more for Niemelä. He had 39 points last season and already has six assists through nine games this year. The expectation is that he will be a good puck mover and make some plays, which he has been doing this season. Defensively, there's still work that needs to be done, but he continues to round out his game and though it seems like he's been in the system a long time, he's still just 22 years old.

How To Watch AHL Free Stream On YouTube

On Saturday nights throughout the season, the AHL and FloHockey will present a free Game of the Week on YouTube. The home team's broadcast will be shared as a free stream on FloHockey's YouTube page. The free broadcast will begin shortly before puck drop. Check FloHockey and AHL social channels to see which game will be streaming each week.

WATCH HERE

How To Watch AHL Free Stream On X

On Saturday nights throughout the season, the AHL and FloHockey will present a free Game of the Week on X (formerly known as Twitter). The home team's broadcast will be shared as a free stream on FloHockey's Twitter page. The free broadcast will begin shortly before puck drop, posted on FloHockey's X feed. Check FloHockey and AHL social channels to see which game will be streaming each week.

WATCH HERE

How To Watch AHL Free Stream On Facebook

On Saturday nights throughout the season, the AHL and FloHockey will present a free Game of the Week on Facebook. You can access the game multiple ways on the Facebook. FloHockey will stream both home and road (if available) broadcasts on its Facebook page. The game can also be found live on the AHL's Facebook page.

WATCH HERE

How To Watch The AHL On FloHockey 

The AHL is streaming on FloHockey and the FloSports app. Live games, replays, highlights and breaking news will be on both platforms. 

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