( Above Photo Credit: Auburnpub .com / Photographer Jeremy Houghtaling, The Citizen)

By: Mark Allred           Follow Me On Twitter @BlackAndGold277

Last night in Syracuse, New York the American Hockey Leagues Providence Bruins snapped an eight-game winning streak with a 5-3 loss to the hands of the Syracuse Crunch. The Loss to the Crunch was the second contest of the current nine-game road trip which started in Hershey, Pennsylvania with a 3-0 shutout against the Hershey Bears on Wednesday night. Even though the Baby B’s lost last night, they still hold the lead in the Atlantic Division by one point (36) after 26 games played in the 2017-18 campaign and are tied for second place in the Eastern Conference with the Rochester Americans when thinking about the AHL’s 2018 Calder Cup Playoff picture.

Not to discredit the effort of the Providence team but they have struggled in recent years against the Syracuse team going 2-1 in the regular season in the past three years and most notably a 4-1 best-of-seven series loss to the Crunch in the 2017 Calder Cup Eastern Conference Finals.

The game against the Crunch didn’t take long to get going offensively as grinding bottom-six forward Anton Blidh got a shorthanded goal his fifth of the season unassisted at the 2:13 mark of the first period which started a six-goal first period. Veteran forward Josh Hennessy scored his fourth of the season assisted by Sena Acolatse and Jakub Zboril to give the Baby B’s a 2-1 first-period lead.  The Crunch would go on to own the first period with three more goals and a 4-2 lead. Shots on goal after the first 20 minutes had the Crunch with a 15-11 advantage. The second period had no scoring, but the Providence team held a 7-6 shot total but were still down to the Crunch after 40 minutes with a 21-18 lead.

The third period had Syracuse score at the 5:04 and pretty much sealed the deal for the Crunch even though Baby B’s rookie forward Zach Senyshyn scored his fifth of the year at the 1:56 mark of the final period assisted by Blidh and Colby Cave. Providence goaltender Zane McIntyre got the start in goal last night stopping 23 of 28 shots and also snapped a season-high five-game winning streak which brings his 2017-18 regular season record to 10-5-1 with a goals-against-average of 2.81 and .903 save percentage.

Below is last night’s highlight’s courtesy of the Syracuse Crunch Official YouTube Channel.

The Baby B’s continue the road trip tonight when they travel to Hershey to play the second game in as many days against the Bears. Puck drops from the Giant Center in the Chocolate Capital of the World at 7pm as the Bruins play game three away from the home Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. The top minor-pro affiliate of the Boston Bruins are an impressive 8-2-0 in the last ten games and look to take advantage of a Hershey team that’s lost it’s last two in front of the home crowd which has the second-best attendance in the AHL averaging 8,606 fans. In case you were wondering where the Baby B’s rank in overall attendance this season, the team has an average of 7,839 which is good enough for third in the 30 team league.

Players with points last night

Jakub Zboril – The defenseman and 2015 first round pick has responded nicely since his return from an upper-body injury by contributing points five points in his last six games. The 6′-2″ 190-pound rookie blueliner is currently on a career high four-game point streak and is second on the team with a +13 rating. In 23 games so far this year, Jakub has 0-5-5 numbers.

Anton Blidh – The rugged forward has a goal in each of his last two games and has three points in that time frame. This is the third two-game point streak of the 2017-18 season for the 6′-0″ 200-pound Sweden native who was selected in the sixth round in 2013. In 26 games played this year Blidh has 5-5-10 numbers.

Zach Senyshyn – Tied for fifth on the Baby B’s in points, the 6′-3″ 205-pound 2015 first-round selection is starting to show why the Bruins acquired him from the draft held in Sunrise, Florida when he was one of three consecutive picks rookie General Manager Don Sweeney lined up to replenish the developing depth.  Zach is currently on a two-game point streak which is his second of the 2017-18 season and has 3-8-11 numbers in his last 15 games. He has 13 points in his 25 games so far this season.

Support Your Baby B’s!!!

If you’d like to watch tomorrow’s stars today, I highly suggest you take advantage of the cheap tickets and family atmosphere that’s available at every Providence Bruins home game at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence,  Rhode Island.  You can get ticket information and other great info by clicking HERE to enter the official Baby B’s website.

Also, if you do happen to go and support the team at the Dunk, be sure to stop by the Providence Bruins Fan Club table behind sections 101 and 102. Fantastic season ticket holders and Fan Club volunteers Jenna Labush, Rhonda Labush, and Steven Labush are always there with other valued members to help with any information and questions. You can also use the address below or visit the Official Fan Club page on the Providence Bruins website by clicking HERE. Follow the Baby B’s Fan Club on Social Media!

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/pbruinsfanclub

Providence Bruins
Fan Club

PO Box 40963
Providence, RI 02940
401.426.8277