Bruins AHL Affiliate: Providence Bruins Week 2 Preview

(Photo Courtesy of Providence Bruins / Flickr)

By: Tim A Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson

The 2020-2021 season is off to a fast start for our Providence Bruins! The Bruins are coming off a weekend that saw them beat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4-1 at home! The spoked P is 1-0 (2 points) to start the year. That record is good for second in the Atlantic Division and ninth in the AHL due to the amount games they’ve played. Our boys in black and gold are back in action on Saturday, February 13, 2021, when they travel to Bridgeport, Connecticut, to take on the Sound Tigers at Webster Bank Arena. Don’t forget to catch our boys in action later this afternoon as they take on the Hartford Wolf Pack at home! I previewed that game last week!

Saturday, February 13, 2021, Providence Bruins vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AWAY)

The Saturday matchup will mark the second of twelve the division foes will play this season. The first battle saw the Bruins come away victorious 4-1. Rookie netminder Jeremy Swayman was superb in net for Providence. He stopped 26 of the 27 shots fired his way. The one goal he let up was a power-play goal that got deflected multiple times. Hard to fault him for that. Zach Senyshyn, Alex-Olivier Voyer, Samuel Asselin, and Robert Lantosi scored for the spoked P. For Voyer and Asselin; it was their first career AHL goals. Top prospect Jakub Lauko started hot with two assists in the game. Meanwhile, rookies Jack Achan and Nick Wolff recorded their first career AHL points. Each had an assist.

All in all, many of the Bruins’ young rookies had fantastic outings, and it was the perfect way to start the season. There were a few things that led to Providence’s victory. First was special teams. Our boys in black and gold converted on two of their four power-plays. On the flip side, they killed off two of their three penalties, while Swayman also stopped a penalty shot. You can expect special team play to be important in this matchup too. Another component of the victory was grabbing the lead and holding onto it. Last season, when winning after two periods, Providence was 31-0. They were up 1-0 after the second period in this one and never relinquished the lead. That will also be imperative in future matchups.

Samuel Asselin lights the lamp for his first goal of the year, Providence’s first SHG of the year. Nice patience from Jack Ahcan as he moves the puck to Lauko who sauced a beauty of a pass to Asselin. First of what could be many professional points for Ahcan. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/SpCgwQdbSI
— Bruins Network (@BruinsNetwork) February 5, 2021

My Players To Watch This Weekend

Up Front

Jakub Lauko: Jakub Lauko came to the Providence Bruins in 2019-2020 with a lot of hype surrounding him. He had just finished a superb season with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL. Unfortunately, his rookie season was injury-plagued. In 22 games, he found the back of the net five times while dishing out four assists for nine total points. Before the 2020-2021 season started, the young forward played on loan in the Czech Republic. Training early has seemingly helped in a big way; he tallied two assists in the first game of the year. Look for him this weekend.

On The Blue Line

Cooper Zech: Cooper Zech came to the Providence Bruins in 2019-2020 after having a successful freshman season with Ferris State University. He’s a small, speedy, puck-moving defenseman. In 45 games with the Bruins last season, Zech netted two goals while dishing out 12 assists for 14 total points. He started the year playing exceptionally well in the Czech Republic on loan due to the pandemic. That carried over to the AHL, where he notched his first assist of the season in game one. Look for him this weekend.

In Net

Jeremy Swayman: I know this is a repeat from last week, but I cannot get enough of Jeremy Swayman. He came to Providence after an incredible three years at the University of Maine. In his debut, Swayman was an absolute wall. He stopped 26 of the 27 shots fired his way. He still has parts of his game that need work. Despite this, it was as good of a debut as it could have been for the former Black Bear. Look for him to continue that this weekend.

Jeremy Swayman, as seen here, had himself a great first game with Providence. He’s athletic, tracks the puck well and most importantly looks just as comfortable in the AHL as he did NCAA hockey. There’s a lot to like about him and I find him to be a high-end prospect. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/SaQeYJOH9l
— Bruins Network (@BruinsNetwork) February 9, 2021

It has been fantastic being able to watch the Providence Bruins again. They’ve looked great on the ice thus far. I am looking forward to the rest of the season. I think the Bruins will have a great year and, many of the young players will excel. I hope you enjoy watching them grow as much as I do. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. Always, Go, Bs, Go!