By: Tim A Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson
Week ten of the AHL season has arrived, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 13-3-1 (27 points). That is good for first in the Atlantic Division and third in the American Hockey League. Our boys in black and gold are coming off a week that saw them beat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2-1. This week, they have one big game coming up that you will not want to miss! The hockey action kicks off on Saturday, April 10, 2021, when the Providence Bruins travel to Hartford, Connecticut, to take on the Wolf Pack at the XL Center. It should be an exciting hard-hitting game.
Saturday, April 10, 2021, Providence Bruins vs. Hartford Wolf Pack (AWAY)
The Saturday matchup marks the ninth of 12 the two division foes will have this season. The first matchup is one the Providence Bruins would like to forget. They ended up getting shutout 4-0. Goalie Dan Vladar would stop 20 of the 22 shots fired his way. Our boys in black and gold tried to solve the Hartford netminder, but they had all 25 shots on goal stopped.
The second matchup was much more fruitful for the Providence Bruins. They would win 5-2. Oskar Steen, Cameron Hughes, Brady Lyle, Joona Koppanen, and Zach Senyshyn would score for Providence. For Lyle, it was his first career AHL goal, and he would also get an assist in the game which, ended up being his first career AHL point. Rookie netminder Jeremy Swayman was superb in net stopping 34 of the 36 shots he faced.
The third matchup saw the Providence Bruins come out on top 4-2. Zach Sensyhyn, Jack Ahcan, Jakub Lauko, and Anton Blidh scored goals for Providence. For Ahcan, it was his career AHL goal. He has had a great start to his season. Rookie netminder Jeremy Swayman was on top of his game, stopping 27 of the 29 shots he faced.
The fourth battle between the division foes saw Providence come out on top 4-2. Brady Lyle and Samuel Asselin would score from the Bruins. For Asselin, it was his first career AHL hat-trick. Goalie Dan Vladar stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced in the victory.
The fifth meeting saw the Bruins fall 3-2 in overtime. Cameron Hughes and Robert Lantosi scored goals for the Providence Bruins. Jack Ahcan also dished out his sixth assist of the season. Netminder Dan Vladar stopped 21 of the 24 shots he faced in defeat.
The sixth battle saw the Providence Bruins come out on top 5-2. Jakub Lauko (2), Anton Blidh, Karson Kuhlman, and Cameron Hughes scored goals for the Bruins. Rookie goalie Jeremy Swayman was excellent again, stopping 26 of the 28 shots he faced.
The seventh chapter of the season series saw the Bruins come out on top 6-1. Paul Carey, Alex-Olivier Voyer (2), Joel Messner, Samuel Asselin, and Jakub Lauko scored for Providence. Kyle Keyser was excellent in net stopping 27 of the 28 shots he faced.
The most recent throwdown saw the Wolf Pack beat our Bruins 4-2. Robert Lantosi and Anton Blidh scored for Providence. Rookie netminder Jeremy Swayman stopped 27 of the 31 shots he faced.
The Hartford Wolf Pack skate into the Saturday matchup 6-6-1 (13 points). That is good for second in the Atlantic Division and 17th in the American Hockey League. On the year, Providence is 5-2-1 against the Wolf Pack. Over the past five seasons, our boys in black and gold are 26-18-2-1 against the Rangers’ affiliate. This season has been rough for Hartford despite a pretty good offense scoring 3.15 goals a game. The defense has been pretty awful, giving up 3.30 goals a game.
The Bruins, on the other hand, have been excellent in every aspect of the game. They are scoring 3.35 goals a game while only giving up 1.94 goals a game. The difference in talent between the two teams is quite far apart, and it’s shown during the games this season. One reason Providence could lose this game is goaltending. Both Jeremy Swayman and Dan Vladar are currently in Boston due to COVID protocols and injury. It could be Kyle Keyser’s time to shine this game.
My Players To Watch This Week
Up Front
Samuel Asselin: Samuel Asselin is in his first season in Providence and his second season in the Boston organization. Last year, he spent the majority of his time in ECHL with Atlanta. In 53 games with the Gladiators, he scored 26 goals while dishing out 26 assists for 52 total points. This year, he’s built upon his first professional season and is playing excellent for Providence. In 17 games with the Bruins, he’s found the back of the net five times while dishing out seven assists for 12 total points. He’s been excellent against Hartford this year. In eight games against the Wolf Pack, he’s netted four goals while dishing out four assists for eight total points. Look for him this week.
On The Blue Line
Brady Lyle: Brady Lyle is in his first professional season with the Bruins. He signed with Providence after a successful stint in the OHL. In 17 games, he’s netted five goals while dishing out five assists for ten total points. Lyle is an offensive-minded defenseman with defensive upside. He’s doing everything you could want a rookie to do in his first season. Look for him this week.
In Net
Kyle Keyser: Kyle Keyser has spent most of this season in the ECHL. With Swayman and Vladar both in Boston due to COVID protocols and injury, Keyser could start against Hartford. With Providence, the young netminder is 2-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .964 save percentage. Look for him this week.
The Providence Bruins have been excellent this season in every facet of the game. They are playing a fun brand of hockey that keeps your eyes plastered to your screen. I have enjoyed everything about this team, and I hope you are too. Let’s hope they keep up their play. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!
Thanks for the update, great read.