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

Week three of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 1-2-1-1 (4 points). That is good for seventh in the Atlantic Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference. Our boys in black and gold are coming off a week that saw them lose to Utica 2-1 in overtime before losing to Laval 4-0 and Springfield 4-1. The spoked P has two big games this weekend. Hopefully, they can turn around their fortunes.

The hockey starts on Friday, October 29, 2021, when the Charlotte Checkers travel to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Dunk. The weekend wraps up on Saturday, October 30, 2021, when the Providence Bruins travel to Bridgeport, Connecticut, to take on the Islanders at the Webster Bank Arena.

Friday, October 29, 2021, Providence Bruins vs. Charlotte Checkers (HOME)

The Friday matchup marks the first of six the two teams will have this season. Charlotte skates into it 2-1-1 (5 points). That’s good for fifth in the Atlantic Division and eighth in the Eastern Conference. The Checkers are in a unique situation this year. Their primary affiliate is the Florida Panthers. However, for this season, they have a secondary affiliate, the Seattle Kraken! That means you could see prospects from organizations playing Providence the weekend.

The matchup with the Checkers has been a challenging one for Providence in recent memory. Over the past five seasons, they are 8-7-1 against the Florida and Seattle affiliate. It should be even more difficult this time around, given how much better Charlotte is playing than Providence to start the season. Hopefully, the spoked P can turn it around and get an important two points.

Saturday, October 30, 2021, Providence Bruins vs. Bridgeport Islanders (AWAY)

The Saturday battle marks the second of 12 the two teams will have this season. In the first matchup, the Bruins came out on top 2-1 in a shootout. Taylor Lewington scored for Providence. Jack Ahcan and Matt Filipe added the helper on the goal. Bruins’ forwards Jesper Froden and Jack Studnicka scored in the shootout for the win.

The Bridgeport Islanders skate into the matchup 2-2-0-2 (6 points). That is good for sixth in the Atlantic Division and tenth in the Eastern Conference. This matchup has been favorable for the Bruins. Over the past five seasons, they are 25-12-5-4. A game like this could help right Providence’s ship.

My Players To Watch This Weekend

Up Front

Samuel Asselin: 2021-2022 is Samuel Asselin’s third season in the Bruins’ organization. He’s coming off a successful 2020-2021 season. In 25 games, he netted eight goals while dishing out eight assists for 16 total points. The young forward has started this year slow, with one goal in five games. That isn’t worrisome to me because he’s shown that he can score at every level he’s played.

On The Blue Line

Jack Ahcan: A recurring theme this season is going to be Jack Ahcan in the players to watch this weekend. He’s one of their best young defensemen, and I think he’s going to have a huge year. He’s started 2021-2022 off hot netting one goal while dishing out two assists for three points in his first five games. I fully expect him to continue his stellar play. Look for him this weekend.

In Net

Kyle Keyser: Another recurring theme in players to watch is going to be Kyle Keyser. He’s the only real prospect the Bruins have at goalie in Providence. In four games, the young netminder is 1-1-2 with a 2.05 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. He’s playing well despite what the record shows. Look for him this weekend.

It has been a less than ideal start to the 2021-2022 season for the Providence Bruins. They are giving up 3.00 goals a game while scoring only 1.40 goals a game. They are going to need to reverse that trend if they want to succeed this season. I have faith that the team will right the ship and still end up a playoff contender. I hope everyone enjoys the games this weekend! Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!