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

Week four of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 2-3-1-1 (6 points). That is good for seventh in the Atlantic Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference. They are coming off a week in which they beat the Charlotte Checkers 4-3 before falling to the Bridgeport Islanders 6-4. Our boys in black and gold have three games coming up that you do not want to miss.

The hockey action starts on Friday, November 5, 2021, when the Providence Bruins travel to Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania, to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. The action continues on Saturday, November 6, 2021, when the Bruins head to Hershey, Pennsylvania, to take on the Hershey Bears at the Giant Center. Finally, the action wraps up on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, when the Springfield Thunderbirds come to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Dunk.

Friday, November 5, 2021, Providence Bruins vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pengiuns (AWAY)

The Friday matchup with be the first of six these two teams will have this season. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins skate into the game 5-1-0-1 (11 points). That is good for second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins’ success this season is due to a suffocating defense. In their seven games played, they are only giving up 2.14 goals a game. The Bruins, however, are only scoring 2.14 goals a game in their seven games. Despite the uphill battle, there is reason to optimistic about this game. Over the past five seasons, the spoked P is 10-3-2-2 against the Pittsburgh affiliate. It should be a close matchup you do not want to miss!

Saturday, November 6, 2021, Providence Bruins vs. Hershey Bears (AWAY)

The Saturday game marks the first of six these two teams will have this season. The Hershey Bears skate into the matchup 4-1-1-1 (10 points). That is good for third in the Atlantic Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Washington affiliate can also attribute their success to playing excellent defense. In their seven games played, they only give up 2.42 goals a game. As I previously stated, Providence is only scoring 2.14 goals a game, so this will be another uphill battle. The Providence Bruins are 12-5-0-1 over the past five seasons against Hershey. That includes 5-4 at the Giant Center. It should be a tightly contested game that you won’t want to miss.

Wednesday, November 10, 2021, Providence Bruins vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (HOME)

The Wednesday battle marks the second of 12 these two teams will have this season. In the first game, Providence fell 4-1. Jack Ahcan scored the only goal for the Bruins. Jakub Lauko and Steven Fogarty assisted on the goal. Kyle Keyser stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced. The St. Louis affiliate skates into the game 5-0-2 (12 points). That is good for first in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference.

The Thunderbirds are the most well-rounded team at the top of the conference. Not only are they only giving up 2.42 goals a game, but they’re scoring 3.42. Springfield will be a difficult matchup all year for Providence. Over the past five seasons, our boys in black and gold are 24-13-4 against the St. Louis affiliate, including 11-8 at home.

My Players To Watch This Weekend

Up Front

Oskar Steen: Oskar Steen has been excellent for Providence to start this season. The young forward has only played in four games in the AHL this season. The reason for that is he was called up early in the season as an injury replacement in Boston. In his four games with Providence, the young forward netted three goals while dishing out three assists for six total points. Steen has taken a positive step forward from last season. Look for him this weekend.

On The Blue Line

Jack Ahcan: Jack Ahcan has been one of the best players for the Providence Bruins over their first seven games. The young defenseman is contributing not only defensively but offensively as well. In seven games, he’s netted one goal while dishing out four assists for five total points. Ahcan is someone I think could be in Boston soon. He’s also someone I see running the power-play in the not-so-distant future. Look for him this weekend.

In Net

Kyle Keyser: Kyle Keyser has had an okay start to the year. He hasn’t been bad, but he hasn’t been spectacular either. Right now, the young goalie is getting the bulk of the starts in Providence. That makes sense since he’s their only prospect in the AHL. In six games, he’s 2-2-2 with a .902 save percentage and a 2.72 goals-against average. Look for him this weekend.

It’s been a less than ideal start for the Providence Bruins this season. The good news is that the season is young, and there’s time to turn it around. I have faith that this team can do that. There is too much talent not to be a playoff contender. I hope everyone enjoys the games this weekend. Feel free to send me any questions or comments on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!