By: Tim A Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson
Week 14 of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 13-9-3-1 (30 points). That is good for fourth in the Atlantic Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference. Our boys in black and gold are coming off a week that saw their games postponed due to COVID. The spoked P has three big games coming up that you will not want to miss.
The weekend starts on Friday, January 14, 2022, when the Hartford Wolf Pack travels to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Dunk. The weekend continues on Saturday, January 15, 2022, when the Providence Bruins travel to Springfield, Massachusetts, to take on the Thunderbirds at the MassMutual Center. The weekend wraps on Sunday, January 16, 2022, when the Bridgeport Islanders travel to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Dunkin Donuts Center. Don’t miss it!
January 14, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Hartford Wolf Pack (HOME)
The Friday game marks the fifth of 10 the two teams will have this season. The Hartford Wolf Pack skates into it 15-9-2-2 (34 points). That is good for third in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference. In the first meeting, the Bruins fell 4-3 in overtime. Jack Studnicka, Samuel Asselin, and Chris Wagner found the back of the net for Providence. Kyle Keyser stopped 22 of the 25 shots he faced.
The second battle saw the Bruins fall 2-1 in overtime. Jakub Lauko scored the lone goal for our boys in black and gold. Kyle Keyser stopped 27 shots in the loss.
The third game saw the Bruins win 2-1 in overtime. Jesper Froden and Oskar Steen scored for Providence. Troy Grosenick stopped 23 of the 24 shots fired his way.
The fourth matchup saw the Bruins come out victorious 4-0. Jesper Froden, Oskar Steen, Steven Fogarty, and Cameron Hughes scored for Providence. Troy Grosenick stopped 17 shots in the shutout victory.
The Hartford Wolf Pack poses an uphill battle for the Providence Bruins. Over the past five seasons, our boys in black and gold are 22-18-4-1 against the Rangers’ affiliate. The Wolf Pack also boasts one of the best offenses in the AHL, scoring 3.14 goals a game. The good news is, the Bruins have one of the best defenses in the league, only giving up 2.61 goals a game. It’ll be an exciting game you do not want to miss.
Saturday, January 15, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (AWAY)
The Saturday battle marks the fifth 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 second game also saw the Bruins lose 4-1. Urho Vaakanainen scored the only goal for Providence. Keyser stopped 29 of the 33 shots he faced. The third matchup saw the Bruins win 3-0. Just Brazeau (2) and Keltie Jeri-Leon scored for Providence. Kyle Keyser stopped all 24 shots he faced.
The fourth game between the two teams saw the Bruins win 7-1. Alex-Olivier Voyer, Eduards Tralmaks, Cameron Hughes (2), Joona Koppanen (2), and Curtis Hall scored for Providence. Troy Grosenick stopped 26 shots in the blowout.
Springfield comes into the matchup 18-10-2-1 (39 points). That is good for first in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. The St. Louis affiliate is the most well-rounded team in the Eastern Conference. The Thunderbirds score an incredible 3.29 goals a game while giving up 3.12. Over the past fives seasons, the Bruins’ record is 25-14-4 against Springfield. Division matchups are always a grind, and this game will be no different.
Sunday, January 16, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Bridgeport Islanders (HOME)
The Sunday battle marks the sixth of 12 the two teams will have this season. In the first meeting between Bridgeport and Providence, the Bruins won 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 second meeting saw Providence fall 6-4. Oskar Steen (2), John Moore, and Chris Wagner netted goals. Kyle Keyser stopped 19 shots in the loss.
The third game saw the Bruins win 3-2. Jesper Froden, Zach Senyshyn, and Joona Koppanen were the goal scorers for Providence. Troy Grosenick got the win in goal, stopping 28 shots. The Fourth game saw the Providence Bruins win 2-1 in a shootout. Alex Olivier-Voyer scored for the Bruins. Troy Grosenick made 27 saves in the win.
The fifth game between the two clubs saw the Bruins fall 4-3. Samuel Asselin, Jesper Froden, and Cameron Hughes scored for Providence. Troy Grosenick made 33 saves in the defeat.
The Bridgeport Islanders skate into the matchup 12-16-3-4 (31 points). That is good for seventh in the Atlantic Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders have not had much luck this season. They boast one of the worst defenses in the AHL, giving up 3.05 goals a game. On top of that, they are scoring 2.62 goals a game. The key to beating them is getting an early lead and keeping it. The Islanders are 4-7-0-2 when trailing after one period and 2-9-2-2 trailing after two.
My Players To Watch This Weekend
Up Front
Cameron Hughes: Cameron Hughes was a sixth-round draft pick of the Boston Bruins in 2015. The young forward came to Providence after four seasons with the University of Wisconsin, the last of which he served as team captain. 2021-2022 is Hughes’ fifth season in Providence, and he’s turned into a forgotten prospect. Despite this, he’s upped his game as of late. The Wisconsin alum has registered a point in nine of his last 12 games. Overall in 22 games, he’s netted seven goals while dishing out ten assists for 17 total points. Look for him this weekend.
On The Blue Line
Jack Ahcan: Jack Ahcan has turned into one of the most exciting prospects for the Bruins. The young defenseman has been excellent both offensively and defensively. Ahcan sticks out when he’s on the ice. He’s quick and skilled. In 23 games, he’s netted three goals while dishing out nine assists for 12 total points. Look for him this weekend.
In Net
Jeremy Swayman: That’s right, Jeremy Swayman is back in the AHL. This week, a healthy Tuukka Rask signed with Boston, which allowed the Bruins to send Swayman to Providence. The former University of Maine Black Bear spent the entire season in Boston thus far. In 16 games, he’s 8-6-2 with a 2.26 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. There were mixed reactions amongst fans when the news broke. My take is that Swayman is still young at 23, and getting him more seasoning in the AHL isn’t a bad thing. He had limited experience with Providence last season. In nine games, he was 8-1 with a 1.89 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage. Swayman is my favorite Bruin at the moment, and it will be nice seeing him in Providence once again.
The Providence Bruins have played well as of late. Over their past ten games, they are 6-4. Both their offense and defense are clicking. With the way our boys in black and gold are playing, I fully expect them to be in the hunt come playoff time. I hope everyone is staying warm! Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!
Leave a Reply