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

Week 17 of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 17-11-3-3 (40 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 them fall to Hartford 5-4 in a shootout before falling to Springfield 3-2 in a shootout. The Bruins have two big games coming up this weekend that you won’t want to miss.

The weekend starts on Friday, February 4, 2022, when the Providence Bruins travel to Allentown, Pennsylvania, to take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center. The weekend ends on Saturday, February 5, 2022, 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. Don’t miss the action!

Friday, February 4, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AWAY)

The Friday matchup will mark the second of six the Phantoms and Bruins have this season. The first battle saw the Bruins come out on top 6-3. Matt Filipe, Steven Fogarty, Zach Senyshyn (3), and Jack Studnicka had goals for Providence. Goalie Jon Gillies made 31 stops in the victory.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms skate into the matchup 14-15-6-2 (36 points). That is good for seventh in the Atlantic Division and eleventh in the Eastern Conference. The Philadelphia affiliate has suffered from one of the worst defenses in the AHL. They are giving up 3.16 goals a game. On the flip side, the Providence Bruins only give up 2.73 goals a game, boasting one of the better defenses in the AHL. Grabbing an early lead will help the Bruins. Lehigh Valley is 3-8-3-1 when trailing after one period and 1-9-2 when down after two. It will be an exciting game of hockey you do not want to miss.

Saturday, February 5, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AWAY)

The Saturday matchup with be the fourth of six these two teams will have this season. In the first battle, the Bruins won 6-2. Oskar Steen (2), Steven Fogarty, Zach Senyshyn, Chris Wagner, and Eduards Tralmaks scored goals for Providence. Jon Gillies stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced.

The second meeting between the two teams did not go as planned. The Bruins lost 3-1. Jakub Lauko scored for Providence, while Kyle Keyser stopped 30 of 32 shots he faced between the pipes.

The third game saw the Bruins win 5-1. Brady Lyle, Zach Senyshyn (3), and Jack Studnicka scored for Providence. Keyser made 20 saves in the victory.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are 17-17-1-3 (38 points). That is good for sixth in the Atlantic Division and tenth in the Eastern Conference. This matchup has been favorable for Providence over the past five seasons, going 12-4-2-2 in that time. Like Lehigh Valley, the Bruins scoring early and keeping the lead will be essential to winning this game. The Pittsburgh affiliate is 2-9 when trailing after the first period. They are 2-12-0-1 when down after two. On the flip side, the Penguins are 10-2-0-1 when up after the first and 10-0-0-1 when ahead after two.

My Players To Watch This Weekend

Up Front

Jack Studnicka: 2021-2022 is Jack Studnicka’s third season in the Bruins organization. The young forward had a sensational 2019-2020 rookie season in Providence, and because of that, there was a lot of hype surrounding him heading into 2020-2021. Unfortunately for Studnicka, his sophomore season in the organization did not go as planned. Coming into this season, the young forward wanted to prove that last year was a fluke. Despite not getting a lot of recognition, he’s played well this season. In 25 games, he’s netted six goals while dishing out 11 assists for 17 total points. Look for him this weekend.

On The Blue Line

Jack Ahcan: Jack Ahcan continues to impress both offensively and defensively this season. The young defenseman has been on a tear as of late, registering seven points in his last six games. The St. Cloud St. University alum has been a workhorse for Providence this year, and it’s paying off. Overall in 29 games this year, he’s netted five goals while dishing out 14 assists for 19 total points. Look for him this week.

In Net

Troy Grosenick: Troy Grosenick has played well in his first season with the Providence Bruins. He’s been a stable veteran presence that the Bruins have needed in goal. In 13 games, he’s 8-2-1 with a 2.28 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Look for him this weekend.

The Bruins have hit a bit of a rough patch as of late, going winless in their last three games. Despite this, they are still 5-3-0-2 in their most recent ten games and remain in a playoff spot. I expect them to pick up their play and stay in the hunt for a playoff spot. I hope you enjoy the games this weekend. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!