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

Week 24 of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 28-17-3-6 (65 points). Our boys in black and gold are coming off a tough week that saw them lose to Charlotte 2-1, 3-2, and 2-1 in a shootout. The Providence Bruins are in the midst of their worst six-game stint, going 0-3-0-3. They have three games this weekend. Hopefully, they can turn it around!

The weekend starts on Friday, March 25, 2022, when the Hershey Bears travel to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The action continues on Saturday, March 26, 2022, when the Springfield Thunderbirds come to town to take on the Providence Bruins at the Dunk in Providence, Rhode Island. Finally, the weekend wraps on Sunday, March 27, 2022, when the Utica Comets travel to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Dunk.

Friday, March 25, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Hershey Bears (HOME)

The Friday matchup marks the fifth of six that these two teams will have this season. In the first battle, the Bruins came out on top 3-0. Steven Fogarty (2) and Chris Wagner had goals for Providence. Jon Gillies was superb between the pipes, stopping all 31 shots he faced. The second game saw the Bruins fall 4-3. Cameron Hughes, Steven Fogarty, and Jack Ahcan scored for the Bruins.

The third battle saw the Bruins win 5-0. Eduards Tralmaks, Victor Berglund, Cameron Hughes, Jesper Froden, and Chris Wagner scored for Providence. Troy Grosenick had 34 saves in the shutout. The fourth installment of the season series saw the Bruins win 4-1. Eduards Tralmaks, Zach Senyshyn, Jesper Froden, and Jack Ahcan scored goals for the Bruins.

The Hershey Bears skate into the matchup 29-23-5-3 (66 points). That is good for fifth in the Atlantic Division and tenth in the Eastern Conference. The Washington affiliate has one of the most well-rounded teams in the AHL. They score 2.78 goals a game while giving up 2.73. One thing that plays in Providence’s favor is they historically play very well against Hershey. The Bruins are 15-5-1-1 against the Bears over the past five seasons. Do not miss this game!

Saturday, March 26, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (HOME)

The Saturday battle marks the ninth 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. Justin 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.

The fifth installment of this series saw the Bruins win 5-3. Matt Filipe, Jack Studnicka, Victor Berglund, Steven Fogarty, and Zach Senyshyn scored for Providence. Troy Grosenick stopped 27 of the pucks fired his way.

The sixth chapter of the season story saw the Bruins fall 3-2 in a shootout. Jack Studnicka and Chris Wagner had goals for Providence. The seventh matchup saw the Bruins fall 5-1. Zach Senyshyn scored the lone goal for Providence. The eighth game saw the Bruins win 5-1. Jack Studnicka, Eduards Tralmaks, Chris Wagner (2), and Cameron Hughes scored for Providence.

Springfield comes into the matchup 32-19-5-2 (71 points). That is good for first in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. The St. Louis affiliate is one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. The Thunderbirds score an incredible 3.17 goals a game while giving up 3.05. On the other side of the equation, the Bruins net 3.03 goals a game while giving up 2.72. Over the past fives seasons, the Bruins’ record is 28-15-4-1 against Springfield. Division matchups are always a grind, and this game will be no different.

Sunday, March 27, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Utica Comets (HOME)

The Sunday matchup with the Utica Comets is the third of four that the two teams will play this year. The first battle saw the Bruins fall 2-1 in overtime. Oskar Steen scored the only goal for Providence. Kyle Keyser made 29 saves in the loss. The Bruins generally do not play them much during the regular season because they are in a different division. The second battle saw the Bruins fall 4-0.

The Comets skate into the matchup 35-13-6-1 (77 points). That is good for first in the North Division and first in the Eastern Conference. Over the past five seasons, this has been a favorable matchup for our boys in black and gold. Providence is 8-2-1 against Utica in that time frame. This year the matchup could be a little different. Last season Utica was affiliated with Vancouver, and this season they are with New Jersey.

Despite the favorable record over the past five seasons, this game will be an absolute battle. The Devils’ affiliate boasts one of the best offenses and defenses in the AHL. Utica scores 3.50 goals a game while only giving up 2.73. Providence scores 3.03 goals a game while giving up only 2.72.

My Players To Watch This Weekend

Up Front

Jesper Froden: Jesper Froden is in his first season with the Providence Bruins. He spent the beginning of his career playing in his home country of Sweden. In 42 games, he’s scored 13 goals while dishing out 16 assists for 29 total points. That includes nine points in his last 13 games. The young forward has consistently been one of the best options for Providence in his rookie year. Look for him this weekend.

On The Blue Line

Victor Berglund: Victor Berglund is in his rookie season with the Providence Bruins. He spent the beginning of his career playing in his home country of Sweden. He’s been great since coming to the Bruins. His play shines both offensively and defensively. In 34 games, the defenseman has scored four goals while dishing out 11 assists for 15 total points. Look for him this weekend.

In Net

Troy Grosenick: Troy Grosenick has had an excellent first season with the Providence Bruins. The veteran goalie came to Providence after spending last season in the Los Angeles Kings’ organization. In 32 games, he’s 13-3-3 with a 2.08 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. Look for him this weekend.

The Providence Bruins have hit a rough patch in their schedule. They are 0-3-0-3 in their last six games. Despite that, they remain in second place in the Atlantic Division. Hopefully, our boys in black and gold can bounce back from the rough patch and get back to their winning ways. I hope everyone enjoys the games. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!