By: Tim A Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson
Week 25 of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 30-18-3-6 (69 points). That is good for second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference. Our boys in black and gold are coming off a week where they defeated Hershey 2-0 and Springfield 3-2 before falling to Utica 4-1. The Bruins have three games coming up this weekend that you will not want to miss.
The weekend starts on Friday, April 1, 2022, when the Springfield Thunderbirds come to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The weekend continues on Sunday, April 3, 2022, when the Syracuse Crunch comes to town to take on the Bruins at the Dunk. The hockey action ends on Monday, April 4, 2022, when the Hartford Wolf Pack travels to Providence, Rhode Island, to battle the Bruins at the Dunk. Do not miss the excitement!
Friday, April 1, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (HOME)
The Friday battle marks the tenth 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. The ninth battle saw the Bruins come out victorious 3-2. Justin Brazeau, Steven Fogarty, and Victor Berglund scored for Providence.
Springfield comes into the matchup 34-20-5-2 (75 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 3.14 goals a game while giving up 3.09. On the other side of the equation, the Bruins net 2.98 goals a game while giving up 2.68. Over the past fives seasons, Providence’s record is 29-15-4-1 against Springfield. Division matchups are always a grind, and this game will be no different.
Sunday, April 3, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Syracuse Crunch (HOME)
The Sunday battle marks the first out of two the Bruins and Crunch will have this season. That is because Syracuse plays in the North Division. The Crunch skate into the matchup 30-23-6-2 (68 points). That is good for fourth in the North Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference. The Tampa Bay affiliate’s main issue this season has been their defense. They give up 3.14 goals a game while only scoring 3.03. Despite the negative goal differential, the Crunch are 7-2-0-1 in their last ten games. This game will not be easy. Over the past fives seasons, the Bruins have had a 3-3 record against the Lightning affiliate. Expect an exciting one from the Dunk.
Monday, April 4, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Hartford Wolf Pack (HOME)
The Monday game marks the tenth and final game these two teams will have this season. The Hartford Wolf Pack skates into it 29-23-5-2 (65 points). That is good for fourth in the Atlantic Division and ninth 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 fifth game saw the Bruins win 5-1. Zach Senyshyn, Eduards Tralmaks, Jesper Froden, Chris Wagner, and Justin Brazeau scored for Providence. Jeremy Swayman was excellent, stopping 19 of the pucks fired his way.
The sixth game saw the Bruins fall 5-4 in a shootout. Andrew Peski, Joona Koppanen, Jack Ahcan, and Samuel Asselin scored for Providence. Kyle Keyser made 29 stops in the loss.
The seventh battle saw Providence win 3-1. Eduards Tralmaks and Joona Koppanen (2) scored goals for the Bruins. Kyle Keyser stopped 19 shots in the victory.
The eighth game saw the Bruins fall 5-2. Joona Koppanen and Justin Brazeau scored for the Bruins. The ninth game saw the Bruins come out on top 6-3. Justin Brazeau (2), Jack Studnicka, Matt Filipe, and Aaron Ness (2) had goals for the Bruins.
The Hartford Wolf Pack poses an uphill battle for the Providence Bruins. Over the past five seasons, our boys in black and gold are 25-19-4-2 against the New York affiliate. The Wolf Pack also boasts one of the best offenses in the AHL, scoring 2.98 goals a game. The good news is the Bruins have one of the best defenses in the league, only giving up 2.68 goals a game. Do not miss this one!
My Players To Watch This Weekend
Up Front
Steven Fogarty: Steven Fogarty is in his first season with the Providence Bruins. Fogarty has been one of the Bruins’ best offensive weapons this season. In 49 games, he’s netted ten goals while dishing out 26 assists for 36 total points. Fogarty has been an excellent signing for the Bruins; look for him this weekend.
On The Blue Line
Jack Ahcan: Jack Ahcan has been one of the best players for Providence this year. His offensive and defensive ability are on display on a nightly basis. In 37 games, the young defenseman has six goals while dishing out 16 assists for 22 total points. Ahcan has a bright future ahead with the big club in Boston. Enjoy him while you still can in Providence!
In Net
Troy Grosenick: Troy Grosenick has been a veteran anchor for the Bruins in goal this season. In 24 games, he’s 14-4-3 with a 2.03 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. Look for him this weekend.
The Providence Bruins bounced back nicely, winning two of three games last weekend. That is how you want a team to respond after going through their first rough patch in the season. April is the final month of the regular season. The Bruins must maintain their winning ways to remain in a playoff spot. I expect them to do just that. I hope everyone is enjoying the season. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!
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