By: Tim A Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson
Ladies and Gentlemen, we did it. We survived the long dog days of summer without hockey. Now, fall has rolled in with cooler weather, pumpkin spice, and hockey. The Providence Bruins season has finally arrived. Last year didn’t end according to plan for our boys in black and gold. The Bruins ended 2021-2022 36-25-5-6 (83 points). That was good for third in the Atlantic Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference. Providence would then go on to lose in the first round of the playoffs to the lower seed, a division foe, the Bridgeport Islanders.
The Providence Bruins kick off their 2022-2023 season on Friday, October 14, 2022, when the Bridgeport Islanders travel to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Dunkin Donuts center. The weekend wraps up on Saturday, October 16, when the Providence Bruins travel to Springfield, Massachusetts, to take on the 2021-2022 AHL Eastern Conference Champions, a division rival, the Springfield Thunderbirds. Do not miss the anticipated start to the season!
Thursday, October 14, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Bridgeport Islanders (HOME)
The Thursday battle marks the first of 12 that Bridgeport and Providence will have this season. The Islanders finished 2021-2022 31-30-7-4 (73 points). That was good for sixth in the Atlantic Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders would make it to the Atlantic Division semifinals, where they fell to Charlotte in four games. Providence went 6-6 against the Islanders’ affiliate last season. Over the past five seasons, the Bruins are 30-18-5-4 against Bridgeport, including 16-9-3-1 at the Dunk. This game should be fun and tightly contested!
Saturday, October 16, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (AWAY)
The Saturday game marks the first of twelve these two teams will have this season. The Springfield Thunderbirds finished 2021-2022 43-24-6-3 (95 points). That was good for second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference. The St. Louis affiliate went to the Calder Cup Finals in 2021-2022. They would lose to the Chicago Wolves in five games. The Providence Bruins had a 5-5-1 record against Springfield last season. Over the past five years, they have a 29-17-5-1 record, including 16-7-2-1 at Springfield. These rivalry games are usually chippy affairs. Expect a physical game between two teams who dislike each other.
My Players To Watch This Weekend
Up Front
Fabian Lysell is, without a doubt, the best prospect in the Bruins’ system. The 19-year-old from Sweden was a first-round draft pick, 21st overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. Lysell spent last season in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants. In 53 games with the Giants, he netted 22 goals while dishing out 40 assists for 62 total points. We rarely see a player with the young forward’s skill in the AHL. Lysell is somebody to watch, and if you can make it to the Dunk, I highly recommend seeing him play before he’s called up to Boston for good.
On the Blue Line
Jack Ahcan is one of my favorite prospects for the Bruins. 2021-2022 was the young forward’s second season with Providence. In 46 games, he netted six goals while dishing out 17 assists for 23 total points. Ahcan is a puck-moving defenseman with an underrated defensive ability. I expect Ahcan to be called up to Boston for good this season. He’s an ideal candidate to run the power play in Boston.
In Net
Kyle Keyser spent almost all of 2021-2022 in Providence for the first time in his career. It was a tumultuous year for the young netminder. In 33 games, he was 11-14-7-1 with a 2.75 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. Hopefully, the experience does Keyser well, and he has a bounce-back season!
I hope everyone enjoys the start of the season! It’s exciting to have hockey back for real. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to send them on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!
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