By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter @BlackAndGold277
The American Hockey League Providence Bruins were one of 22 teams in action last night as the league’s 87th season of completion continues. On Friday night, the top minor-pro affiliate of the National Hockey League Boston Bruins played game one of three this weekend against Atlantic Division rival the Bridgeport Islanders. This was the second time these two teams have faced each other in a week, with Providence winning 3-1 in the 2022-23 AHL Bruins season opener last Friday night at the newly named Amica Mutual Pavilion.
Before last night’s game in downtown Providence, Rhode Island, the Providence Bruins were 2-0, leading the Atlantic. The visiting Bridgeport team did their homework to get different results from last Friday night’s loss in the same Amica building. The Islanders outplayed Providence in the first half of Friday night’s game, forcing the Bruins to stage a late comeback, ultimately coming up short in overtime.
Providence suffered their first loss of the 2022-23 season and first defeat at home by the score of 5-4 in front of 5,372 loyal Bruins fans in attendance. Last night for the third straight game of the season, the B’s got outshot by a 32-29 margin for a total of 111 to 88 in the first few games of this season.
Veteran netminder Keith Kinkaid started last night against the visiting Islanders suffering his first loss of the season, stopping 27 of 32 Bridgeport shots. Often in this game, the 33-year-old netminder was left out to dry as his Providence teammates out front of him missed assignments and were out of position.
Providence went one for six on the power play last night vs. the Islanders, with the only man-advantage goal going to AHL rookie Luke Toporowski who scored his second goal of the season. The B’s special teams, both on the power play and penalty kill struggled last night in the season’s first overtime loss. As of this morning, the AHL Bruins, in just three games played, are ranked 20th in the league on the power play and 22nd on the penalty kill.
With last night’s loss at home, the Providence Bruins slipped from first place in the Atlantic to the second position, one point behind division-leading Charlotte Checkers. It’s still very early in the season, and losses like last night are going to happen., Providence Head Coach Ryan Mougenel is particularly good at identifying accountable areas after a loss and quickly recovering before the next game.
Chemistry building is a must in the early minor-pro season, and I believe that once Mougenel and the staff have a little more time to stretch their legs offensively and defensively, this team could be an Atlantic Division threat. The health of this Providence Bruins team and the challenge of constantly orchestrating a roster influx will be the biggest hurdle moving forward.
Positive Thoughts out of Last Night’s Game at the Amica Mutual Pavilion vs. the Islanders
Regardless of the 5-4 loss last night, a few Providence Bruins players deserve recognition for their efforts. Undrafted forward Georgii Merkulov extended his goal streak to three games last night, notching goals three and four in the early 2022-23 regular season. Merkulov is currently in year one of a three-year, entry-level contract and has taken an enormous step forward in this early campaign to be better away from the puck in an effort to round out his two-way game. So far this season, the former Ohio State Buckeye forward has 4-0-4 numbers.
Boston Bruins 2021 first-round selection Fabian Lysell extends his career-high point streak to three games in his AHL rookie season. Lysell had an assist in last night’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Islanders and now leads the NHL Bruins top minor-pro affiliate in points after three games with 1-4-5 numbers. Lysell is another forward adjusting to the North American pro game as he continues to develop in the Bruins system. It was a solid move having the Swedish native play a full season in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants. Fabian had 62 points in 53 WHL regular season games last season.
Forward Joona Koppanen, who’s been working hard lately as a bottom-six grinding forward, extended his point streak to three games with two helpers last night. The Finnish forward might not light up the scoresheet regularly, but his hard work in the dirty areas and net-front presence has certainly been noticeable. Koppanen is one of the NHL Bruins better depth penalty killers and a major reason, along with his size, is why the B’s are keeping him around for further looks.
Rookie defenseman Kai Wissmann got his first point of the season in last night’s game against the Islanders on veteran forward Chris Wagner’s second goal of the season. The AHL rookie and German blueliner also got his first career AHL multi-point game when he got another assist quarterbacking the Providence power play mid-third period last night.
Wissmann smartly moved along the blue line laterally to open up a passing lane as the B’s were on the man advantage. Kia moved the puck over to rookie Luke Toporowski who was all alone in the right faceoff circle and ready for a hard wrist shot snipe to tie the Islander at three apiece.
Providence forward and AHL rookie Luke Toporowski continues to have a solid start to his professional career after spending several years in the Western Hockey League. Luke was a sneakingly good AHL-Only signing for further looks for the NHL Boston Bruins, who continue to add low-risk, possibly high rewarding projects like him. Toporowski now has goals in his last two games. The 21-year-old has undoubtedly fit in well with Mougenel’s offensive system providing speed and creativity in all situations. The Iowa native now had two points in three career AHL games thus far.
Next AHL Providence Bruins Game
The Providence Bruins are back in action tonight at the Amica Mutual Pavillion for the season’s first out-of-division game vs. the visiting Utica Comets. The Comets come into Providence, Rhode Island, tonight with a 1-1-0-0 record and currently sit in the AHL’s North Division in fifth place.
With veteran netminder Keith Kinkaid getting the 5-4 overtime losing start last night, I’d expect Providence Coach Ryan Mougenel gets the younger Kyle Keyser back into game action tonight at the AMP. The last game Kyser played was this past Sunday afternoon on Providence’s second game of the season, where he got the victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds, stopping 33 of 36 shots for his first win of the 2022-23 season.
The Providence Bruins finished the three-in-three weekend at the Amica Mutual Pavilion tomorrow afternoon for a 3:05 pm puck drop against the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Penguins currently sit in the fifth position in the Atlantic Division with a 1-0-1-0 record.
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