By Tim A Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson
Week four of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 6-1-1-1 (14 points). That is good for first in the Atlantic Division and first in the Eastern Conference. Our boys in black and gold are coming off a week where they defeated Charlotte 2-1 and Springfield 4-3 in a shootout. The Bruins would then fall to Springfield in a shootout 3-2 before defeating Utica 4-3 in a shootout. The Bruins have two big road games this weekend, don’t miss them.
The weekend starts on Saturday, November 5, 2022, when the Providence Bruins travel to Springfield, Massachusetts, to take on the Thunderbirds at the MassMutual Center. The weekend wraps on Sunday, November 6, 2022, when the Providence Bruins travel to Bridgeport, Connecticut, to take on the Islanders at the Total Mortgage Arena. Do not miss the action.
Saturday, November 5, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (AWAY)
The Saturday game marks the fourth game of 12 that the two teams will have this season. The first battle saw the Bruins win 4-3. Georgii Merkulov, Josiah Didier, Vinni Lettieri, and Luke Toporowski scored for Providence.
The second battle saw the Bruins win 4-3 in a shootout. John Beecher, Luke Toporowski, and Vinni Lettieri netted goals for Providence.
Providence lost the third matchup 3-2 in a shootout. Vinni Lettieri found the back of the net for the Bruins.
The Springfield Thunderbirds skate into the matchup 4-3-0-1 (9 points). That is good for fifth in the Atlantic Division and sixth in the Eastern Conference. The St. Louis affiliate went to the Calder Cup Finals in 2021-2022, losing to the Chicago Wolves. The Providence Bruins had a 5-5-1 record against Springfield last season. Over the past five years, they have a 22-13-4-2 record, including 13-6-1-1 at Springfield. These rivalry games are usually chippy affairs. Expect a physical game between two teams who dislike each other.
Sunday, November 6, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Bridgeport Islanders (AWAY)
The Sunday battle marks the third of 12 that Bridgeport and Providence will have this season. Our boys in black and gold won game one 3-1, getting goals from Georgii Merkulov, Fabian Lysell, and Chris Wagner.
The second matchup saw the Bruins lose 5-4 in overtime. Georgii Merkulov (2), Chris Wagner, and Luke Toporowski scored for Providence.
The Islanders finished last 31-30-7-4 (73 points). That was good for sixth in the Atlantic Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference. Providence went 6-6 against the New York affiliate last season. Over the past five seasons, the Bruins are 25-13-6-3 against Bridgeport, including 11-7-2-2 at Bridgeport. The Islanders would make it to the Atlantic Division semifinals, where they fell to Charlotte in four games. They are 6-1-1 (13 points) to start the season. That is good for second in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. This game should be fun and tightly contested!
My Players To Watch This Weekend
Up Front
Vinni Lettieri is in his first season with the Providence Bruins. The veteran forward has already made a massive impact. In his first nine games, he’s found the back of the net six times while dishing out four assists for ten total points. Look for him this weekend.
On The Blue Line
Jack Ahcan is in his third season with the Providence Bruins. He has one assist in eight games this season. Despite the low-point total, he has played excellent defense for Providence. Look for him to pick it up and turn the season around.
In Net
Kyle Keyser: has been excellent to start the year for Providence. The young goalie is 4-0-1 with a 1.94 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. Look for him to keep it up this weekend.
The Providence Bruins have had an excellent start to their 2022-2023. Look for them to keep up their winning ways against two division rivals this weekend. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!
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