By: Tim A Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson
Week six of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 10-1-1-1 (22 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 that saw them beat Charlotte 5-2 and 5-3. Providence is 8-1-0-1 in their last ten games. The Bruins have three games this weekend that you will not want to miss.
The weekend kicks off on Friday, November 18, 2022, when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms travel to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Amica Mutual Pavillion. The weekend continues on Saturday, November 19, 2022, for round two of Lehigh Valley vs. Providence at the Amica Mutual Pavillion in Providence, Rhode Island. The weekend wraps on Sunday, November 20, 2022, when the Bridgeport Islanders travel to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Amica Mutual Pavillion. Do not miss the action!
Friday, November 18, 2022, and Saturday, November 19, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Lehigh Valley (HOME)
The weekend series marks the first and second games of six that Providence and Lehigh Valley will play in 2022-2023. The Phantoms skate into the weekend 5-5-1 (11 points). That is good for seventh in the Atlantic Division and 11th in the Eastern Conference. The Philadelphia affiliate has a -6 goal differential on the season, and they only score 2.45 goals a game. The Bruins’ stout defense should handle Lehigh Valley. The Bruins were 5-1 against Lehigh Valley last season and are 11-4 against them over the past five seasons.
Sunday, November 20, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Bridgeport Islanders (HOME)
The Sunday battle marks the fourth of 12 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 third battle saw the Providence Bruins win 1-0. Connor Carrick scored the lone goal for Providence. Brandon Bussi recorded his first shutout of the season.
The Islanders are 7-2-3 (17 points) to start the season. That is good for third in the Atlantic Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. Providence went 6-6 against the New York affiliate last season. Over the past five seasons, the Bruins are 26-13-6-3 against Bridgeport, including 14-6-4-1 at home. Bridgeport is scoring 3.66 goals a game this season while giving up 3.00 goals a game. Their prolific offense is the reason for their strong start. The Providence Bruins boast one of the top defenses in the AHL, giving up only 2.23 goals a game. This game should be fun and tightly contested!
My Players To Watch This Weekend
Up Front
Fabian Lysell has been excellent so far this season. The Swedish forward came to the Bruins as a first-round draft pick in 2021. After a successful 2021-2022 in the WHL, Lysell came to Providence. In 11 games this year, he’s scored four goals while dishing out seven assists for 11 total points. He’s one of those players whose play sticks out whenever he is on the ice. Look for him this weekend.
On The Blue Line
Kai Wissmann has been one of Providence’s best defensemen all season. He came to Providence in 2022-2023 after spending most of his career playing in his home country of Germany with Eisbaren Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Germany’s top league. In 11 games, he’s dished out four assists for four total points. He’s done that while playing excellent defense. Look for him this weekend.
In Net
Brandon Bussi has been excellent for Providence since being called up from Maine. In four games, the young goalie is 4-0 with a 1.84 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. He also has one shutout on the season.
The Providence Bruins are playing excellent hockey to start 2022-2023. Look for them to keep up their pace against two teams they’ve had success against in the past. I hope everyone enjoys the games this weekend. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!
Leave a Reply