By: Tim A Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson
Week 11 of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 16-4-4-2 (38 points). That is good for second in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. Our boys in black and gold are coming off a week that saw them lose to Lehigh Valley 5-4 in overtime before defeating the Phantoms 2-1 in overtime. The Providence Bruins have two games before the holiday that you will not want to miss.
The hockey action begins Thursday, December 22, 2022, when the Providence Bruins travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, to take on the Charlotte Checkers at the Bojangles Coliseum. The action wraps on Friday, December 23, 2022, when the Providence Bruins take on the Charlotte Checkers at the Biscuit in Charlotte, North Carolina. Do not miss the action.
Thursday, December 22, 2022, and Friday, December 23, 2022, Providence Bruins vs. Charlotte Checkers (AWAY)
The weekend series marks the fourth and fifth games of eight that Charlotte and Providence play this season. The first game saw the Bruins win 2-1. Fabian Lysell and Oskar Steen scored for Providence. Kyle Keyser was superb in net, stopping 29 of the 30 shots he faced.
The Bruins won the second battle in the season series 5-2. Jakub Lauko, John Beecher, Fabian Lysell, Justin Brazeau, and Oskar Steen score goals for Providence.
The Bruins won the third battle 5-3. Vinni Lettieri, Jakub Lauko, Oskar Steen, and Chris Wagner (2) scored goals for Providence.
The Charlotte Checkers skate into the weekend 12-11-2-1 (27 points). That is good for sixth in the Atlantic Division and tenth in the Eastern Conference. The Florida affiliate has a negative goal differential even though they are above .500. Meanwhile, the Bruins boast one of the top defenses in the AHL, giving up 2.69 goals a game. Providence is also scoring 3.03 goals a game. This two-game stint against Charlotte should go in Providence’s favor. The Bruins also boast a plus-nine goal differential which has helped fuel their early season success. Look for the Bruins to keep their hot streak alive and come out with four points this weekend.
My Players To Watch This Weekend
Vinni Lettieri continues his torrid start to the 2022-2023 season for the Providence Bruins. The veteran forward is scoring points at a high clip. In 25 games, he has netted 11 goals while dishing 13 assists for 24 total points. Look for Lettieri to continue his superb season this weekend.
Georgii Merkulov has had a superb rookie season for Providence thus far. Merkulov has been one of the best forwards for the Bruins this season. In 23 games, he has netted five goals while dishing out 13 assists for 18 total points. That ranks him tied for fifth in the AHL in rookie scoring. Look for him this weekend.
Brandon Bussi is another rookie having a spectacular season in goal for the Bruins. In 11 games, the young goalie is 8-1-2 with a 2.16 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. Bussi ranks first amongst rookie goalies in save percentage and goals-against average and third in wins. His .936 save percentage also ranks first in the entire league. Look for him this weekend.
The Providence Bruins are playing some excellent hockey going into the holidays. Look for them to keep up their play this weekend. I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. GO BRUINS!
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