By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter / X @BlackAndGold277
The Providence Bruins, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Boston Bruins, have been turning heads with their recent performance on the ice. The team is currently riding a five-game winning streak, which is not only boosting their standings but also shaping the club’s identity.
Providence currently sits in the third position in the Atlantic Division with an 11-8-1-2 record good for 25 points. The recent five-game winning streak is something to be proud of, but the mission of competing and developing is far from over. These are positive steps for a team that’s not going to be home for the majority of December.
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The winning streak began modestly with a hard-fought 2-1 overtime victory over the host Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday night, November 24th, 2023. This was followed by three straight wins against the Bridgeport Islanders as the B’s outscored Bridgeport 12-7. The final game of the streak came on Sunday afternoon as the Bruins and Lehigh clubs faced each other for the second time in five days, with Providence earning the 3-2 regulation win. Each game had its own set of heroes, but the consistent teamwork and relentless pursuit of impactful moments were the common threads that wove these victories together.
Coach’s Perspective
Head Coach Ryan Mougenel told me and other media members attending that he expressed his pleasure about the team’s progress. “You’re starting to see a team grow an identity, and it’s those important things in winning games that maybe two weeks ago we didn’t win like that,” he said. “The buy-in has been amazing, and there’s been a lot of good teaching moments.”
When discussing the struggles to start the 2023-24 AHL regular season, Mougenel has this to say. “Listen, it hasn’t been easy, but in the last two weeks, it’s been the hardest we’ve been on these guys, and it’s great to see them respond the way they did playing winning hockey in that duration.”
Mougenel attributes the team’s success to a combination of hard work, effective strategies, and a renewed focus on teamwork. “When you’re in the moment, it’s tough, and as a coaching staff that cares about the player’s growth and development, we sat down as a staff and said, how can we communicate better with these guys, and what are some of the questions we need to be asking.” Mougenel added, “One of the biggest questions we’ve asked our players is what gives you guys confidence individually.”
When talking about the leadership of the Providence Bruins team, Mougenel identified a few players who’ve stuck out as an extension of his coaching staff’s bench. “It’s amazing hearing the answers from the guys as we continue to grow, but you’re seeing the leaders start to emerge like the Renoufs (Defenseman Dan Renouf), the Megnas (Forward Jayson Megna), and the Richards (Forward Anthony Richard).”
As for the growing pains to start the year, particularly from the incoming veterans who continue to get accustomed to their new environment and role on this Providence Bruins team, Mougenel had this to add. “I think it’s tough when you come to a new organization and to have a voice, and one thing they do forget is they have a lot of respect in the room from everybody, and we want their voices and encourage that. Mougenel finished the question by stating, “It’s great to see guys saying the right things and doing the right things to stay competitive.”
Conclusion
The Providence Bruins’ journey toward finding their identity has been marked by hard work, perseverance, and a five-game winning streak that has brought them further together and up the Atlantic standings. As they continue to grow and evolve, fans and critics alike will be eagerly watching to see what this team can achieve.
This winning streak is not just a series of victories; it’s the birth of an identity that could define the Providence Bruins team. This team may not return to the success of last season’s division title, but they’re building on the expectations so many had for them and the “stacked” roster narrative before the season started. I was one of those who was intrigued by this year’s roster with a healthy balance of pro experience and developing youth. Last year’s regular season’s success may have benefited from players playing together for multiple seasons and instilled chemistry, while the current 2023-24 roster pretty much had an offseason makeover with so many new faces.
With the guidance of Mougenel and assistant coaches Matt Thomas and Trent Whitfield, it’s now on the players to put it all together and continue to improve. A good test for the Providence club is this upcoming week when the top minor-pro affiliate of the Boston Bruins heads out on a three-game road trip in hopes of continuing the current winning streak. So far this season, the B’s are 6-5-0-0 away from the Amica Mutual Pavillion.
The B’s are in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Friday night, December 8th, 2023, to play the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center, the top minor-pro affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers home arena. Lehigh Valley currently sits in the sixth position in the Atlantic with a 9-8-4-0 record and 4-3-1-0 at the mentioned PPL Center. The Phantoms are 5-3-2-0 in their last ten games.
On Saturday night, December 9th, 2023, Providence heads north to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania, to face the Penguins, who are currently in the fifth spot in the Atlantic with a 10-8-3-0 record and 23 points. The Penguins are 4-3-3-0 at the Mohegan Sun Arena and 4-4-2 in their last ten games.
The final game of the upcoming road trip has the Providence team heading south on Wednesday night, December 13th, 2023, for a matchup against the league-best Hershey Bears and finishing the Bruins 15th straight game against an Atlantic Division opponent. Hershey, the former 2023 Calder Cup Champion, is 18-4-0-0 this season, 9-2-0-0 at the Giant Center, and currently on a nine-game winning streak.
Providence returns to the Amica Mutual Pavilion with two out-of-division games, the first on Friday night, December 15th, 2023, when the Toronto Marlies come to the state of Rhode Island. The second game of the weekend at the AMP is on Sunday afternoon, December 17th, 2023, against the visiting Syracuse Crunch. After the two quick games that weekend, the Providence team heads off on their traditional mid-December road trip, with the NHL Bruins affiliate away from Providence until Sunday, January 7th, 2024, against the visiting Springfield Thunderbirds.
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