By: Kenny Kaminsky | Follow me on Twitter/X @KennyKaminsky
After a fantastic Friday effort, where the Providence Bruins gave it their all in a close 2-1 loss to the Hershey Bears. The Baby B’s had an opportunity for redemption today as they faced a Bears team looking to complete a sweep of their New England road trip. Unfortunately, the game did not go in the P-Bruins’ favor, and they lost the season’s second matchup by a final score of 2-1.
Providence has had a strong start in every game this season at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. Vinni Lettieri scored his fourth goal following a faceoff win by Georgii Merkulov, giving the Bruins an early 1-0 lead. However, the Bruins have struggled to maintain this momentum, as they are 1-3 this season when they scored the first goal at the AMP. This trend must change if the Baby Bruins want to succeed this season.
Late in the second period, Ivan Miroshnichenko scored to tie the game at one. Twenty seconds into the third period, the Bears took the lead with a shot from Ethen Frank, who found the five-hole of Netminder Brandon Bussi. Despite the Bruins’ intense pressure on Hershey, they could not get one past former American Hockey League Goalie of the Year Hunter Shepard, who turned away 62 of the 64 shots he faced from Providence this weekend.
Coach Ryan Mougenel strategically adjusted the lines late in the game by promoting Fabian Lysell to join the already robust line of Vinni Lettieri and Georgii Merkulov. This decision proved beneficial, as their next shift resulted in numerous scoring chances and almost two minutes of sustained offensive pressure in the opponent’s zone. Lysell’s speed and Merkulov’s vision created an ideal setup for Lettieri’s powerful wrist shot. Throughout the season, Merkulov and Lettieri have been the most effective line, consistently scoring goals. Despite having a different linemate in each game, the duo continues to contribute offensively.
Goaltender Brandon Bussi has had a challenging start to the season, remaining winless through three games. Despite not yet securing a victory, Bussi has shown improvement with each outing. During the broadcast, it was noted that the Hershey Bears consistently targeted his glove side, where he has struggled, often leading to significant rebounds. The Western Michigan University alum made 21 saves on 23 shots in today’s game. So far this season, he has a career-high goals-against average of 3.78 and a career-low save percentage of .872. This is something to keep an eye on as the Thanksgiving break approaches.
The Providence Bruins aim to bounce back this Wednesday as they head to Canada to face the Belleville Senators in Belleville. Following that, they have a back-to-back away series against the Laval Rocket. This road trip presents an opportunity for the team to bond and improve. Younger players like Trevor Kuntar, Jackson Edward, Jaxon Nelson, Frederic Brunet, and Joey Abate have yet to record a point this season. The Bruins will need all players contributing, especially as they prepare to take on strong teams like Hershey in the future.
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