By: Kenny Kaminsky | Follow me on Twitter/X @KennyKaminsky
After a disappointing overtime loss to the Cleveland Monsters, where the Providence Bruins fell 4-3, the team quickly traveled to the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, to face the Hartford Wolf Pack. Brandon Bussi was in goal, aiming for his second win of the season after securing a significant victory against the Bridgeport Islanders just the week before. The Baby B’s aimed to carry their recent strong performance into this game and largely succeeded. However, despite their efforts, they ultimately lost 4-2, ending the match on a difficult note.
Providence started the first period sluggishly, conceding the first goal on the game’s first shot. Defenseman Blake Hillman scored his first goal of the season with a shot that slipped under the glove of goaltender Brandon Bussi. Assists on the play were credited to Brett Berard and Alex Belzile. The P-Bruins quickly responded when Vinni Lettieri deflected a shot from Ian Mitchell, tying the game at one. This goal marked the first point of the American Hockey League season for Matthew Poitras. Hartford dominated the first half of the period, while the second half saw Providence take control.
The second period was marked by a back-and-forth battle. Brandon Bussi was outstanding in goal, keeping the Bruins in the game, while Dylan Garand excelled at stopping Providence’s chances. Both teams created opportunities, leading to a goalie duel throughout the period. As a result, both teams left the ice tied, ready to take control in the third period.
The third period began with a blast from Casey Fitzgerald, which gave the Wolf Pack the lead. Adam Sykora and Matt Rempe assisted on the goal. Shortly after, Connor Mackey increased the lead with a powerful top-shelf shot, assisted by Brett Berard.
Late in the period, Marc McLaughlin made a spinning move and scored five-hole on Garand, bringing the Providence Bruins closer. Vinni Lettieri earned his second point of the night with that goal, and Frederic Brunet registered his second point in as many games. With that score, McLaughlin extended his goal streak to four games. Less than 30 seconds later, Matt Rempe sealed the game with a goal on a two-on-one break, giving the Wolf Pack a 4-2 lead.
The Providence Bruins are working to find their footing after significant changes to the team due to several departures. Georgii Merkulov and Riley Tufte were not in the lineup again because they were called to the National Hockey League. Jordan Oesterle was also called up to the higher league. Patrick Brown made his return after his brief stint in the league. Matthew Poitras stood out but appeared hesitant, leaving fans wanting to see more from him.
Brandon Bussi faced another challenging game, stopping 21 of 25 shots. He made several difficult saves but could not deliver the crucial stop in the final moments. Bussi’s record now stands at 1-5-0 for the season, raising concerns about his recent performance, especially after allowing four goals in tonight’s match.
The Bruins have a quick turnaround as they face off against the Cleveland Monsters again tomorrow at 3 PM at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The team aims to salvage this three-game weekend with a win, hoping to see some of their top talent start to produce significantly. Michael DiPietro will be the starting goalie and looks to have another strong performance.
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