By: Kenny Kaminsky | Follow me on Twitter/X @KennyKaminsky
After an exciting sweep last weekend, where the Providence Bruins won three games in three nights, the Baby B’s faced the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday and the red-hot Hartford Wolfpack Today. To extend their winning streak, goaltenders Brandon Bussi and Michael DiPietro needed to perform well. Both games were held at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The Bruins finally look to have found their stride, as two victories could propel them into second place in the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins took control early on Friday, scoring four goals in the first period against the Bridgeport Islanders. Matthew Poitras, Fabian Lysell, Mason Millman, and Patrick Brown each found the net during this opening period. Although the Islanders mounted a comeback, the Bruins ultimately secured the victory with a final score of 5-3. Max Jones provided the decisive goal to seal the win. Bussi has finally found his stride following a disappointing start to the year. His last two starts have resulted in two wins. In this game, Brandon turned away 32 of 35 shots.
Today, the team faced their rival, the Hartford Wolfpack. The Wolfpack had been performing well recently but had difficulties on the road. The night before, they had a thrilling last-second victory against the Laval Rocket, winning 3-2. Despite the quick turnaround, which usually leads to a strong start, Providence dominated Hartford right from the beginning of the game.
Captain Patrick Brown scored his second goal of the weekend early in the game, giving the Bruins a 1-0 lead. After a late push by Hartford, the teams went to the locker room tied at 1-1. In the second period, the Baby B’s took control as Matthew Poitras, Tyler Pitlick, and Jeffrey Viel each scored, extending Providence’s lead to 4-1. Providence enjoyed some puck luck as the Wolfpack hit three posts, while the P-Bruins had a very undisciplined third period. Goalie Michael DiPietro stood firm, turning away 21 of 23 shots. Georgii Merkulov sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, giving the Bruins a 5-2 win.
Matthew Poitras has found his rhythm, scoring six goals in his last six games. He appears much more confident playing alongside Georgii Merkulov and Vinni Lettieri. Lettieri and Merkulov are currently on seven-game point streaks, and the entire line recorded multi-point games against Hartford. Additionally, Fabian Lysell stood out by registering three assists in the game against the Wolfpack.
The team has been on a seven-game winning streak since a disappointing performance in Utica a few weeks ago. They are dominating their opponents and have a record of 7-0-0 in December. The Providence Bruins’ season has been described as feast or famine, with the Baby B’s either achieving resounding victories or suffering crushing losses each week. However, they have been on an upswing lately.
Catch the Providence Bruins this Wednesday as they face off against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. This season, the P-Bruins have a record of 2-0-0 against the Phantoms. Their last matchup ended with a 2-1 overtime victory, thanks to Georgii Merkulov, who scored by sneaking a shot through Lehigh Valley netminder Parker Gahagen. This game kicks off the final series before the Christmas break, and the Bruins currently hold second place in the Atlantic Division. The puck drops at 7:05 PM on Flo Hockey.
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