By: Kenny Kaminsky | Follow me on Twitter/X @KennyKaminsky
After a disappointing weekend leading into the Christmas break, where the Providence Bruins lost to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and split a series with the Hartford Wolfpack, the Baby B’s are looking to bounce back as they head into the new year. This week, the Bruins will play back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday against their Connecticut rivals, the Bridgeport Islanders and the Hartford Wolfpack. On Friday, the team will travel to the Total Mortgage Arena to face the Islanders, and the following day, they will make a quick trip to the XL Center in Hartford to battle the Wolfpack.
Several storylines are emerging as we approach these games. First, the line of Georgii Merkulov, Matthew Poitras, and Vinni Lettieri continues to excel, even though their scoring streaks ended during the 1-0 victory against the Wolfpack last Friday. Lettieri has climbed into the top five in the American Hockey League for points, currently totaling 29, while Merkulov is among the top five in assists. Additionally, Matthew Poitras is making a significant impact and is the front-runner for the AHL Player of the Month award.
Bruins fans have something to look forward to in goaltending. Michael DiPietro is performing exceptionally well, ranking statistically among the top five AHL goalies. Additionally, with Brandon Bussi’s recent impressive play, the Providence Bruins have one of the best goaltending tandems in the AHL. Given the demanding nature of the minor league schedule and playoffs, this duo will be vital to the team’s success. DiPietro and Bussi are in the top part of the league in shutouts, with two each this season. Both goalies are set to start this week.
This season, the Providence Bruins have dominated the Bridgeport Islanders, boasting an impressive 6-0-0 record against them. The Bruins secured a 5-3 victory in their most recent matchup. The game began with a strong performance from the Bruins, who jumped to a 4-1 lead by the end of the first period and managed to fend off a strong effort from the Islanders. Georgii Merkulov, Vinni Lettieri, Mason Millman, and Patrick Brown recorded multi-point performances in that game. Goalie Brandon Bussi had an outstanding game, stopping 32 of 35 shots from the Islanders.
The Bruins had a decent record of 3-2-0 against the Hartford Wolfpack this season. However, all five matchups have been exciting for hockey fans, characterized by physical and entertaining play. Both teams excel at pushing each other to perform their best. In the most recent game, the Bruins lost 4-2. They got a rough start, conceding the first two goals early on. Despite this setback, the Bruins fought hard until the final minutes, had several chances, and did a fantastic job drawing penalties, but unfortunately, they were unsuccessful. It was a tough loss right before the Christmas break.
Catch the Providence Bruins this weekend as they head to Nutmeg State to face two Connecticut rivals. The team will start their journey in Bridgeport on Friday, with the puck dropping at 7 p.m. The following day, they will travel to Hartford to take on the Wolfpack, with the puck dropping at 6 p.m. The Providence Bruins aim for two wins before ringing in the new year.
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