By: Kenny Kaminsky | Follow me on Twitter/X @KennyKaminsky
After a resilient week in which the Providence Bruins dominated both matchups against the Syracuse Crunch and one matchup against the Springfield Thunderbirds, the team is set to start its first three games in three days of the new year. This weekend, they will face the Rochester Americans, Springfield Thunderbirds, and Laval Rocket. This schedule is somewhat unconventional, but it offers a refreshing break from the usual opponents like the Bridgeport Islanders and Hartford Wolfpack.
On Friday, the P-Bruins will take on the Amerks at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. On Saturday, they will travel to Springfield to face the Thunderbirds. Finally, to conclude the hectic weekend, the Baby Bs will try to avoid being swept in the season series by the Laval Rocket at the AMP.
The Providence Bruins face a challenging matchup this weekend against the second-ranked Rochester Americans. The Bruins are missing six key players, who are unlikely to return in time for this game. The Baby B’s are coming into this matchup with a three-game winning streak, while the Amerks have struggled recently, posting a 1-3 record in their last four games.
Rochester’s starting goalie is uncertain, as they have three capable options. However, I suspect Brandon Bussi will start for Providence, as his tandem partner, Michael DiPierto, has just been recalled to Boston. In their last meeting last season, the Americans secured a narrow 3-2 victory over the Bruins in overtime.
After a quick turnaround, the Providence Bruins will face a familiar opponent, the Springfield Thunderbirds. In their last matchup, the Bruins dominated the T-Birds with a resounding 4-0 victory, thanks to a shutout performance by Brandon Bussi. However, the starting goaltender for Providence in this game is still not determined. Springfield is currently on the bubble, vying for the final playoff spot, and sits two points behind the Wolfpack for sixth place.
The P-Bruins will wrap up the weekend at the AMP by facing the top-ranked Laval Rocket. Laval has dominated this season’s series, winning all three encounters, with the most recent matchup ending in a 6-3 victory for the Rocket. A common issue in these three losses is that the Bruins have struggled to respond to the intense offense generated by Laval’s defense. First-round pick Logan Mailloux stands out, averaging over three points per game against the P-Bruins this season. To win on Sunday, they will need to find a way to shut him down.
The Providence Bruins are facing a tough challenge as they will be without several key players: Vinni Lettieri, Matthew Poitras, Michael Callahan, and now Michael DiPietro. Additionally, Max Jones and Patrick Brown will also be unavailable. Brandon Bussi will need to step up significantly, as he will likely take on Laval and Rochester, both competing for the top spot in the North Division. For the P-Bruins to secure any wins in these games, Georgii Merkulov and Fabian Lysell must continue their strong performances.
Providence is currently in third place in the Atlantic Division. However, if they can secure some wins, they could be in contention for the top spot by the end of the weekend. This test will determine if the P-Bruins can perform as a cohesive team without depending on some of their star players.
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