Providence Bruins Continue Their Winning Streak in Pennsylvania

By: Kenny Kaminsky | Follow me on Twitter/X @KennyKaminsky

After a challenging week where the Providence Bruins lost two out of three road games, the team is eager to get back on track as they approach the Calder Cup Playoffs. On Friday, the P-Bruins faced off against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The following day, the Baby Bruins traveled to Allentown to take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Brandon Bussi and Michael DiPietro split the starts again, performing at the top of their game. The team will need them to maintain this high level of play if they hope to mount a serious run for the Calder Cup.

Once again, the team will be without Patrick Brown, Vinni Lettieri, and Ian Mitchell, while Fabian Lysell and Michael Callahan were also recalled to be extras on Boston’s West Coast road trip. Michael DiPietro left practice early on Thursday due to injury, but it looks to be just precautionary. The team was heavily depleted as they continued the eight-game road trip.

On Friday, the team traveled to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to face the Penguins. In their previous game, the Bruins made an incredible comeback from three goals down to win in overtime, 5-4. This matchup was a decisive victory for the P-Bruins, who dominated with a score of 10-2.

Providence started strong, scoring four consecutive goals before allowing the Penguins to net one. They then scored five more unanswered goals, giving up only one additional goal later in the game. To cap off their impressive performance, the P-Bruins added another goal with less than two minutes remaining, reaching a total of ten goals.

Jeffrey Viel stood out with four points, while Oliver Wahlstrom, Jake Gaudet, and Matthew Poitras contributed three points each. Georgii Merkulov, Frederic Brunet, Brett Harrison, and Riley Duran all added two points. Recent signee Ty Gallagher also celebrated a milestone, scoring his first professional goal. Goalie Brandon Bussi was exceptional, stopping 42 of 44 shots from the Penguins. This victory propelled the Bruins into second place in the Atlantic Division.

On Saturday, the team faced the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. In their previous game, the P-Bruins had lost 4-3 in overtime after giving up a 2-0 lead. The first period was filled with penalties, as the P-Bruins committed three infractions within the first eight minutes. However, the Baby B’s scored first when Matthew Poitras slid a shot past the Phantoms’ goaltender, Alexei Kolosov, giving them a 1-0 lead. Wahlstrom and Merkulov assisted on the goal, and the team ended the first intermission ahead by one.

The second period remained scoreless. There were exchanges of scoring opportunities in the third period, but Brett Harrison managed to extend the lead. Poitras then added an empty-net goal. Unfortunately the Phantoms would break Michael DiPietro’s shutout with less than two minutes remaining. The P-Bruins would win this game 3-1 to close out the weekend. DiPietro finished the game stopping 28 of 29 shots.

This week’s storyline focuses on how this depleted team competed against two strong opponents. This stretch highlights the team’s depth as they head into the playoffs. Both goalies had an outstanding week. Unfortunately, John Farinacci and Jake Gaudet are injured, and we are awaiting more information regarding the timeline for their recovery.

Catch the Providence Bruins next week as they conclude their eight-game road trip with back-to-back games against the Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both teams are closely positioned in the standings, competing for a coveted first-round bye. Following this road trip, the Bruins will return home to face the Hartford Wolf Pack and the Springfield Thunderbirds on Saturday and Sunday.