By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter / X @BlackAndGold277
The American Hockey League’s Providence Bruins delivered a resiliant performance last night to secure a crucial 1-0 overtime victory against the Springfield Thunderbirds, keeping their 2025 Calder Cup playoff hopes alive in this best-of-three first-round series. With starting goaltender Michael DiPietro’s stellar 24-save shutout in the net and Vinni Lettieri’s overtime heroics, Providence forced a decisive third game that promises to be just as thrilling.
The defensive effort was spearheaded by goaltender Michael DiPietro, whose performance was nothing short of exceptional – something that has been said often this year. The netminder turned away every shot Springfield sent his way, finishing the game with his fifth No-No of the year (including regular season) that defined the night at the MassMutual Center. DiPietro’s composure, agility, and ability to read the game were paramount to the team’s success on the road last night and seemingly stepped up his efforts after his defensive teammates let him down several times during the loss in game one at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Wednesday night.
One pivotal moment came midway through the second period when Springfield launched a dangerous two-on-one attack. DiPietro made a brilliant pad save to keep the game scoreless, a moment that seemed to energize his teammates. Michael has been the backbone of this Providence Bruins team during the regular season, winning the Aldege “Baz” Memorial Award as the American Hockey League’s outstanding goaltender for the 2024-25 season. The 25-year-old netminder is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025, and, according to The Sheet Podcast host Jeff Marek, both sides have discussed an extension to keep DiPietro in the mix for at least another year.
After three grueling, scoreless periods, the game headed into what can only be described as an edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting overtime. Every moment grew tense as the first team to capitalize would claim a hard-fought win, either sending Springfield to the second round or the B’s extending the series to game three on Sunday afternoon. For Providence, it was forward Vinni Lettieri who rose to the occasion when it mattered most, sending this Atlantic Division playoff matchup back to Rhode Island and in front of the Providence home faithful.
Just over a minute into overtime, forward Riley Tufte passes the puck to defenseman Michael Callahan in the slot, where the former Providence College Friars Captain took a shot on net, where Lettieri was at the top of the crease and able to backhand the game winner. While the home loss angered the crowd at the MassMutual Center, the Bruins leaped off the bench in celebration of their overtime hero.
While the game seemed dull at times, with no points on the regulation score sheet, the back-and-forth action between these two Atlantic Division rivals and the physical nature of the game were significant. These two teams honestly don’t like each other as state border rivals. Tying the series at 1-1, the Providence Bruins have now pushed the series into a winner-take-all game three. The shutout effort from DiPietro and the game-winning goal from Lettieri provide not only the result they needed but also a serious morale boost heading into the final contest.
All eyes now turn to the series finale, where everything is on the line. With the Bruins carrying the intensity and confidence from this victory, they are well-positioned to take on the Thunderbirds once more, but hopefully as a game favorite with the home fans in their corner. Key matchups to watch will include DiPietro versus Springfield’s offensive unit for the third straight postseason game, as well as an increased offensive spark that’s needed from younger talent such as Dans Locmelis, Fabian Lysell, Fraser Minten, and Matt Poitras.
With all this offensive talent, it’s hard to believe the Providence team has only scored two goals in this best-of-three opening round series. Springfield’s netminder, Colten Ellis, has been the star of this series thus far, but better quality scoring chances are needed to break the game-changing efforts from this St. Louis Blues prospect. As evident in last night’s overtime winner, courtesy of Lettieri, getting pucks on net and creating havoc in front of Ellis works, and more of it will be needed to get in his head and create offensive advantages.
Providence will need to stick to the elements of their game that worked so well in this victory, as well as parts of Wednesday night’s loss, to put together a series-winning effort. Tight defense, stellar goaltending, and timely/meaningful scoring opportunities will once again be the keys to success. A better net-front presence is needed in game three tomorrow afternoon, providing a menacing effort in front of Ellis, who’s expected to get his third start for the Birds of this first-round series at 3:05 at the AMP in downtown Providence.
You can watch tomorrow afternoon’s game three between the host Providence Bruins and visiting Springfield Thunderbirds on the streaming provider FloHockey by subscribing to a monthly package. If FloHockey isn’t in your entertainment budget, please consider joining us on our official Black N’ Gold Productions LLC YouTube channel, where play-by-play announcer Sam Smith calls the game, along with Kenny Kaminsky and me providing color commentary on the action.
As the Providence Bruins gear up for their final game of this best-of-three Calder Cup Playoff opening round series against the Springfield Thunderbirds this Sunday afternoon, fans are anticipating a thrilling game that could help secure a crucial second-round playoff berth. Much like the excitement of hockey, the world of online sportsbook gambling offers its own rush of adrenaline, with players seeking big wins and memorable moments. Whether it’s a dominant performance on the ice, like Vinni Lettieri’s recent overtime winner, or a wager on a future or a stroll into the parlay parlay cafe, top-rated sportsbook enthusiasts crave that feeling of success.
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