By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
The Providence Bruins began April with two consecutive road wins to start their four-game road trip against the Utica Comets and Syracuse Crunch. After a 4-2 win on Friday night in Syracuse, Providence had another game in less than 24 hours against the Rochester Americans. It was the first time this American Hockey League season that Providence and Rochester would clash, but it would end in heartbreak for Providence.
Last night, Rochester defeated Providence 2-1 in overtime at Blue Cross Arena. With the loss, Providence fell to 51-14-2-0 overall on the season. A crucial point was earned for Providence to have 104 points on the season now, but clinching the Atlantic Division with a win was on everyone’s mind. However, the division title will have to wait another day.
First period
Rochester would jump out to an early 1-0 lead when Anton Wahlberg scored 3:31 into the hockey game. However, Providence would apply solid offensive pressure throughout the period. Providence’s offensive pressure included outshooting Rochester 12-4 in the period, and the team capitalized on its first power play of the game.
Rochester defenseman Vsevolod Komarov was called for a tripping penalty with 8:07 remaining in the period. Nine seconds into the power play, Providence defenseman Victor Soderstrom scored his ninth goal of the season to tie the game at one. James Hagens recorded the primary assist on Soderstrom’s goal to earn his fourth AHL point in six games. Hagens has recorded an assist in three of the past four games. Providence and Rochester went into the first intermission tied at one.
Second period
The second period saw Providence’s offense produce less, finishing the period outshot 7-4. Providence had 27 seconds of power play time from Konsta Helenius’ holding penalty that carried over into the start of the period, but failed to score.
Providence’s penalty kill successfully killed off a Michael Callahan high-sticking penalty. With 29 seconds remaining in the period, Matthew Poitras was called for a hooking penalty. Rochester wouldn’t score on the power play before the second period ended, so the teams headed into the locker room with the score tied at one.
Third period
Providence began the third period successfully killing off the remainder of Poitrais’ penalty. Providence then got a power play of its own when Rochester defenseman Gavin McCarthy was called for holding the stick at 7:03 of the period. However, Providence wouldn’t capitalize on the power play.
Just 2:02 after failing to score on McCarthy’s penalty, Callahan was called for his second penalty of the game, this time for roughing, and putting Providence on the penalty kill again. However, Providence successfully killed off Callahan’s penalty. Like the second period, the third period would be scoreless, and overtime would be needed to determine a winner.
Overtime
If Providence scored in overtime, the team would clinch the 2026 Atlantic Division title. However, overtime was a struggle with Providence not recording one shot on goal. In the end, not recording a single shot on goal would bite Providence.
During the final minute of overtime, Matteo Constantini beat Providence goaltender Michael DiPietro to score the overtime winner for Rochester. DiPietro made three saves in overtime to finish the game with 19 saves, but Rochester goaltender Devon Levi was better by making 23 saves.
Even in defeat, Providence still had a chance to clinch the Atlantic Division if the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins lost in any fashion to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on the road. However, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won 6-2 against Lehigh Valley, which now puts Providence’s magic number to clinch the Atlantic Division at one.
A Busy Weekend Ahead Next Week
Providence will return to action next Friday when they start up its final back-to-back-to-back of this season. Providence will play the Hartford Wolf Pack to conclude its four-game road trip at PeoplesBank Arena at 7 p.m. ET. Providence has won seven of the nine meetings against Hartford this season.
After Hartford, Providence returns home for the next two games of the back-to-back-to-back at Amica Mutual Pavilion. The first one is on April 11 at 7:05 p.m. ET against Rochester, then the final game of the back-to-back-to-back is on April 12 at 3:05 p.m. ET against the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton plays the Bridgeport Islanders at Total Mortgage Arena at 7 p.m. ET, the day before Providence begins its back-to-back-to-back again. If Wilkes-Barre/Scranton loses to Bridgeport in any fashion, Providence would clinch the 2026 Atlantic Division title before the back-to-back-to-back begins.
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