By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter / X @BlackAndGold277
The Providence Bruins closed out their 2026 preseason on a high note, defeating the visiting Springfield Thunderbirds 4-1 last night at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. The win completed a sweep of the two-game, home-and-home exhibition schedule between the Atlantic Division rivals, with Providence also taking Friday night’s opener 4-3 in overtime in Springfield.
Friday’s matchup at the MassMutual Center saw newcomer forward Cross Hanas play the hero, notching an overtime power-play goal to secure the victory. The rematch in Providence served as the Bruins’ final tuneup before the start of the 2026-27 American Hockey League (AHL) regular season, which is scheduled for Friday, October 2nd, at home against the Utica Comets.
First-year AHL Bruins head coach Trent Whitfield continues to build momentum and chemistry as his squad looks to replicate last season’s record-breaking success. The tightly contested exhibition series against Springfield provided another opportunity to fit the pieces together ahead of the regular season.
Recap: Bruins Pull Away Late After Tight Start
The first period of last night’s contest saw both teams feeling each other out, with Providence holding a 10-6 edge in shots on goal but neither side finding the back of the net. The opening frame was certainly tight between these two teams last night, not only on the scoreboard but also in avoiding trouble with penalties as the Bruins and Thunderbirds played the opening 20 minutes 5vs5.
The scoring opened just 21 seconds into the second period when Providence forward Robert Cronin, who now has goals in consecutive preseason games, netted his second of the exhibition slate. Cronin’s tally was assisted by Joey Abate and defenseman Chris Ortiz. However, Springfield veteran and former Providence player Chris Wagner tied the game at 1-1 with just eight seconds left in the middle frame, converting on a feed from Jakub Stancl.
The teams entered the third period deadlocked, but Providence soon seized control. At the 6:58 mark, forward Wyatt Bongiovanni notched an unassisted go-ahead goal, sniping a bar-down shot off the rush for his first of the preseason.
With Springfield pressing for a late equalizer, Providence defenseman Loke Johansson found the empty net at 18:36 for his first goal of the exhibition series. Less than a minute later, forward Ben Allison added another empty-netter at 19:39, assisted by blueliner Jack Bar, to seal the 4-1 home victory for the Bruins.
Goaltender Jiri Patera, who recently joined Providence after clearing waivers from the NHL’s Boston Bruins, earned first-star honors with a strong 17-save performance, allowing just one goal on 18 shots faced. With goaltender Simon Zajicek being sent down to the Providence Bruins’ training camp ahead of Patera, this is a clear indication that the Bruins organization views the 27-year-old as its bona fide third-string netminder.
Look for Patera to get more games for Providence this season than the younger Zajicek, but I do believe this could be a very good tandem based on league stats throughout the year. Goaltending coach Mike Dunham has ways of getting the best out of whoever the Bruins take on, and the fact that there was prior interest in Patera, including an earlier Bruins waiver claim, has me thinking he’s the team’s starter out of the gate.
Looking Ahead: Regular Season Opener Looms
With the preseason in the books, the Providence Bruins now turn their attention to the regular season, which opens on Friday, October 2nd at 7:05pm at the Amica Mutual Pavilion against the Utica Comets. The opening weekend wraps up on Sunday, October 4th, when the Thunderbirds return to Providence for an afternoon showdown at 3:05pm
As the 2026-27 campaign approaches, Providence looks poised to build on its preseason success and make another strong push in the Atlantic Division. This upcoming regular-season campaign will be a huge test for first-time AHL head coach Trent Whitfield, who took over the bench boss duties over the summer after head coach Ryan Mougenel accepted an assistant coaching job with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks.
I believe this is a pivotal point in the Boston Bruins’ development scheme; adding assistants Ryan Bourque over a year ago and Ryan Ward this offseason has brought positive momentum for developmental change throughout the organization. While a winning environment is important, players honestly need to be put in better positions for development, and organizations need to create clear paths to the NHL for younger players. The salary cap may be rising significantly, but younger players on entry-level deals knocking on the door of NHL consistency will play important roles in today’s NHL landscape.
For fans eager to catch every moment of Bruins hockey this season at the AHL level, both at home and on the road, a subscription to the FloHockey streaming service is highly recommended. FloHockey offers comprehensive coverage of the AHL, as well as other leagues such as the ECHL, SHL, NCAA, and more, making it a must-have for hockey enthusiasts.
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