By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
Last night, the Providence Bruins headed to Canada for the first time this American Hockey League season by continuing their six-game road trip with a game against the Hamilton Hammers at TD Colisium in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Less than 24 hours later, the Bruins face the Belleville Senators in another game in Canada, with a chance to build on their momentum.
The Bruins head to CIBC Place to take on the Senators in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Tonight is one of two meetings this season between the Bruins and Senators, and the only meeting in Belleville. After tonight, the Bruins and Senators won’t play again until Jan. 16, when they play at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island.
In their first meeting against the Hammers last night, the Bruins won 5-4 in an overtime thriller. The Bruins trailed 3-0 heading into the second intermission. Goals by forwards Riley Duran and Alex Steeves cut the deficit to 3-2 with 9:18 remaining in the third period. With 3:04 remaining, Hammers forward Cam Thiesing scored a shorthanded goal to make it 4-2, which appeared to end the Bruins’ momentum. Then, Bruins forward Mikey Eyssimont showed why he’s been one of the best players in the AHL this season.
In a span of 1:43, Eyssimont scored three consecutive goals before regulation ended to give the Bruins a 5-4 lead with under 25 seconds remaining, which would become the final score. Eyssimont now has 13 goals and 16 points on the season, including three hat tricks. The Bruins’ wins extended their winning streak to four games and improved their record to 6-6.
Along with Eyssimont’s hat trick, goaltender Simon Zajicek made 24 saves to record his third win of the season. Defenseman Ty Gallagher recorded four assists, and defenseman Jordan Harris and forward Ivan Ivan each recorded two assists.
A Look at the Opponent
The Senators enter tonight’s game in fifth place in the North Division with a 5-5-2-0 record after their 3-1 win last night at home against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Like the Bruins, the Senators have won both of their games in November.
Forward Kasper Halttunen leads the Senators with nine goals and 12 points. Forwards Phil Tomasino and Xavier Bourgault are tied for the second-most points on the roster with 12. Goaltender Jackson Parsons has emerged as the Senators’ top goaltender, posting three wins, a 2.73 GAA, and a .912 save percentage in seven games.
Looking to Remain Hot Against Belleville
Last season, the Bruins beat the Senators in all four games, outscoring them 19-10. The Bruins scored six goals in each game that was played in Belleville. In the Nov. 30 meeting in Belleville, forward Jake Schmaltz recorded four points in the Bruins’ 6-4 win. The Bruins have swept their season series against the Senators over the past two seasons, earning six wins. The Senators haven’t defeated the Bruins since their 4-1 win on March 9, 2022.
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