By: Kenny Kaminsky | Follow me on Twitter/X @KennyKaminsky
After a dominant 8-4 victory last night against the Bridgeport Islanders, the Providence Bruins aimed to complete a weekend sweep against another rival from Connecticut, the Hartford Wolf Pack. Michael DiPietro, who has been on fire lately, was in goal today and played a crucial role in the Bruins’ 4-2 win. DiPietro earned his fifth win of the season by stopping 22 of the 24 shots he faced from the Wolf Pack.
The first period was challenging for the Baby B’s as they appeared a step behind the well-rested Hartford team, which was expected since Providence was playing their final game in a grueling three-in-three. The Wolf Pack got on the board early when a fortunate bounce off the back wall slipped past DiPietro. The goal was credited to Benoit-Olivier Groulx, marking his 100th point in his American Hockey League career. The P-Bruins managed to increase their intensity by the end of the period, but they could not score due to the impressive performance of Hartford goaltender Dylan Garand.
The second period dramatically shifted the game in favor of the Bruins, as they quickly scored with a goal from Max Jones. This marked Jones’ first goal since being assigned to Providence on Tuesday. His goal was made possible by the impressive effort of top prospect Fabian Lysell. Georgii Merkulov also contributed with an assist, bringing his point total to 11 in just 12 games. This weekend, the Bruins power play was operating effectively, and tonight was no exception, as Tyler Pitlick managed to deflect a shot past Garand, giving the Baby B’s a 2-1 lead.
The third period began with a substantial advantage for Providence, as Marc McLaughlin capitalized on a collision between the Wolf Pack players at the blue line. McLaughlin fired a shot past Garand, extending the Bruins’ lead to 3-1. However, Hartford fought back, creating a scoring opportunity in front of the net, and Adam Sykora managed to put the puck past DiPietro, narrowing the score to 3-2. The leadership of the Baby B’s sealed the game when Captain Patrick Brown scored an empty-net goal. Assistant Captain Vinni Lettieri and Veteran Jeffrey Viel provided assists on the play, and the Bruins ultimately secured a 4-2 victory.
After a disappointing road trip to Canada last week, the P-Bruins returned to New England with renewed determination, which was encouraging. Previously, Providence had struggled to score, but this weekend was a different story as they capitalized on most of their opportunities. Vinni Lettieri extended his point streak to four games, while Bruins top prospect Georgii Merkulov recorded an assist, extending his point streak to five games.
Fabian Lysell struggled earlier in the year, and his performance improved slightly after his Belleville injury. However, today, he played with determination and looked impressive, recording two assists in the win. He won battles by maintaining a fast pace, making it difficult for the Wolf Pack to keep up. This game doubled his point total for the season, and fans hope to see more from him.
Max Jones was recently assigned to Providence after a challenging start to his National Hockey League season. His first two games in the minors have been solid, and it’s encouraging for fans to see him score a goal this early in the AHL season.
Join the Providence Bruins next Friday at the Amica Mutual Pavilion as they face off against the Cleveland Monsters. The team aims to continue their winning streak. Currently, the Bruins are in 5th place in the Atlantic Division and are targeting the top spot. Next week, they’ll have another challenging three-in-three on the schedule. If they maintain the level of play they demonstrated this week, they will soon find themselves at the top.
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