By: Kenny Kaminsky | Follow me on Twitter/X @KennyKaminsky
After a challenging weekend, in which the Providence Bruins faced the Hershey Bears and suffered two losses, the Baby B aims to secure their first win of the new year this weekend against the Bridgeport Islanders and the Springfield Thunderbirds. On Friday, the Bruins played at the Amica Mutual Pavilion against a familiar rival, the Islanders. So far this season, the P-Bruins have an impressive record of 7-0-0 against Bridgeport leading into the weekend. On Saturday, they traveled to Springfield to take on the T-Birds. The Bruins have a record of 1-2-0 against the Thunderbirds this season and are looking to even up the series. American Hockey League All-Star Michael DiPietro will take the reins on Friday. In contrast, former AHL All-Star Brandon Bussi will start in goal on Saturday as the Bruins aim to sweep their divisional opponents.
On Friday, the Providence Bruins arrived on time for their game. Just two minutes in, Georgii Merkulov fired a shot from the blue line that went over the shoulder of Islanders goalie Henrik Tikkanen, giving Providence an early lead. In the second period, Riley Tufte scored on a rebound, smoothly maneuvering the puck around Tikkanen to extend the Bruins’ lead to 2-0. However, former Baby Bruin Chris Terry managed to cut the lead in half, and the teams went into the second intermission with a score of 2-1.
In the third period, Vinni Lettieri took control of the game, scoring two goals that brought the Bruins’ lead to 4-1. Michael DiPietro had an outstanding performance in goal, stopping 34 of 35 shots. Lettieri finished the game with two goals and one assist, while Merkulov contributed with a goal and an assist. Additionally, Fabian Lysell had a strong outing, logging two assists. It was a significant win for the team, marking their first victory of 2025.
Brandon Bussi was scheduled to start in goal on Saturday. Unfortunately, he didn’t last long, giving up two goals in the first eight minutes and stopping only four of six shots, allowing the T-Birds to take a commanding 2-0 lead. Fortunately, DiPietro came in as relief and played exceptionally well, keeping the game at 2-0 as the teams headed into intermission.
The second period turned the game in Providence’s favor. Lysell deflected a shot from Mason Millman past T-Bird goaltender Colten Ellis, cutting Springfield’s lead in half. Later in the period, Brett Harrison seized a turnover off the wall, skated to the net, and scored to tie the game at two. However, with just 23 seconds left in the period, Michael Buchinger found the back of the net, putting Springfield back in the lead at 3-2.
In the early part of the third period, the T-Birds extended their lead to 4-2. However, Matthew Poitras assisted Georgii Merkulov, who made a beautiful pass to Patrick Brown. This allowed Brown to score, cutting the lead to 4-3. Unfortunately, with five minutes left in the game, the T-Birds delivered a decisive blow with a late goal to extend their lead to 5-3. Riley Duran would roof one past Ellis, bringing the score to 5-4, but Springfield sealed their victory with an empty-net goal. The Providence Bruins ultimately lost the hard-fought game 6-4. Riley Tufte was the only P-Bruin to record a multi-point game, which is very impressive since the Baby B’s got scoring from all over the lineup.
The main story from the weekend is Boston’s poor performance. Every game is becoming increasingly crucial for Providence, and a call-up is on the horizon. You never know when it might be the last time you see your favorite player in the AHL. Georgii Merkulov, Fabian Lysell, and Matthew Poitras are all strong candidates for a recall. Additionally, Vinni Lettieri has earned himself a call-up with his outstanding play throughout the season, yet he continues to be overlooked.
Catch the Providence Bruins next week as they face a new opponent, the Syracuse Crunch, the AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. On Wednesday, the Bruins will travel to Syracuse, and then on Saturday, the Crunch will visit the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The puck drop for both games is scheduled for 7:05 PM, and you can watch them on FloHockey.
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