By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
The Providence Bruins started a three-game home weekend last night, falling 2-0 to the Hartford Wolf Pack and dropping their record to 0-3. Providence quickly turned things around less than 24 hours later, welcoming the Charlotte Checkers. In another tough game, Providence finished in the final minutes.
Providence defeated Charlotte 6-2 at Amica Mutual Pavilion to win its first game of the 2026-27 American Hockey League season. After three frustrating games with scoring just one goal, Providence’s offense finally delivered.
First Period
Providence didn’t take long to hurt itself when defenseman Jordan Harris took a two-minute delay-of-game penalty at 1:05. Thirty seconds into Charlotte’s power play, forward Robert Mastrosimone scored on Providence goaltender Simon Zajicek to give Charlotte a 1-0 lead. However, forward Brendan Gaunce tied the game 1:18 later, beating Charlotte goaltender Cooper Black. Gaunce’s second goal of the season ended Providence’s 137:08 scoring drought. Before the period ended, another drought ended when forward Mikey Eyssimont scored for Providence, giving the team a 2-1 lead and its first lead of the season. Providence led 2-1 heading into the first intermission.
Second Period
Providence didn’t take long to jump on Charlotte quickly in the second period. Providence forward Lukas Reichel scored a 4-on-4 goal just 11 seconds in to extend the lead to 3-1. After Reichel’s goal, Providence had four power play opportunities to extend the lead, including a four-minute double-minor power play, but had no luck. With 2.3 seconds remaining, Charlotte forward Nathan Nastian scored to cut Providence’s lead to 3-2 heading into the second intermission.
Third Period
After being outshot 24-19 over two periods and scoring a goal before the second period ended, Charlotte’s offense attacked early in the third period against Zajicek to tie the game. Still, Zajicek held firm and finished the game with 30 saves. Charlotte had a chance to tie on a power play at 5:57 but failed to score. With 3:39 remaining in regulation, Eyssimont scored to extend Providence’s lead to 4-2. Then, milestones hit for Providence.
Providence scored two empty-net goals in 24 seconds to put the game out of reach. On the empty-net goal that made it 5-2, Zajicek got the credit. On the empty-net goal that made it 6-2, Eyssimont completed the hat trick.
While Providence earned its first win, snapped a long goal drought, and got solid goaltending again, one of its players also notched a hat trick, but the power play remains a concern. Providence went 0/5 on the power play against Charlotte, and is now 0/20 on the season.
Providence’s Next Opponent
Providence will close out its three-game home weekend tomorrow afternoon against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET at Amica Mutual Pavilion. After their 7-1 win over the Wolf Pack earlier tonight, the Penguins are 1-1-1 this season. The Penguins scored seven unanswered goals after trailing 1-0 at the end of the first period. Last season, Providence lost three of the four meetings against the Penguins. In the four meetings, Providence scored just five goals combined.
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