By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
After starting the 2026-27 American Hockey League season with back-to-back home losses, the Providence Bruins recently played a three-game home weekend and lost two of the three at Amica Mutual Pavilion. After five games this AHL season, Providence sits at 1-4 under first-year head coach Trent Whitfield. Providence hasn’t defended its 2026 Kilpatrick Trophy well in the first five games this season.
Providence will return to action with a back-to-back this Saturday and Sunday against the Hershey Bears at Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The two upcoming games in Hershey are the team’s first road games this season. Even with five games, Providence’s struggles are clear, and fears of a disastrous 2026-27 season loom.
One major concern for Providence this season is its lack of offensive depth. This offseason, Providence lost forwards Georgii Merkulov, Riley Tufte, Patrick Brown, and Matej Blumel, the team’s top four scorers last season. After five games, Providence’s lack of depth is clear. In two of the losses this season, Providence was blanked. In two of the other three games, Providence failed to score three goals.
Providence came alive in their only win, a 6-2 victory over the Charlotte Checkers this past Saturday. However, that game has its flaws, showing how Providence’s offense has struggled this season. Forward Mikey Eyssimont recorded a hat trick, Brendan Gaunce scored his second goal of the season, and goaltender Simon Zajicek was credited with an empty-net goal. However, aside from Eyssimont and Gaunce, only four other skaters have scored this season. Gaunce’s goal against Charlotte ended Providence’s 134:08 scoring drought. Going that long without a goal is not a good sign offensively.
Providence’s last game against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins raised deeper concerns about the team’s play. The Penguins won the game 6-2, and Providence struggled throughout. In each of the three periods, the Penguins scored within two minutes of the start. Providence goalie Jiri Patera struggled and allowed six goals. However, Patera’s goaltending kept the game close, and it could’ve been worse than a four-goal loss, as Penguins forward Rutger McGroarty recorded a four-point game.
Last season, Providence didn’t allow six goals in a game until game 59. Allowing six goals in just the fifth game of the season is not a good sign for Providence. One major issue for Providence already this season is the power play. Providence forward Riley Duran scored a power play goal in the loss to the Penguins. However, Providence failed on its first 22 power play attempts this season. Duran’s goal cut Providence’s deficit to 6-2 with 2:39 remaining in regulation, but it felt too little, too late for a comeback win. Compared to the AHL, Providence’s 4.3 power play percentage (1/23) is the second-worst in the league. The Milwaukee Admirals are the worst on the power play this season (0/6), but fairly, they’ve played only two games, the fewest in the AHL.
Goaltending has been the lone bright spot on Providence’s roster through five games. Patera and Zajicek have formed a solid duo this season, with a combined 2.80 GAA and an .892 save percentage. Zajicek has a 1.52 GAA and a .943 save percentage in his two starts. While Patera allowed six goals on Sunday, he allowed three goals and made 45 saves in his first two starts, and he has been playing well.
Providence’s next two games in Hershey this weekend already feel crucial early in the season. After a poor home start, Providence will have to learn to win on the road, or a slow start could get even worse. Providence will look to build on its 3-1 record against Hershey last season as it heads into this weekend.
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