By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
This past weekend, the Providence Bruins split their back-to-back against the Hartford Wolf Pack and Utica Comets. After the two games, the Bruins sit in last place in the Atlantic Division with a 3-6 record. Before October ends, the Bruins have one more game against the Springfield Thunderbirds, and the team looks to avenge the first game from 26 days ago.
The Bruins take on the Thunderbirds at MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET. Tonight’s game is the first meeting of the season between the Bruins and Thunderbirds in Springfield.
The Bruins began last week’s back-to-back with a 2-0 road loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack, behind a 35-save shutout from James Reimer. However, the Bruins rebounded the next day with a 5-2 home win against the Utica Comets. With the win against the Comets, the Bruins have won two of their last three games after starting the season 1-5.
Forward Mikey Eyssimont scored two goals in the win over the Comets, his third multi-goal game of the season, and also scored the game-winner. With his two goals, Eyssimont tied for the league lead with nine goals. Forward Attilio Biasca recorded his first AHL goal, assist, and multi-point game; defenseman Billy Sweezey also recorded a multi-point game with a goal and an assist; forward Dans Locmelis recorded two assists; and goaltender Jiri Patera made 28 saves to earn his second win of the season. The Bruins thrived on the penalty kill, shutting down all five of the Comets’ power play opportunities.
A Look at the Opponent
The Thunderbirds enter tonight with a 3-3-1-1 record after eight games and are in sixth place in the Atlantic Division. This past weekend, the Thunderbirds split their back-to-back road games against the Charlotte Checkers at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Thunderbirds lost the first game 3-2, then won 2-1 the next day to snap a five-game losing streak after starting the season 2-0.
Forward Aleksanteri Kaskimaki leads the Thunderbirds with seven points and five assists. Forward T.J. Tynan has the second-most points on the roster with six, and forward Justin Carbonneau leads the team with three goals. Goaltender Will Cranley has been outstanding in his four games this season, posting a 1.22 GAA and a .957 save percentage with two wins. Cranley has allowed one goal or fewer in three of his four games, including one goal on 28 shots faced last game against the Checkers.
A Tough First Meeting
In the first meeting of the 2026-27 American Hockey League season, the Thunderbirds blanked the Bruins 2-0 at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Oct. 4 in Providence, Rhode Island. After a stalemate for most of the game, Carbonneau scored with 2:01 left in the second period to put the Thunderbirds up 1-0. Thunderbirds forward Otto Stenberg iced the game in the third period with an empty-net goal, and Cranley recorded a 24-save shutout. In the loss, the Bruins went 0/4 on the power play, and goaltender Simon Zajicek stopped 20 of 21 shots.
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