Peter Cehlarik

Bruins AHL Affiliate: Providence Bruins Week 7 Preview

/ Tim A Richardson / Leave a comment
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(Photo Courtesy of Providence Bruins / Flickr)

By: Tim Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson

Week seven of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins skate into it 8-6-0-2 (18 points), including 5-4-0-1 in their last 10 games. This is good for fourth in the Atlantic Division and eighth in the Eastern Conference. The Providence club is coming off a week they would rather forget. Our boys in black and gold were able to down the Sound Tigers 4-1, before falling to Hartford 2-1 and Bridgeport 2-0. With only two games this weekend, we hope the Bruins get back to their winning ways.

The hockey action starts on Friday, November 15, 2019, when the Hartford Wolf Pack invades Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Dunk. To end the weekend, Providence returns the favor and heads down to Hartford, Connecticut to take on the Hartford Wolf Pack at the XL Center on Saturday, November 16, 2019. It is going to be an exciting week of hockey that you do not want to miss.

Friday, November 15, 2019 (HOME) Saturday, November 16, 2019 (AWAY) Providence Bruins vs. Hartford Wolf Pack

This weekend’s matchups will mark the second and third of 10 meetings the two teams will have this year. In the first meeting, the Bruins would fall 2-1. Providence got their lone goal from Jack Studnicka. Goalie Kyle Keyser was up to the task in net stopping 23 of 25 shots that were fired his way.

The home and home battle with the Hartford club is going to be challenging. The Rangers’ affiliate comes into the game 10-1-0-4 (24 points), including 6-1-0-3 in their last 10 games. This is good for first in the Atlantic Division and first in the Eastern Conference. Even though it’ll be a tough few games, there is hope for the Bruins.

Over the past five seasons, our boys in black and gold have gone 21-12-4-2, including 13-5-1-1 at the Dunk. The Wolf Pack has seen success this season thanks to a stifling defense. They’ve given up only 33 goals in 15 games. This means they’re giving up only 2.2 goals a game. Only one other team in the Eastern Conference has given up fewer goals.

To add to their defense, the New York affiliate has only given up six goals in 51 penalty kill opportunities. That’s an excellent 88.2%, which is good for third in the Atlantic Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference. They’ve also only given up two shorthanded goals.

To compare, the Providence Bruins have given up 10 goals in 74 penalty kill opportunities. That’s 86.5%, which is good for fifth in the Atlantic Division and ninth in the Eastern Conference. The spoked P has also given up a league-leading three shorthanded goals.

One area the Providence club needs to work on is the number of penalties they take. They are taking 4.62 penalties a game. They cannot be giving other teams that many power-play opportunities. When a team is on the penalty kill that often, it’s difficult to build offensive momentum. It’s going to be a hard-fought weekend series. Let’s hope our boys in black and gold are up to the task.

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not

Hot

Jack Studnicka: Jack Studnicka has had an excellent start to his first full professional season. In 16 games, the young center netted four goals and dished out six assists for 10 total points. This includes netting four goals and dishing out three assists for seven points in his last 10 games. The OHL product has been a revelation on offense and is developing exactly how the team would want. Let’s hope Studnicka can keep up his high level of play.

Paul Carey: Paul Carey has been excellent for the Providence Bruins this season. The team’s captain in 16 games has netted seven goals and dished out six assists for 13 total points. This includes netting five goals and dishing out four assists and nine total points in his last 10 games. The former Boston College Eagle and NCAA champion has not only contributed to the scoresheet but also provided excellent leadership for a young team.

Not

Ryan Fitzgerald: Ryan Fitzgerald has been good overall this season, netting four goals and dishing out three assists for seven total points in 16 games. Despite this, he’s gone pointless in his last six games played. The former Boston College Eagle will hopefully break this slump soon. With players going up and down due to injuries in Boston, Providence needs Fitzgerald to pick up some slack.

Trent Frederic: Trent Frederic has had an up and down season. In 15 games, the former Wisconsin Badger hasn’t netted any goals and dished out five assists for five total points. The young forward hasn’t registered a point in his last five games. Frederic is one of the better prospects in the Bruins system. Hopefully, he can turn his season around.

My Players To Watch This Weekend

Up Front

Peter Cehlarik: Peter Cehlarik has been excellent in his time with Providence this season. In nine games, the native of Slovakia has netted six goals and dished out four assists for 10 total points. Also of note, in seven games against Hartford last season, he netted three goals and dished out two assists for five total points. Look for him to have a big weekend.

On The Blue Line

Alex Petrovic: Alex Petrovic has been excellent for the Providence Bruins this year. It’s his first season with the club, and in 15 games, he’s netted two goals and dished out 10 assists for 12 total points. The WHL product has also played excellent defense for our boys in black and gold this season. Look for him to continue his play against Hartford.

In Net

Max Lagace: Max Lagace has been excellent for the Providence Bruins net. The QMJHL product has gone 6-2-1 this season, with a 2.02 GAA and a .936 save percentage. He’s also had three shutouts this season. He’s provided leadership to the young goaltenders Dan Vladar and Kyle Keyser.

The Providence Bruins have had a superb start to their season. In previous years, they’ve started out slow and then came on hot the second half of the year. This year our boys in black and gold are bucking that trend. They have a wealth of talent and could go far this year. I hope everyone enjoys the games this weekend. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!

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Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston at Detroit: 11/8/19

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Photo Courtesy Of NBC Sports Boston

By: Garrett Haydon | Follow Me On Twitter @thesportsguy97

Pre-Game Notes

Arena: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan

Home: Detroit Red Wings (4-12-1)

Away: Boston Bruins (11-2-2)

Detroit’s Lineup

Forwards

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha

Fabbri-Filppula-Athanasiou

Erne-Nielsen-Perlini

Helm-Ehn-Abdelkader

Defense

Nemeth-Hronek

Cholowski-McIlrath

Bowey-Green

Goalies

Bernier

Howard

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak

Cehlarik-Krejci-Heinen

Bjork-Coyle-Senyshyn

Wagner-Kuraly

Defense

Chara-Clifton

Krug-Carlo

Grzelcyk-McAvoy

Kampfer

Goalies

Rask

Halak

First Period

The B’s opened the scoring just 1:09 into the period as Peter Cehlarik found an open David Krejci at the dot who fired in his second goal of the season past Jonathan Bernier.

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Just under two minutes later, Dylan Larkin banked in a shot off of a skate in front to tie the game for the Red Wings.

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Detroit would then go to the man advantage as David Pastrnak was whistled for hooking not even a minute after the Larkin goal. The Bruins killed off the penalty not allowing Detroit to do much on the power play. Both teams began to settle down a bit after the frenetic start but the B’s continued to skate very well, creating a few chances. The Wings would go back to the power play as Brad Marchand was called for interference with 8:48 left in the period. Robby Fabbri broke the tie on the man advantage with a wrist shot from the slot after a beautiful feed from Tyler Bertuzzi.

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Moments later, the Bruins would get their first power play opportunity as Madison Bowey was called for holding. The Wings killed off the penalty despite the Bruins getting five shots on net.

Score: 2-1 Red Wings

Second Period

Pastrnak was called for his second penalty of the night just seconds into the middle period, giving Detroit a chance to double their lead. About a minute into the man advantage, Fabbri got lost in the slot and buried his second goal of the night to give the Wings a 3-1 lead.

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Torey Krug was called for a delay of game penalty, giving the Red Wings yet another power play early in the second period as they looked to get a stranglehold on the game. Seconds into the man advantage, Larkin was called for tripping, resulting in a four on four. The B’s responded with a couple good shifts with solid possession and some scoring opportunities. After a small scuffle, Marchand dropped the gloves with Philip Hronek to try to get the Bruins going.

Krejci was called for roughing with 6:25 to go in the period as the Wings looked to extend their lead. The Bruins killed off the power play as Tuukka Rask made a number of gigantic saves. Immediately following the kill, the B’s would get another man advantage opportunity as Pastrnak was tripped up. Patrice Bergeron tipped in Krug’s shot with just seconds left in the power play to cut the lead in half with over two minutes left in the period.

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Score: 3-2 Red Wings

Third Period

The Bruins opened the period with a big surge as they looked to tie the game, getting some good solid scoring chances. Bowey would go back to the box early in the period as he took a slashing penalty, giving the B’s a great opportunity to tie the score. The Bruins were unable to tie the game on the man advantage as they got a few good scoring chances. The game began to open up a bit as both teams got great chances at either end but both Rask and Bernier were up to the task.

Both teams upped the intensity and it showed with a few some scuffles especially after whistles close to each team’s net. Unfortunately the Bruins couldn’t mount a good enough comeback and Anthony Mantha buried an empty net goal with 1:28 to go to clinch it.

Final Score: 4-2 Red Wings

Three Stars Of The Game

First Star: Fabbri. Cashing in on two great scoring chances, Fabbri looked fantastic in his first game with the Red Wings.

Second Star: Bertuzzi. The feisty winger was a big part of the Wings offense and got under the skin of a few Bruins players.

Third Star: Rask. The Bruin goaltender kept the team in the game despite the three goals against with a number of big saves especially late in the second period.

Bruins Call Up Hughes, Send Down Cehlarik

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cut

Photo Courtesy Of NHL.com

By: Garrett Haydon | Follow Me On Twitter @thesportsguy97

Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced this morning that the team has assigned forward Peter Cehlarik to Providence and recalled forward Cameron Hughes. Hughes has skated in 13 games for Providence this season, posting two goals and four assists for six points. Cehlarik has appeared in two games for Boston this season going scoreless and has appeared in seven games for Providence scoring six goals and adding four assists for ten points.

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Cehlarik has appeared in 39 career games at the NHL level, posting five goals and five assists for ten points. Cehlarik skated in 20 games with Boston last season, posting four goals and two assists for six points. The Zilina, Slovakia native was originally drafted by the Bruins in the third round (90th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Hughes appeared in 52 games for Providence last season, posting 13 goals and 15 assists for 28 points. Hughes also played four seasons at the University of Wisconsin, posting 23 goals and 69 assists for 92 points in 139 career games. The Edmonton, Alberta native was originally drafted by Boston in the sixth round (165th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

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Hughes suffered a facial injury during the Prospects Tournament in training camp which cost him ice time during the preseason but did impress the coaching staff. With the recent spate of injuries the Bruins have had there’s a very strong chance that Hughes makes his NHL debut tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins playing on the fourth line. It’ll be interesting to see what’s next for Cehlarik who has had a hard time sticking in Boston but has proved he belongs at the NHL level.

Report: Bruins Place F Nordstrom on IR, Recall F Cehlarik From AHL

/ Max Mainville / 1 Comment
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PHOTO CREDITS: (Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images)

By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj

While most Boston Bruins fans were asleep, the CapFriendly Transactions Twitter page, (@CF_Transactions) announced that forward Joakim Nordstrom has been placed on the injured reserve and forward Peter Cehlarik has been recalled from the American Hockey League affiliate, the Providence Bruins.

Joakim Nordstrom, 27, has missed the last two games for the Bruins with what is being determined an “infection in his elbow” and he needs to allow it to “cool down” according to numerous sources. On October 29th, Bruins Head Coach Bruce Cassidy said the following in a press conference about Nordstrom.

“He [Nordstrom] had an infection in his elbow. I don’t know what the timeline is, to be honest, but they have to let it calm down, so I’ll doubt we see him Saturday. After that, I’ll probably be able to give you a better update.” Cassidy goes on to say that he won’t necessarily rule Nordstrom out, “I shouldn’t even rule him out for Saturday, but I think that it was similar to what [David] Backes went through a few years ago.” – Bruce Cassidy via @nhlbruins on Twitter

Nordstrom has only played in four games so far in the 2019-2020 campaign after missing the first few games due to a broken foot sustained in the Stanley Cup Finals against the St. Louis Blues back in June. In those four games, the Stockholm, Sweden native has one goal and an even plus/minus rating averaging 13:33 minutes-per-game.

In practice on Friday, defenceman Connor Clifton was skating as the third-line right-wing while forward Brett Ritchie was absent. Cassidy later revealed that Ritchie’s absence in Friday’s practice was due to a maintenance day and he believes that the 26-year-old will play against Ottawa on Saturday, although, there was “some level of concern” with him missing practice.

Also on Friday, freelancing writer, Mark Divver (@MarkDivver on Twitter) tweeted that forward Peter Cehlarik had been recalled by Boston on a loan to the National Hockey League according to the AHL Transactions. The report of Nordstrom being placed on IR makes Divver’s report of Cehlarik’s arrival in Boston more understandable.

Cehlarik, 24, has one game under his belt for the NHL Bruins this season, playing 12:05 against the New York Rangers on Sunday night. Cehlarik finished the night with zero shots and a -2 rating before being sent back down to Providence due to the return of Chris Wagner against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

With the P-Bruins, Cehlarik has been lighting it up, scoring six goals and four assists for ten points in six games played. Cehlarik’s last game was a two-assist night against the Rochester Americans on Wednesday – a game Providence won by a final score of 4-3. Cehlarik re-signed with the Bruins organization this past offseason on a one-year, two-way contract worth $700,000 ($125,000 in minors) and will need a new deal come July 1st, 2020.

As of 2:00 am EST on Saturday, November 2nd, the Boston Bruins have not officially confirmed these transactions, they are strictly from the sites and sources provided above. The Boston Bruins play the Ottawa Senators in Boston. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm EST from the TD Garden.

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 151 that we recorded below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

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Bruins AHL Affiliate: Providence Bruins Week 4 Preview

/ Tim A Richardson / Leave a comment
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(Photo Courtesy of Providence Bruins / Flickr)

By: Tim Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson

Week four of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins have a record of 5-2-0-1 (11 points). This is good for second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference. Our boys in black and gold are coming off a successful week. They fell to Laval 3-2. The Providence club would bounce back to beat Belleville 7-4, before shutting out Bridgeport 4-0. Week four sees the spoked P come back to Providence for the Pink in the Rink weekend at the Dunk to support breast cancer awareness. It’s an excellent weekend to catch a game.

The heart-stopping hockey action begins on Saturday, October 26, 2019, when the Laval Rocket travels to Providence, Rhode Island, to take on the Bruins at the Dunk. The weekend continues on Sunday, October 27, 2019, when the Belleville Senators invade the Dunkin Donuts Center. Finally, week four wraps up on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, when the Providence Bruins march to Rochester, New York, to take on the Rochester Americans at the Blue Cross Arena. It’s going to be an exciting week you don’t want to miss.

Saturday, October 26, 2019, Providence Bruins vs. Laval Rocket (HOME)

The Providence Bruins kickoff their Pink in the Rink weekend with a game against the Laval Rocket. It’s going to be the third of four meetings between the two clubs. The Providence club lost the first meeting 5-4 in a shootout. They got goals from Peter Cehlarik (2), Paul Carey, and Brendan Gaunce. Goalie Max Lagace was less than stellar in net, turning away 14 of the 18 shots he faced. Our boys in black and gold didn’t fare much better in the second meeting, losing 3-2. They got goals from Ryan Fitzgerald and Alex Petrovic. Goalie Max Lagace was better in net, stopping 27 of 30 shots fired his way.

The Montreal affiliate has started the season 3-5 (6 points). This is good for sixth in the North Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference. Despite this, the Bruins have had trouble with Laval in the past. They’ve gone 2-2-0-2, including 1-1 at the Dunk. Even with the rough luck, I still believe our boys in black and gold should win this matchup.

Team defense and goaltending will be the two keys for Providence against Laval. The Laval club is giving up 3.12 goals a game. Their offense is scoring 2.50 goals a game. This means the Montreal Affiliate is giving up a little more than half a goal a game more than they’re scoring. Their two goalies have started out on opposite ends of the spectrum. Cayden Primeau is having an excellent first season so far, going 2-2 with a 2.03 GAA and a save percentage of .933%. Charlie Lindgren has had a rough start, going 1-3 with 3.24 GAA and a .881% save percentage.

To compare, the Bruins are giving up 2.50 goals a game. They’re also scoring 3.37 goals a game. This means our boys in black and gold are scoring .87 more goals a game than they’re giving up. Veteran goalie Max Lagace has had an excellent start, going 3-1-1 with a 1.93 GAA and a .935% save percentage with two shutouts. Dan Vladar has gone 1-1 with a 2.57 GAA and a .897% save percentage. Youngster, Kyle Keyser is 1-0 with a 4.02 GAA and a .867% save percentage.

Sunday, October 27, 2019, Providence Bruins vs. Belleville Senators (HOME)

The Pink in the Rink weekend wraps up in Providence when The Belleville Senators come to town. It’ll the second and final meeting between the two clubs this season. In the first meeting, the Providence club came out on top 7-4. They got goals from Oskar Steen, Jakub Lauko, Robert Lantosi, Cameron Hughes, Peter Cehlarik, Jack Studnicka, and Paul Carey. Goalie Kyle Keyser was up to the task in net, stopping 26 of the 30 shots he faced.

The Belleville Senators have started the season 2-4 (4 points). This is good for eighth in the North Division and 15th in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins have had success against the Ottawa affiliate recently. They’ve gone 3-1, including 2-0 at the Dunk. Five on Five play is going to be the biggest key to victory for our boys in black and gold.

During their first matchup, the Bruins penalty kill was horrendous, giving up four goals in five opportunities. The power-play wasn’t much better, scoring only one goal in three chances. A deep-dive reveals that special teams are a real problem for the Providence club. Our boys in black and gold have given up nine goals in 36 penalty kill opportunities. This is only good for 75%. They’ve also given up two shorthanded goals.

The Bruins have also only converted on five of 34 power-play chances. These means at five on five, the Providence club has scored 22 goals, while only giving up nine. Belleville meanwhile has scored nine goals and given up 20, in the same situation. If the spoked P can keep their special teams off the ice, they should dominate the game. In their previous matchup, they had a six to nothing advantage when it was five on five.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019, Providence Bruins vs. Rochester Americans (AWAY)

Week four wraps with a game against the Rochester Americans. It’ll be the final of two meetings these two clubs will have this season. In the first matchup, the Providence Bruins came out with a win 3-2. They got goals from Jakub Lauko, Anders Bjork, and Oskar Steen. Netminder Max Lagace was excellent, turning away 30 of 32 shots he faced.

The Rochester Americans have started out the season 4-2-0-1 (9 points). This is good for third in the North Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference. The Providence Bruins have had the Buffalo affiliate’s number in the past. They’ve gone 8-1 over the past five seasons, including 3-1 on the road. Shots on goal will end up being key in this game and not in the way you may expect.

The Rochester Americans are 3-2-0-1 when outshooting their opposition. This means they’ve had the shot advantage in every game they’ve played. To combat this, the Providence Bruins are 2-0 when being outshot by the team they’re playing. This includes the game they played against each other earlier this season. Something else to watch out for is team defense.

The Rochester club has given up 20 goals on the year while only scoring 19. This is a minus-one goal differential. Our boys in black and gold have scored 27 goals and given up 20. This is a plus-seven goal differential. When a team gives up more than they score, they aren’t able to sustain success. I expect Providence to come away with two points in this game.

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not

Hot

Jack Studnicka: Jack Studnicka is one of the top three prospects in the Boston Bruins’ system. The young center came to Providence after an excellent season in the OHL, which saw him net 36 goals and dish out 47 assists for 83 total points split between Oshawa and Niagra. He’s scored one goal and tallied four assists for five points this season with Providence. He’s registered a point in five of eight games, including four of his last five. Let’s hope he keeps this hot streak up.

Peter Cehlarik: Cehlarik almost seems like a permanent fixture here in the hot category. This is because the young forward has had an excellent start to the season. In five games, he’s found the back of the net five times while also tallying two assists for seven points. He’s registered a point in four of the first five games he’s played.  With injuries starting to pile up in Boston, we may see Cehlarik called up before long.

Not

Cooper Zech: Zech is a player that I was really excited about going into the season. The young defenseman was coming off an excellent freshman season at Ferris State University, which earned himself an AHL contract with Providence. He’s a smaller offensive-minded defenseman who I expected big things from. To start the season, he’s played in five games and only registered one assist for one total point. Hopefully, Zech bounces back and can figure it out in Providence. I still expect good things from him.

Zach Senyshyn: Senyshyn seems to be a permanent fixture in the not category to begin the season. The former first-round pick has had a less than stellar start to the 2019-2020 season. In seven games he’s played in the young speedster has yet to register a point. His scoring has been down overall since joining the AHL. He has a .36 point per game total with Providence. This is much worse than the .91 point per game total he had in the OHL. The young forward did miss a game this year with an upper-body injury, so maybe that is playing a factor early on.

My Players To Watch This Weekend

Up Front

Ryan Fitzgerald: Ryan Fitzgerald is a guy who may get lost in the shuffle when talking about prospects, but he’s had a great start to the 2019-2020 season. In eight games this season, he’s netted three goals and dished out three assists for six total points. The former Boston College Eagle is also on a three-game point streak, which has seen him score two goals and tally two assists for four total points. Look for him this weekend.

On The Blue Line

Alex Petrovic: Alex Petrovic initially came to Boston on a PTO during training camp as a free agent. The Bruins liked what they saw and signed to a one-year two-way contract. The veteran defenseman has been great for Providence. In eight games, he’s netted one goal while dishing out five assists for six total points. The former Edmonton Oiler has also played well on defense. Let’s hope he keeps it up for Providence.

In Net

Max Lagace: Max Lagace has been excellent for Providence to start the season. The veteran netminder is 3-1-1 with a 1.93 GAA and a .935% save percentage. He’s also recorded two shutouts, including one in the team’s game Tuesday night against Bridgeport. No other goalie has that many shutouts so far this season. The Bruins’ deciding to sign Lagace was an excellent move. I think he will have a great year while being a mentor to Keyser and Vladar.

The Providence Bruins have started out hot in their first eight games of the season. With the amount of talent, our boys in black and gold have, this is not surprising. I still fully expect that the spoked P will come out with at least four of six points from this week’s games. All three games are winnable. One characteristic that all good teams possess is that they beat the teams that they should. If the Bruins want to prove they’re a good team, they need to win at least two of these next three games. Feel free to send me any questions or comments on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!

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Bruins AHL Affiliate: Providence Bruins Week 3 Preview

/ Tim A Richardson / Leave a comment
PBRU3

(Photo Courtesy of Providence Bruins / Flickr)

By Tim Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson

Week three of the AHL season is here, and the Providence Bruins go into it 3-1-0-1 (7 points). This is good for second in the Atlantic Division as well as third in the Eastern Conference. Our boys in black and gold are coming off a down week in which they beat the Rochester Americans 3-2 in their home-opener. They would then lose to the Springfield Falcons 5-2 before losing again to the Laval Rocket 5-4 in a shootout to end the week. Week three should be full of exciting hockey that you don’t want to miss.

The hockey fun kicks off on Friday, October 18, 2019, when the Providence Bruins take on the Laval Rocket for the second game in a row at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada. The action continues on Saturday, October 19, 2019, as the Bruins continue their tour of Canada when they travel to Belleville, Ontario, Canada to battle the Belleville Senators at CAA Arena. Finally, the week wraps up on Tuesday, October 22, 2019, when Providence invades Bridgeport, Connecticut to take on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Webster Bank Arena.

Friday, October 18, 2019, Providence Bruins vs. Laval Rocket (AWAY)

The Providence Bruins kick off the weekend against the Laval Rocket. It’s the second of four meetings between the two clubs this season. Our boys in black and gold lost to the Montreal affiliate in the first meeting 5-4 in a shootout. They got goals from Peter Cehlarik (2), Paul Carey, and Brendan Gaunce. Goalie Max Lagace was less than stellar in net turning away 14 of the 18 shots he faced. The Providence club has had a tough time with Laval historically.

Over the past five seasons, they’ve gone 2-1-0-2, including 1-0-0-2 on the road. The Laval hockey club has had a rough start to the year. They are 2-3 (4 points) to start the season. This is good for sixth in the North Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference. They had a record of 30-34-6-6 (72 points) last season. This was good for seventh in the North Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference.

The defense is going to play a major role in this game. The Montreal affiliate gave up 231 goals last season while only scoring 195. This means their goal differential is -36. Anything below zero is incredibly bad, but -36 is awful. Providence has had some ups and downs defensively over the past few games, but I believe this is still one of the better defenses in the AHL. Urho Vaakanainen is one of the major reasons I believe this. He’s been stellar so far, and I expect him to help shut down Laval.

Saturday, October 19, 2019, Providence Bruins vs. Belleville Senators (AWAY)

The Saturday night matchup between the Belleville Senators and the Providence Bruins marks the first of two these teams will have. There isn’t much history between these two clubs over the past five seasons, because of being in different divisions. Despite this, our boys in black and gold are 2-1-1 against the Ottawa affiliate in that time frame including 0-1-1 on the road.

The Belleville Senators have had a rough start to their season going 1-2 (2 points). This is good for eighth in the North Division and 16th in the Eastern Conference. Last season the Ottawa affiliate was 37-31-3-5 (82 points). This was good for fifth in the North Division and 10th in the Eastern Conference. Special teams are going to play a big part in this game.

The Senators are 0/11 on the power play to start the year. The Bruins’ penalty kill is stingy only giving up four goals in 22 opportunities. These two components coupled together should tip the scales in Providence’s favor. On the other hand, our boys in black and gold have netted just three goals in 23 power-play opportunities and Belleville has given up three goals in 16 chances on the penalty kill. Hopefully, this can give the Providence club a chance to get the power-play on track.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019, Providence Bruins vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AWAY)

The Tuesday night matchup between Bridgeport and Providence will be the first of 12 between the two clubs. Over the past five seasons, the Sound Tigers and Bruins have been pretty evenly matched. Our boys in black and gold are 21-16-6-3 including 7-10-3-3 on the road. It should be an evenly matched game between the two clubs.

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are 1-2-1 (3 points) to start the young season. This is good for eighth in the Atlantic Division and 15th in the Eastern Conference. Last season, the Islanders’ affiliate was 43-24-6-3 (95 points). This was good for second in the Atlantic Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. They would go on to lose to the Hershey Bears in the first round of the playoffs.

I expect this game, and the season series to be close. Last season, six of the 12 games went to overtime or shootout. With both clubs so evenly matched, it seems likely that the Tuesday night game will be a one or two-goal game. When you have closely contested matchups, goaltending, defense, and special teams generally play a huge part in deciding the outcome. To start the season Providence has the edge in those categories. I expect them to come out on top.

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not

Hot

Anders Bjork: Anders Bjork has had a blistering start to the season. In five games with Providence, he’s netted three goals while dishing out three assists for six total points. This is exactly what both the young forward and the Bruins wanted to see after each of the last two seasons were cut short with shoulder surgery. If the Notre Dame alum keeps this up, he may force his way into Boston’s lineup.

Peter Cehlarik: Peter Cehlarik is a guy who had an excellent season in Providence last year. The young forward is in an awkward position currently. The team doesn’t really have room for him in Boston, and he’s a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Despite that, he’s started off hot scoring three goals in his first two games of action for three total points. He looks like one of the best players on the ice which is an excellent sign.

Not

Zach Senyshyn: Zach Senyshyn found himself in the not section last week as well. It’s unfortunate because you would like a player, especially one of Senyshyn’s caliber to start the year hot. The young forward is one of two players to play in all of the team’s games this season and not register a point. Despite this, Senyshyn does seem to be chomping at the bit. I expect him to break out of the scoreless streak soon.

Trent Frederic: Trent Frederic is the other player on the roster to play in every game and not register a point. The University of Wisconsin alum has had a slow start to the year, but he’s another player that I expect to break out of the slump soon. He’s way too good to go too long without a point.

My Players To Watch This Weekend

Up Front

Anders Bjork: Anders Bjork has had a marvelous start to the 2019-2020 season. He’s scoring at a point per game clip of 1.20 and looks excellent on the ice. This is exactly what you want to see from a top prospect who has been injured each of the past two seasons. I expect the Notre Dame alum to keep up his hot start. Keep an eye on him, he’s a joy to watch.

On The Blue Line

Jakub Zboril: Zboril has had a good start to his AHL season. He’s playing a heavy game and doing well defensively. He hasn’t found the back of the yet but has dished out an assist for one total point this season. The good news is one of the teams that Providence plays this weekend is the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. In 10 games against the Islanders’ affiliate, last season Zboril netted two goals and dished out three assists for five total points. Look for Zboril to rack up some points this weekend.

In Net

Max Lagace: Lagace came to Providence as a free agent after being in the Vegas Golden Knights’ system. The veteran netminder has been good thus far going 2-0-0-1 with a 2.22  GAA, and a save percentage of .923. Look for him to have a big weekend on the road for Providence.

The Providence Bruins looked great the first week and not great the second. As I’ve previously stated, I still believe this team could be special. They have all the tools to put together a magical season. I expect our boys in black and gold to have another stellar week. They should be able to collect at least four of six possible points. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!

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Bruins Announce More Transactions

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Photo Courtesy Of NHL.com

By: Garrett Haydon | Follow Me On Twitter @thesportsguy97

Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced on Tuesday afternoon that the team had assigned forward Peter Cehlarik and defenseman Jakub Zboril to Providence. Sweeney also announced that forward Joakim Nordstrom will start the season on IR. Cehlarik had recently cleared waivers yesterday.

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Cehlarik appeared in 20 regular season for the B’s last season, posting four goals and two assists for six points. Cehlarik also appeared in 53 regular season games for Providence last year, posting 12 goals and 26 assists for 38 points. He also appeared in four playoff games for Providence, scoring a goal. Zboril, the former first round pick of the B’s in 2015 appeared in two regular season games for the Bruins last year. He appeared in 56 games for Providence last season, recording four goals and 15 assists for 19 points. He also appeared in four postseason games, going scoreless.

Nordstrom signed with the Bruins in the summer of 2018 as a free agent. He appeared in 70 regular season games in Boston last year, posting seven goals and five assists for 12 points. The Stockholm, Sweden native appeared in 23 playoff games for the B’s last season recording three goals and five assists for eight points. These moves shouldn’t be a huge problem for the Bruins as the team has plenty of guys to step in for Nordstrom. There’s also a very good chance both Cehlarik and Zboril see time in Boston yet again this season.

Report: Bruins Send Players To Providence; Place Cehlarik on Waivers

/ Max Mainville / 2 Comments
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PHOTO CREDITS: (NHL.com)

By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj

According to veteran freelance writer, Mark Divver, (@MarkDivver on Twitter), the Boston Bruins have assigned the following players to the American Hockey League as they joined the Providence Bruins’ practice today, September 30th. The move comes on the final day that NHL teams around the league can place players on waives for purpose of AHL assignment and have that player clear according to CapFriendly. 

  • F Anders Bjork
  • F Jack Studnicka
  • F Cameron Hughes
  • F Trent Frederic

On Saturday, the Bruins played their final preseason game of the 2019 off-season, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 8-2 the final score. David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk each scored a hat-trick while Charlie Coyle and Karson Kuhlman potted goals of their own to add to the large victory.

Today, the Bruins hosted one of their final practices before the regular season officially begins this Thursday against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Texas. Not present – David Krejci and Joakim Nordstrom. Head Coach Bruce Cassidy re-iterated on Saturday post-game that he does expect Krejci to be ready for the season-opener and that his lower-body injury is not that serious. In regards to Nordstrom, his availability for Thursday is still in question.

For the players that have been sent down according to Divver, none of them are a huge surprise. Anders Bjork is one of the most hyped Bruins prospects in the system and many want to see him get playing time with Boston to start the 2019-2020 campaign, but Cassidy feels that he could use some additional time in Providence to improve his skills and earn that spot in the NHL. Studnicka, Hughes, and Frederic were all expected considering the lack of roles available for them with the main club.

One player that remains with the team for practice is defenceman Jakub Zboril, who with Steven Kampfer, are the only spare defensemen with Boston for practice according to Boston Globe writer Kevin Paul Dupont, (@GlobeKPD on Twitter). It is likely that once John Moore and Kevan Miller return to the lineup further into the season, he will be re-assigned to the P-Bruins.

The other big news piece today for the Bruins organization was the news that forward Peter Cehlarik has been placed on waivers by Boston in order to be sent down to the AHL.

Cehlarik played in 53 games for the Baby Bruins in 2018-19, scoring 12-28-36 numbers along with one goal in four playoff games. The 24-year-old winger also scored four goals and two assists for six points in 20 games with the Boston Bruins last season.

For the latest Boston Bruins news, updates, and injury reports, make sure to follow me on Twitter (@tkdmaxbjj) and stay locked on the Black N’ Gold Hockey website for articles from all our staff writers.

Check out the Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 147 that we recorded on 9-29-19 below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

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For Bruins’ Bjork, Uncertainty Looms Ahead Of Training Camp

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(Photo: Paul Rutherford / USA TODAY Sports)

By: Patrick Donnelly | Follow me on Twitter @PatDonn12

Anders Bjork has not had the start to his professional hockey career that he, or anyone else for that matter, likely envisioned. Between inconsistency at the NHL level, a demotion to Providence that led him to miss the Winter Classic at his alma mater, and two season-ending shoulder surgeries, the forward is basically starting from scratch this season.

Surprising or not, the fact that Bjork was included on the Bruins’ rookie camp and Prospects Challenge roster should have been beneficial to his chances of having a good showing at training camp. The Notre Dame product said he was fully cleared to play in July and trained hard all summer; however, few things can simulate game speed, but the Prospects Challenge should have served as a great chance for Bjork to get his legs back under him ahead of what looks to be an extremely competitive training camp. From the way things sounded on Twitter (because most of the games were not streamed, of course), Bjork was among the standouts during the games in Buffalo.

The Mequon, Wisconsin, native is among other prospects, like Jack Studnicka, Zach Senyshyn, Peter Cehlarik, and more, who are looking to make a strong impression at camp and seize one of the two forward spots that are up for grabs. With 50 games of NHL experience under his belt, Bjork has a leg up on most of the others, likely aside from Cehlarik and Karson Kuhlman, though.

In those 50 games (5-10-15 numbers), Bjork has shown flashes of the skilled, speedy, all-zones force that many thought he would become in time with the Bruins. He looked most promising when playing on Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand’s right wing during his rookie season, but struggled when suiting up further down the lineup in a bottom-six role last season.

Entering the last year of his entry-level contract, the 23-year-old will not only be looking to stand out to secure a spot in the NHL, but also to earn a decent pay raise this off-season when his deal is up. So, if Bjork wasn’t motivated enough to prove that he still has the potential to become the player everyone once thought he could be after shining at Notre Dame, the added factor of it being a contract year almost certainly adds to the fire under him.

So where exactly does Anders Bjork fit within the Bruins’ organization? The answer to that question is hard to pinpoint. In an ideal world, the Bruins have the two wide open forward spots sorted out, which would allow Bjork to start the year in Providence to regain his confidence and get up to speed. However, this is not a perfect world, so it remains to be seen who might step up during training camp and seize the spots. Head coach Bruce Cassidy even specifically named Bjork as one of the guys in the running to slot in on David Krejci’s right on the second line; you can read about that in my last article here.

On paper, based on Bjork’s skillset alone, the obvious choice for where he would go in the NHL lineup would be in the top-six next to either Krejci or Bergeron, whom he has found success with in the past, as I previously mentioned. However, a third-line role next to Charlie Coyle would not be the worst thing in the world, especially considering Bjork would be making a significant upgrade from the start of last season when he flanked David Backes.

Long story short, Bjork needs to play meaningful minutes, whether it is in top-flight role in Providence, or a top-nine spot in Boston. With training camp beginning tomorrow, there is no doubt that he needs a strong showing at camp to ensure that he is still in the organization’s future plans.

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How Could A Potential Trade Of Bruins Charlie McAvoy Work?

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(Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images)

By: Lucas Pearson  |  Follow Me On Twitter @LucasPearson_

I want to preface this article by saying this is INCREDIBLY unlikely and that I do not want the Bruins to trade Charlie Mcavoy. There’s probably a better chance of Bobby Orr lacing them up again than the Bruins trading Mcavoy at the moment but regardless, I thought it would be a fun idea to dive into and see some hypothetical trades and how it may affect the Bruins lineup.

Number one right defensemen don’t grow on trees, so if the Bs were to trade Mcavoy, it would have to be a massive haul. While trading Mcavoy would obviously create a hole on defense, the Bruins’ biggest hole at the moment is a top-six winger. A young, highly skilled forward should be the target for Boston.

Rationally thinking, the Bruins would never trade Mcavoy to an Eastern Conference team. With that being said, I have created a couple mock trades with teams that could be a realistic trade partner for Boston.

VANCOUVER, BC - MARCH 2: Brock Boeser #6 of the Vancouver Canucks skates with the puck during their NHL game against the Nashville Predators at Rogers Arena on March 2, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Nashville won 4-3. (Photo by Derek Cain/NHLI via Getty Images)

(Derek Cain/NHLI via Getty Images)

Vancouver

To Vancouver: Charlie Mcavoy, Peter Cehlarik

To Boston: Brock Boeser, Troy Stecher

Why it works?

With phenom Elias Petterson, likely future captain Bo Horvat, recently acquired JT Miller and newly drafted Vasili Podkolzin, Vancouver has a plethora of young talent at forward. Obviously losing a potential 40 goal scorer is never going to feel good, but with their organizational depth, it’s something they could certainly give up for a stud like Mcavoy.

The addition of Mcavoy would drastically improve Vancouver’s defense. A pairing of Quinn Hughes and Charlie Mcavoy could very well be the best pair in the NHL for years and years. This offseason, the Canucks went out and signed Tyler Myers to play the next six years for them at right defense, and with veteran Alex Edler, that would give the Canucks a very formidable top four. Cehlarik has minimal value, but he would be a cheap bottom-six forward for the Canucks.

On defense, Troy Stecher is a very underrated top-four guy. He can play powerplay and penalty kill minutes and was a +9 on a poor Canucks team last season. With Mcavoy’s departure, Brandon Carlo would slide into his top pairing spot with Stecher filling in on the second pairing.

The Bruins with Brock Boeser may tout the best forward core in the entire NHL. Boeser would likely slot into David Krejci’s right, allowing the perfection line to stay together and keep a great 1-2-3 core of Patrice Bergeron, Krejci, and Charlie Coyle.

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

Debrusk – Krejci – Boeser

Heinen – Coyle – Studnicka/Kuhlman/Bjork

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Wagner

Chara – Carlo

Krug – Stecher

Grzelyck – Clifton

That’s a formidable lineup.

NHL: Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars

(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

Winnipeg

To Winnipeg: Charlie Mcavoy

To Boston: Kyle Connor, Sami Niku, 2020 3rd round pick

With the departure of Jacob Trouba (NYR) and Tyler Myers (VAN), the Jets have a big hole to fill on their right side. Just like Vancouver, the Jets have a ton depth at forward. Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Blake Wheeler, Patrick Laine, and Kyle Connor are all 60 point players, and with 4/5 of those players being 26 or younger (and guys like Jack Roslovic, Kristian Vesalainen and Mason Appleton nearing their breakout years) they will have a formidable core for years to come.

The Bruins would certainly look to acquire one of the younger top six guys have, a guy like Patrick Laine could look really good in the black and gold, but his upcoming contract would likely prove too big for the Bruins and their already tough cap situation. Scheifele seems to be the guy that will take the “C” once Wheeler calls it quits and is as untouchable as any other guy in the league. That leaves Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers. Connor is a slightly better player, but Ehlers brings the ability to play right wing. It’s a bit of a toss-up, but I’d like Connor simply because he’s the better player and I can see his skill set being able to transition to the right side.

Along with Connor, the Bruins would get Sami Niku who is a very solid prospect on the verge of eating some big minutes in the NHL. He had a great year in the AHL two seasons ago and bounced between the NHL and AHL last season, playing well in each league. He’s not ready for a top-four role quite yet, but he’s another guy like Urho Vaakanainen and Jeremy Lauzon that could be a big piece of the defense of the future. The 3rd rounder is added for some decent value in a deep draft.

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

Debrusk – Krejci – Connor

Heinen – Coyle – Studnicka/Kuhlman/Bjork

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Wagner

Krug – Carlo

Chara – Grzelyck

Niku – Clifton

The defense for this lineup is definitely not as good as the hypothetical Vancouver trade lineup as it’s a bit of a question mark on how good Gryz can be on his off-side (although I don’t see him having a major issue with it) and the decrease of flexibility it gives for coach Bruce Cassidy.

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

(Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Other Potential Suitors

Anaheim

Rikard Rakell would definitely be a good fit in Boston, if the Bs were able to pry away a guy like Josh Manson to go along with Rakell, it would be a very interesting trade, but I couldn’t see Anaheim moving two key pieces away for just one coming back.

Chicago

I was close to putting some sort of swap of Alex Debrincat and Mcavoy but decided against it as the Blackhawks have far too much money already locked up on defense.

Arizona

Clayton Keller? A swap of two former teammates at Boston University could’ve been very enticing for both sides.

I’d say Vancouver is the best fit out of all the teams I listed but again, there’s next to no chance anything like this would happen and quite frankly, I don’t even want to see Mcavoy wear another jersey for the rest of his career. Still an enjoyable article to write.

 Check out the Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 142 that we recorded on 8-25-19 below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

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