PROVIDENCE – The Providence Bruins will look to widen the gap between themselves and the Charlotte Checkers tonight at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

The third-place P-Bruins are four points ahead of the fourth-place Checkers in the Atlantic Division. With 21 games left, Providence’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 34.

The teams split two games in Charlotte in November. The Checkers crushed the P-Bruins, 8-2, in the first game. Providence won, 2-1, in a shootout the following afternoon.

The Checkers have not played in Providence since March 4, 2011. Trent Whitfield had 2-1-3 in the P-Bruins’ 4-2 win that night. Riley Nash had a goal for Charlotte.

Paul Postma will play his first game with the P-Bruins tonight. He’ll play the right side with Tommy Cross.

Zach Senyshyn will return to the lineup after missing two games with a lower-body injury.

Jakub Zboril and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson will miss the weekend with upper body injuries.

Charlotte will be without Andrew Miller, who is injured. Miller is tied for second in scoring in the AHL with 51 points in 53 games.

PROVIDENCE LINEUP

Fitzgerald-Szwarz-Czarnik

Agostino-Hennessy-Cehlarik

Hargrove-Cave-Senyshyn

Blidh-Porter-Hickman

Cross-Postma

Breen-Lauzon

Johansson-Clifton

McIntyre in goal, back up is Binnington

SCRATCHES: Zboril, JFK, Payerl, Acolatse

Providence visits Hartford for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday.