John Farinacci celebrates with teammates after scoring in the first period against Hartford (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)

The Providence Bruins only played twice last weekend and they won both games.

They started with a 4-1 victory against the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday night, then beat the Hartford Wolf Pack, 4-1, on Saturday night. Both games were on the road.

The month of December was good for the P-Bruins as they went 9-2-1, earning 19 of 24 points. Not too shabby, considering the way they struggled at times in the opening weeks of the season.

Here’s the good, bad & ugly.

GOOD

— As 2025 starts, the Providence Bruins have a record of 17-11-3-0. They are tied for second in the Atlantic Division with 37 points, 4 behind the first-place Hershey Bears.

— Fabian Lysell had one of his best games of the season in Bridgeport. He scored a goal, earned a primary assist on two other goals and was plus-3. The next night in Boston, Lysell played his first NHL game for the Bruins and didn’t look out of place in a win over Columbus.

— Riley Tufte had his most productive game of the season with 2-1-3 and plus-3 against Bridgeport. He is second on the team with 9 goals.

— John Farinacci had 3 assists and was plus-3 in the win at Bridgeport. The next night in Hartford he scored 1:40 into the game and set up a Max Jones goal early in the second period.

— Matt Poitras had an empty net goal and an assist in Hartford. He has 8-10-18 in 19 games.

— Providence received good goaltending in both games. Michael DiPietro stopped 31 of 32 shots on Friday and Brandon Bussi kicked out 36 of 37 on Saturday, including 15 in the first period.

— Billy Sweezey made quick work of Hartford’s 6-foot-7 Dylan Roobroeck in a late-game bout on Saturday.

— Both Frederic Brunet and Ian Mitchell were plus-3 against Bridgeport.

BAD

— Jeffrey Viel is tied for the league lead in minor penalties with 22.

— Providence’s power play on the road is 27^th in the AHL at 13 percent – 7 for 54.

— They are 0-8-1-0 when trailing after two periods.

UGLY

— Injured: Ian Mitchell