Mike DiPietro stops Chris Wagner on a breakaway in Sunday’s game. DiPietro stopped 27 of 28 shots, including 14 in the third period. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)

The Providence Bruins split the first two games of their best-of-five Atlantic Division semifinal series against the Springfield Thunderbirds at home over the weekend.

After earning a first-round bye in the regular season, Providence waited13 days until the series with Springfield opened.

Looking sluggish at times, the P-Bruins dropped Game 1, 3-2, on Friday night. In the second game on Sunday, Providence beat the T-Birds, 2-1, to even the series at 1-1.

“Our urgency was there from the get-go,” said coach Ryan Mougenel after Sunday’s win. “I’m proud of how the guys responded. Playoffs aren’t easy. There’s good lessons for our guys. There’s no easy ice out there.”

Here’s the good, bad and ugly.

GOOD

— As he has been all season, AHL MVP and two-time Goalie of the Year Michael DiPietro was a difference-maker in Game 2. He stopped 27 of 28 shots, including all 14 in the third period, when the T-Birds had some good chances.  

— Frederic Brunet turned in a strong game on Sunday with primary assists on both Providence goals.

— Matej Blumel scored a goal in Game 1 and opened the scoring in Game 2.

— Matt Poitras earned primary assists on both Providence goals and played a feisty game on Sunday.

— Playing his first game after joining the team last week on a PTO, Drew Callin scored just 3:12 into Game 1.

— Navrin Mutter dished out several hard hits on the forecheck early in Game 2, helping the P-Bruins get off to a good start.   

BAD

— If Christian Wolanin is not able to play on Tuesday, the P-Bruins will be without two top defensemen in Wolanin and Victor Soderstrom, both of whom log power play time.

— The officiating in the first two games was … uneven.

“The penalties really killed the mojo, for both sides,” Mougenel said after Game 2. “It was interesting, the standard was different from (Game 1).”

— Springfield had 13 power plays in the first two games. Providence had nine.

UGLY

— Injured: Christian Wolanin, Victor Soderstrom, Fabian Lysell, Dans Locmelis