Not a lot to be thankful for this week as the Providence Bruins season took a wrong turn.
The P-Bruins lost all three of their games, one on the road and two at home, while managing to score a total of only five goals.
They started the week with a game in Utica on Wednesday, where they came from behind to tie the game early in the third period before losing to the Comets, 5-3.
In a rematch against Utica on Saturday, Providence could not solve Nico Daws, who stopped all 33 shots in a 3-0 decision for the Comets.
On Sunday, the P-Bruins lost, 3-2, to the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— After Providence started slow on Sunday, Billy Sweezey gave his team a bit of a spark by dropping the gloves with Reece Newkirk.
— Trevor Kuntar was credited with a first period assist in Utica and later scored his first goal of the season, snapping a stretch of 14 straight games without a goal.
— Matt Poitras didn’t get a lot done in the two games against Utica, but he was productive against Springfield on Sunday with two assists. He has 0-5-5 in 8 games.
— Defenseman Mason Millman scored his first goal of the year on Sunday.
BAD
— They finished the weekend in seventh place in the eight-team Atlantic Division with a record of 8-10-2-0 and they are 13th in the 15-team Eastern Conference.
— Providence has had some of the best goaltending in the AHL the last couple of years. Last week, not so much. Brandon Bussi wasn’t sharp on Wednesday and Michael DiPietro allowed a leaker on Saturday and another on Sunday.
— The P-Bruins are in the bottom half of the league on both the power play (23rd at 14.7 percent) and the penalty kill (19th at 81.9 percent).
— While shorthanded in the second period on Wednesday, Max Jones and Jeffrey Viel broke into the Utica zone on a two on zero, but Nico Daws stopped Jones’ shot. You have to find a way to bury one there.
— Providence had a good start on Wednesday and took the lead early on a Vinni Lettieri goal, but finished the first period trailing by a goal even after outshooting Utica, 14-6.
— After the P-Bruins tied the score early in the third period in Utica, they allowed the Comets to retake the lead just 17 seconds later.
— Utica scored on two of its first four shots on Wednesday.
— Georgii Merkulov was minus-3 in Utica.
— They outshot Utica,13-6,but didn’t score in the third period on Saturday. They outshot Springfield, 13-7, in the third on Sunday and scored only once.
— With referees Tanner Doiron and Harrison O’Pray in charge, the power plays on Sunday were five for Springfield to two for Providence.
— Brett Harrison scored his last regular season goal on Feb. 9, 33 games ago.
Georgii Merkulov beats Lehigh Valley goalie Parker Gahagen for the winning goal in overtime on Saturday night. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
The first six weeks of the season have been a slog at times for the Providence Bruins, but things are looking up.
The P-Bruins won both of their games over the weekend, starting with a thorough start-to-finish win at home over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 3-0, on Friday night. At the AMP again on Saturday, Providence beat the Phantoms, 2-1, in overtime.
“Really, if you look at our last seven games, I think they’ve been a step in the right direction, building it the right way,” coach Ryan Mougenel said late Saturday.
“The D did a real good job. (Mike) Callahan and (Billy) Sweezey have been good lieutenants back there, showing the young kids how we need to play. (Ian) Mitchell was excellent (Saturday) and our goalies made the saves that they need to make. It’s going in the right direction. We’re building our team game.”
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— A week ago, the P-Bruins were in sixth place in the Atlantic Division as of Sunday night. This week they are fourth with a record of 8-7-2. They are one point behind the second-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
— Providence’s goaltending was outstanding all weekend and team defense was much improved. On Friday, Brandon Bussi played his best game of the season in posting a 30-save shutout. He made several 10-bell saves in the third period. On Saturday, Mike DiPietro stopped 22 of 23 shots.
— Georgii Merkulov didn’t sulk after being sent down from Boston. He was credited with a primary assist on Friday and won Saturday’s game with a nifty breakaway goal in overtime. Second on the team in points with 3-10-13 in 14 games, he is riding a seven-game point streak.
— Vinni Lettieri made a beautiful play to set up Riley Tufte’s second period goal on Saturday. Lettieri leads the team with 8-6-14 in 17 games.
— Fabian Lysell snapped a nine-game stretch without a goal when he scored his second goal of the year in the first period on Friday.
— John Farinacci made a pretty pass to set up Frederic Brunet’s goal on Friday.
— Matt Poitras recorded two assists in Friday’s game.
— Providence’s next five games are against teams that are below them in the standings: Utica (3), Springfield and Bridgeport.
BAD
— Trevor Kuntar (14 games) and Brett Harrison (13 games) are both still looking for their first goals of the season.
— The P-Bruins are averaging 15.06 penalty minutes per game, eighth most in the AHL.
— On the road, Providence’s penalty kill is 27th in the league.
— They are 0-4-1-0 when trailing after two periods and 0-4-0-0 when outshot.
Riley Duran tucks the puck behind Cleveland goalie Jet Greaves in the first period on Friday night. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
It was a disappointing weekend for the Providence Bruins.
After sweeping all three games the previous weekend, the P-Bruins went winless in this weekend’s three games, though they did earn points on Friday and Sunday via losses in overtime.
They started with a 4-3 OT loss at home to the Cleveland Monsters on Friday. In Hartford on Saturday, Providence gave up three third-period goals in a 4-2 defeat.
That set the stage for a gut-punch loss at home on Sunday. Providence led 3-1 with under 10 minutes left but allowed Cleveland to tie the game and then win it, 4-3, just 19 seconds into extra time.
The P-Bruins didn’t help their cause by taking three penalties in the third period. While they killed all three, they expended a lot of energy.
“We took some bad penalties. I thought we were playing a decent game for three in three, a real smart game. For us, the penalties wear our penalty killers down and that kind of set the tone for the end. At the end, that’s on me. I’ve got to make sure I’m getting the right guys, the fresh guys out there. That’s on me, for sure,” said coach Ryan Mougenel.
Providence ended the weekend with a record of 6-7-2-0. They are in sixth place in the Atlantic Division. The good news is there are 57 games left and they are just three points behind second-place Wilkes-Barre Scranton.
“We went through similar things last year and we all got our games in a good place. Getting that chemistry is real important. There’s guys that are going to get a lot of opportunity, some young players, and when you get that opportunity, it’s what you do with it,” said Mougenel.
“We’re at that point where if you’re not getting it done, it’s kind of like (on to) the next guy in line. That’s part of the growth, too, the strongest survive. We’re at that point right now where they’ve got to start growing. We’ve got to see it, we can’t just keep talking about it. We need more from our young guys, for sure.”
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— The line of Marc McLaughlin between Riley Duran and Tyler Pitlick was a revelation Friday night as McLaughlin and Duran scored goals and McLaughlin earned the primary helper on Frederic Brunet’s score.
— Marc McLaughlin had awful puck luck last season but has had a hot stick lately with goals in five straight games. He had a goal and an assist on Friday, a goal on Saturday and another goal on Sunday. After scoring 8 goals in 68 games last season, he already has 5 goals in 15 games.
— Tyler Pitlick, who played a strong two-way game with a goal and an assist on Sunday, turned in the OT shift of the season so far on Friday, taking it to the net himself for a chance then hunting the puck down and setting up Fabian Lysell for a great opportunity. He has 4-6-10 in 12 games while playing on a PTO.
— Riley Duran scored a nice goal on a strong move to the net on Friday and added an assist later in the game.
— Fabian Lysell had two assists and hit a post and crossbar on Sunday. “It was good to see Fabian play better today,” said Mougenel.
— Brandon Bussi made a 10-bell side-to-side save on a Grade A shorthanded chance by Hartford’s Anton Blidh with 6:34 left in the second period on Saturday.
— Vinni Lettieri had a goal and an assist in Hartford. He leads the team with 8-5-13 in 15 games.
— The puck is not going in for feisty Trevor Kuntar (no goals in 13 games), but he flattened Hartford’s Brandon Scanlin with a clean check in the third period on Saturday even though Scanlin has four inches and 15 pounds on him.
— Matt Poitras recorded his first AHL point with a secondary assist on Vinni Lettieri’s goal in Hartford.
— Frederic Brunet scored his first goal of the year on Friday.
BAD
— NHL callups are part of the deal in the AHL, but the P-Bruins took a major hit on Friday night when they were missing four top players in Patrick Brown, Georgii Merkulov, Jordan Oesterle and Riley Tufte.
— Just 23 seconds after cutting Hartford’s lead to one goal late in the game on Saturday, the P-Bruins allowed a Matt Rempe goal that restored the Wolf Pack lead.
— Fabian Lysell remains stuck on one goal. His only tuck of the season came on Oct. 19 in Springfield. He had a glittering opportunity in OT on Friday, all alone 15 feet in front of the net with the puck on his stick, but he shot it wide.
— Matt Poitras gave the puck away behind the Providence net at the start of the sequence that ended up with Casey Fitzgerald’s goal for Hartford in the third period on Saturday. All in all, it was an underwhelming first three AHL games for Poitras.
— Sunday was the first time the P-Bruins lost a game after leading going into the third period.
— They were shorthanded four times on Friday and gave up two goals.
— While the Bruins played in Hartford on Saturday, the Monsters had the night off.
Max Jones celebrates after muscling in a loose puck from the edge of the crease on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
Things are looking up for the Providence Bruins.
They were struggling heading into their first three-in-three weekend of the season, but they reeled off three consecutive wins as their offense came to life.
The P-Bruins started at home on Friday with a 3-2 win over the Bridgeport Islanders. In Saturday’s return match in Connecticut, Providence broke open a close game in the third period and rolled to an 8-4 victory. Back home against the Hartford Wolf Pack on Sunday, they fell behind in the first period but clawed their way to a 4-2 win.
“I liked our team game. A lot of guys stepped up and it showed,” coach Ryan Mougenel said after Sunday’s game. “It hasn’t been an easy start, but I think we’re going to be a better team for it. I really liked the buy in and the dig in from, especially, our older guys. They did a great job of leading and setting the right example.”
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— The power play was last in the league on Friday but after going 6 for 15 in the three games it climbed up to 19th as of Sunday night. The penalty kill chipped in with a shorthanded goal on Friday and again on Saturday.
— The three wins evened Providence’s record at 6-6.
— Providence scored four straight goals in 3:07 to pull away in Saturday’s game.
— Tyler Pitlick had two assists in Bridgeport, then scored the winner and added an assist on Sunday.
— Vinni Lettieri could have shot the puck into the open net himself late in Sunday’s game, but instead unselfishly passed it to Patrick Brown, who scored an easy goal to salt away the win. Lettieri scored a goal on Friday and a goal and an assist on Saturday. He is tied for the team lead in scoring with 7-4-11 in 12 games.
— Georgii Merkulov is heating up. He had assists on Friday and Sunday and a goal and two helpers on Saturday. He is tied with Lettieri in points with 2-9-11 in 12 games.
— Michael DiPietro stuffed Bridgeport’s Julien Gauthier on a penalty shot with 6:07 remaining in the game on Friday. After posting wins on Friday and Sunday, DiPietro is 5-2 with a 1.70 goals-against average, which is fourth in the AHL.
— Max Jones had a solid first two games. He scored his first Providence goal on Sunday.
— Mike Callahan is playing some of the best hockey of his three years with the Bruins.
— Ian Mitchell scored the game-winning goal and added an assist on Saturday.
— Brandon Bussi stopped 32 shots in recording his first victory of the season against the Islanders on Saturday.
— Jeffrey Viel and Riley Duran had a good weekend on the penalty kill. Viel buried the shorthanded GWG on Friday and Duran scored his first goal of the year on Saturday night with help from Viel.
— The P-Bruins have had the fifth-most power-play opportunities in the league with 52.
— Marc McLaughlin has goals in his last two games.
— John Farinacci scored goals 2:11 apart on Saturday.
— Joey Abate provided some energy with a fight against Eetu Liukas in Bridgeport.
— Ryan Mast had two assists on Friday.
BAD
— The P-Bruins allowed Bridgeport to score just 15 seconds into the second period on Saturday. They gave up another one with 38 seconds left in the same period.
— They were outshot, 15-7, by the Islanders in the third period on Friday.
— Jeffrey Viel leads the AHL with 10 minor penalties.
UGLY
— Mike DiPietro was victimized by an awful bounce on Sunday. A rim from center ice bounced off the backboards, hit DiPietro in the back of the leg and deflected into the net for Hartford’s first goal
A five-day, three-game road trip to Ontario and Quebec started well for the Providence Bruins but ended on a sour note.
In Belleville on Wednesday night, the P-Bruins gutted out a 3-2 shootout win thanks to Michael DiPietro’s standout performance in goal.
Moving on to Laval, Providence lost 2-1 on Friday and then dropped a 6-3 decision on Saturday as they continued to have trouble scoring.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— Mike DiPietro stopped 35 of 37 shots and all three in the shootout in the win in Belleville. His 1.59 goals-against average is ninth in the AHL. His .940 save percentage is 11th.
— Vinni Lettieri scored a goal on Saturday and leads the team in scoring with 5-2-7 in 9 games.
— Joey Abate scored his first goal of the season in Belleville on Wednesday and Georgii Merkulov did the same in Laval on Friday.
— Brett Harrison scored the only goal in the shootout victory in Belleville.
— Stick tap for Frederic Brunet. He challenged Laval pest Xavier Simoneau to drop the gloves on Saturday and then handled the mouthy Frenchman, whose bark is worse than his bite.
BAD
— Providence finished the weekend in the Atlantic Division basement, tied with Springfield and Bridgeport.
— The P-Bruins have scored 19 goals in 9 games. Only Utica (16) and Chicago (11) have scored fewer.
— Marc McLaughlin, Riley Duran, Brett Harrison and Trevor Kuntar are all still looking for their first goal of the season.
— Puck luck has been hard to come by lately. On Saturday, the P-Bruins were 50 seconds away from escaping the first period with a lead, but then Laval’s Vincent Arseneau threw a pass in the general direction of a teammate and it clanked off Freddy Brunet’s skate and into the net, tying the score at one.
— After allowing 5 goals on 21 shots in Saturday’s loss, Brandon Bussi is 0-4 with a save percentage of .850.
— Providence was outscored 13-6 in its three losses to Laval this season and simply could not stop defenseman Logan Mailloux, who had 3-6-9 in the three games.
— The P-Bruins have scored the first goal seven times in nine games, but have gone on to win only three of those games.
— They’ve been outscored 15-5 in the second period.
— If you were surprised that things got out of control near the end of Saturday’s game then you obviously are not familiar with the work of referee Mathieu Menniti.
UGLY
— Providence has scored twice and given up two shorthanded goals on 37 power play opportunities. At 5.4 percent, the PP is last in the AHL.
— Injured: Alec Regula, Fabian Lysell, Billy Sweezey, Jaxon Nelson
Billy Sweezey of the Bruins made quick work of Hershey’s Brennan Saulnier in a Friday night bout. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
It was a frustrating weekend for the Providence Bruins. They played the two-time defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears tough at home on Friday night and Sunday afternoon but dropped a pair of 2-1 decisions.
They are 2-4 and in sixth place in the Atlantic Division, continuing a trend of relatively slow starts in the opening weeks over the last few seasons.
“We made one huge mistake on the first goal where I thought we were playing pretty well,” coach Ryan Mougenal said after Sunday’s game. “And after they scored the second goal, we were asleep at the wheel for the next five minutes. The games are about momentum and how do you steal momentum and how do you get it back. They get a lucky bounce off (the linesman) for the second goal, but those are things that happen, that’s part of the game. It’s how you respond.
“I’m not going to lie to you, there were guys that I’m not happy with their response, for sure. When (the coaching staff is) on the bench and we’re the cheerleaders trying to provide energy, it can’t just be us and our leadership. It’s got to be other guys stepping up. We just don’t have that right now.
“They’re fighting it a little bit, our offensive guys. I feel like they have a lot of pressure on them to score. But they need to understand that Hershey (playing their third game in three days) literally outworked us. I have a problem with that. There were learning moments for sure, but our best players have to be our best players.”
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— After scoring on Sunday, Vinni Lettieri leads the team in goals with four.
— Tyler Pitlick scored his first goal with the P-Bruins on Friday.
— The P-Bruins received a gift in the first period on Sunday when linesman Jared Waitt dropped the puck before Hershey center Spencer Smallman was ready on a faceoff in the Hershey end. Uncontested, Georgii Merkulov drew the puck to Vinni Lettieri, who fired it past Hunter Shepard for Providence’s only goal.
— Michael DiPietro’s 1.34 save percentage is seventh in the league.
— After going 1-3 in their first four home games, hitting the road for a game in Belleville and two in Laval this week might be a good change.
BAD
— It’s nearly impossible to win if you’re averaging only two goals per game, which is where Providence is with only 12 goals in six games. Georgii Merkulov, Brett Harrison, Riley Duran, Trevor Kuntar and Marc McLaughlin have zero goals. Fabian Lysell and John Farinacci are stuck on one.
— And it’s hard to win in the AHL, especially against a team as good as Hershey, with youngsters on defense. In both games, Providence had two rookies and a second-year pro playing D.
— Hershey’s Henrik Rybinski made contact with Brandon Bussi in the Providence crease just before the Bears’ tying goal in the second period on Sunday. Referee Morgan MacPhee was in perfect position and looking right at the play, but he called it a good goal.
— There was no need for MacPhee to call an unsportsmanlike penalty on Trevor Kuntar after the horn at the end of Sunday’s game. The last thing the AHL needs is another thin-skinned young referee with no feel for the game.
— Until early in the third period on Sunday, the power plays were five to one in Hershey’s favor.
UGLY
— Brutal game on Sunday for linesman Jared Waitt. Not only did he blow the drop on the faceoff that led to Providence’s goal in the first period, but in the third period an attempted shoot-in bounced off Waitt’s skate and directly to Hershey sniper Ethen Frank, who sailed in and fired the puck past Brandon Bussi for what turned out to be the winning goal.
— Providence’s power play has gone zero for the last five games. It is 30th in the AHL at 4.3 percent.
Springfield’s Leo Loof is about to take a seat at the end of his bout with Jeffrey Viel of Providence on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
The Providence Bruins split their two weekend games against the Springfield Thunderbirds.
They lost, 4-2, on the road on Saturday, then came back with a better performance in a 3-0 win in the rematch at home on Sunday.
The P-Bruins are 2-2 after the first four games of the season.
“We’re still building our identity,” said coach Ryan Mougenel on Sunday.
“It’s getting to the point where we’ve got to recognize what’s winning hockey and what’s not. I feel like we’re a team right now that needs to grind it out a little bit so it’s good that the guys responded and found ways to score and defend the right way. There’s still things in our game that, to have a consistent winning environment, you’ve got to do.”
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— Fabian Lysell made a highlight-reel move and scored his first goal of the season on Saturday. He was feisty and dialed in on Sunday and played his best game of the season, creating chances and setting up a goal by Jordan Oesterle.
— Jeffrey Viel gave the team a lift in the first period on Sunday with a bout against Leo Loof. “I thought that Jeffrey Viel stepping up and fighting set the right tone,” Mougenel said. Providence took the lead within a couple of minutes of Viel’s fight.
— Jordan Osterle had an assist on Saturday and a goal on Sunday. He continues to lead the team in scoring with 2-3-5 in four games.
— Michael DiPietro was solid as a rock on Sunday, pitching a 23-save shutout. DiPietro is 2-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and .962 save percentage.
— John Farinacci scored his first goal of the season with a strong move to the net on Saturday, then assisted on a goal by Vinni Lettieri on Sunday.
— Ryan Mast isn’t known for taking chances in the offensive zone but he made a good pinch that led to Lettieri’s goal in the first period of Sunday’s game.
— Patrick Brown, who scored an empty net goal to clinch Sunday’s win, was named team captain. He’s a great choice.
— Providence added a solid pro to the lineup with the signing of Tyler Pitlick to a PTO.
BAD
— The power play is 28th in the AHL at 6.3 percent and is 0 for its last 15.
— The P-Bruins gave up a goal off a defensive faceoff in the last minute of the first period on Saturday.
— Providence allowed two goals in 27 seconds midway through Saturday’s game, digging a hole they couldn’t climb out of.
— With the P-Bruins guarding a two-goal lead with 6:46 left on Sunday, Fabian Lysell committed an egregious turnover, leading to a clean breakaway by Marcus Sylvegard that was turned away by Michael DiPietro. It was no time for Lysell to attempt a risky one-on-one move.
Providence’s Jeffrey Viel was pumped after punishing Laval’s Luke Tuch in a fight on Friday night. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
Two games down, 70 to go.
The Providence Bruins earned a split on the first weekend of the 2024-25 season.
They started fast but quickly lost their way in a disappointing 5-2 loss to the Laval Rocket in the opener at home on Friday, then dug in for a 3-2 road win against the Bridgeport Islanders on Saturday.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— Vinni Lettieri scored goals in both games. It’s great to have him back.
— Jordan Oesterle had an excellent weekend. The veteran defenseman earned primary assists on both Providence goals on Friday, then scored the shorthanded game-winner in Bridgeport.
— Good start for rugged winger Jeffrey Viel. He demolished Laval’s Luke Tuch in a fight, much to the delight of Friday night’s big crowd, then took a picture-perfect stretch pass from Mike Callahan and scored a breakaway goal on Saturday.
— Mike DiPietro earned the win in Bridgeport, stopping 28 of 30 shots.
— Getting Ian Mitchell back from Boston should provide a good boost for the P-Bruins.
— The home opener drew a crowd of 9,189.
BAD
— Providence jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first 11 minutes against Laval, then allowed five straight goals. That’s no way to start a season with a big crowd in the building.
— After scoring early in Friday’s game, the power play went 0 for 8 for the rest of the weekend and gave up a shorthanded goal in Bridgeport.
— The lack of sustained attack in both games was alarming. Providence generated only 14 shots on Friday and 20 on Saturday.
— Tough night for Jimmy Lambert – minus-3 – against Laval.
Trevor Kuntar scores one of his three goals against Springfield in a preseason game on Oct. 5. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
The Providence Bruins have finished first in the Atlantic Division three times and second once in the last five years. The last time they missed the playoffs was 2011-12, Bruce Cassidy’s first year as head coach.
It’s a safe bet – maybe even a mortal lock – that they’ll be in the playoffs once again at the end of this season.
Injuries and callups can always change things, but with the current lineup the P-Bruins figure to finish closer to the top of the Atlantic Division standings than to the bottom.
This year’s edition, featuring a good mix of youngsters and veterans, is strong in goal and on defense with proven scorers up front.
“The identity of the Bruins is the same and speaks for itself. We want to compete hard every night, be on our toes,” said Evan Gold, Providence general manager.
“The mix is nice. We’ve always aimed for that mix of young players who are going to play important roles for us up and down the lineup. We’ve added what we feel are some strong vets that our pro (scouting) group worked hard to identify to complement some of the youth that we have and help drive the bus both on and off the ice for us.”
From the net out, here’s how the team looks as the season opens at home against the Laval Rocket on Friday night.
GOALTENDING
There was some turbulence in the goalie department at the end of Boston training camp, but when the smoke cleared Providence remained in excellent shape with Brandon Bussi and Michael DiPietro returning. Both posted strong numbers last season.
Bussi was placed on waivers the same day Jeremy Swayman agreed on a new eight-year, $66 million contract. He went unclaimed. DiPietro had passed through waivers a couple of days earlier.
Both could be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, so they have every incentive to have a big year.
“Obviously, waivers is never a fun thing for anyone. Buss is a total pro. I think he’s excited to continue working in our organization. For both it’s come to work every day, you never know when that next opportunity is going to come. I think they are really firmly planted right now in the present and very committed to help this team,” Gold said.
“The goaltending should be solid every night no matter who is in there.”
DEFENSE
Defense should be a strong suit, especially when Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula join the lineup.
Mitchell is a puck mover and power-play point man who would not look out of place in a number of NHL lineups.
Two-way D-man Regula was having a fine year for Providence last year before being sidelined by an ankle injury.
New this year, Jordan Oesterle brings 371 games of NHL experience.
Opposition forwards will want to keep their heads up when new addition Billy Sweezey, coming off a good camp with Boston, is on the ice.
Steady Mike Callahan returns for his third pro season and Frederic Brunet is back for his second year.
Rookie Jackson Edward is a feisty defender who gets under the skin of the opposition and Drew Bavaro, another first-year pro, has a big shot from the point.
Ryan Mast and Mason Millman round out the D corps.
“We need to get a little bit healthy right now, a couple of guys (Mitchell and Regula) banged up. But if we have the full complement we expect to have, it should be a strength and it should be competition every night for playing time, but in a positive way where we’ll make sure the vets are getting their touches and also the kids are getting the important touches they need to develop,” said Gold.
FORWARDS
At the top of the lineup, Georgii Merkulov, Fabian Lysell, Patrick Brown and Vinni Lettieri are very good AHL players.
There’s a very good chance all four will see time in Boston at one time or another this season.
Jeffery Viel figures to be a fan favorite. He finishes every check and is willing to fight anyone, even Zdeno Chara a few years back. Seventeen goals for Manitoba last year and 15 for San Jose the year before that demonstrate that he can play, too.
Rookie Riley Duran opened some eyes in Boston camp. He’s a prospect to watch.
Keep an eye on Brett Harrison, too. Often physically overmatched as a rookie last season, he’s added strength and displayed a deft scoring touch in Boston camp.
Trevor Kuntar is a rat who gets in the face of opposing players from the opening puck drop. He put up 10 goals and 113 penalty minutes in his first year. More goals and fewer stick penalties would be a positive for him.
John Farinacci is stronger after a full summer of training and is looking to build on a solid rookie year.
Veteran Tyler Pitlick (420 NHL games) is a wild card. He attended Providence camp on a PTO and was a standout but isn’t on the opening night roster. If they get him under contract he’d be a nice addition to the lineup.
No one works harder than Marc McLaughlin, who had no puck luck whatsoever last season and is looking to put up better numbers this year.
Jimmy Lambert gave the P-Bruins an injection of energy in the playoffs last season after spending the year in Maine. He’s played very well in Providence’s camp.
Joey Abate brings non-stop energy and physicality.
Jaxon Nelson has size and was good on draws in college, but hasn’t shown much offense since signing out of Minnesota last spring.
Adam Mechura rounds out the forward contingent.
“On paper, there should be a really good, deep complementary group. Our pro (scouting) group worked really hard – we wanted to identify competitive players and add some strength to the group, a willingness to not only play on the interior but cycle pucks and be heavier on pucks,” said Gold.
“Those types of things – the type of player we graduated in (Justin) Brazeau — that’s probably a good example of some of the things we’ve talked about as a group internally.”
Coach Ryan Mougenel likes what he’s seen so far. “I think we have some offense, some guys that can put the puck past goalies. There might be a couple of sleepers, a couple of Justin Brazeaus, in the mix here.”
LOOKING AHEAD
I make this point every October: You never know what you’re going to get in the six-and-a-half-month battle of attrition that is the AHL schedule. The roster on opening night might not be what you finish with in April.
Veterans aren’t a lock to play as well as in previous seasons. Prospects that are expected to thrive don’t always do so. There’s callups and injuries and trades, Oh My!
Having said that, I’m optimistic that this will be another very entertaining season at the AMP.
The Hershey Bears, Calder Cup champs for two straight years, are the favorite in the Atlantic Division. They always are. But the P-Bruins should be able to give them a run for their money.
“You’ve got to wrestle the belt away from the champs,” said Gold. “Look, it’s a long season. Our goals right now are to get going, to build our game, to build an identity among our group and really focus on the details of preparation and playing the right way.”
BUFFALO – The Boston Bruins rookies got goals from Brett Harrison, Lucas Romeo and Adam Mechura, but lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime, 4-3, on the second day of the Prospects Challenge on Saturday.
In a contest that was spiced by three fights, the Bruins rallied from two goals down in the first period and one goal down in the third to force OT.
“It was spirited, there was a lot of good energy. The guys competed, which we wanted to see,” said coach Ryan Mougenel.
“I thought a lot of the nerves were out compared to the first game, but (there were) a lot of really good things. You could see a little bit of the separation from guys that have played (in the AHL), like (John Farinacci), and I thought Riley Duran was excellent.”
Here are notes on four players.
JACKSON EDWARD
Edward isn’t one of those players who lets his performance speak for itself. While walking the walk as an aggressive defender on the ice, he also talks the talk.
Sitting near ice level for Friday’s game against Pittsburgh, I heard Edward going at it verbally with the Pens players virtually nonstop. There was less chatter on Saturday, but Edward still directed a fair number of chirps in the direction of Columbus players.
“I just think it’s more fun when you get into the game. I’ve always been competitive. I just like to get into it,” he said after assisting on a third-period goal that tied the score.
Earlier in the game, Edward drew a roughing penalty for horse-collaring a Columbus player and throwing him to the ice.
Mougenel likes what he’s seen and heard so far from the former London Knights defenseman, who is ticketed for Providence this season.
“I think that’s a little bit of his game, for sure. I like the physicality, I like that he has juice. He plays the game with confrontation and I like that. As he goes along he’s going to have to realize that he has to back it up and that’s a whole ‘nother conversation, but he’s involved. He makes noise. I like it and we welcome it. He’s not dry toast,” he said.
Edward acknowledges there will be lessons to learn as a first-year pro.
“I still think I’m defining my game. I think I have tool sets in different areas of the game. I think that’s the main thing this year in pro is going to be defining my game. I think I defend well, I like playing (against) top lines. I can bring some offense and I think I have some to unlock. I like playing aggressive,” he said.
RILEY DURAN
Playing on a line with Farinacci and Brett Harrison, Duran turned in his second strong game in a row.
The former Providence College winger played well in the AHL after turning pro last spring and that’s continued in Buffalo.
“He looks faster in pro than he did in college, he plays faster. He plays with, not a reckless abandon, but there’s a tenacity. ‘I don’t have to worry about what’s happening behind me, I’m going to do my job.’ It’s freeing for him,” said Jamie Langenbrunner, Bruins assistant general manager, player personnel.
“He’s been very impressive here. He was impressive when he stepped into Providence, played well in the playoffs. He got a big opportunity playing pretty high in the lineup and really took it. He’s extremely strong in battles. His motor doesn’t stop.
“His ability to get in on the forecheck is something we desire in our group and you don’t have to ask him twice to do it. He gets there and causes the D to be under a little bit of duress, which is important. And he’s making enough plays. He’s a guy that’s probably ahead of where we would have placed him coming in and that’s great.”
JOHN FARINACCI
After playing 79 NCAA games across three years at Harvard, Farinacci played a total of 75 games in Providence as a first-year pro last season. He had a good start, but appeared to run out of gas in the second half.
“I won’t say it was unexpected that he was going to hit a wall,” said Langenbrunner.
To be more prepared for his second year, Farinacci trained all summer at Warrior Arena with head performance coach Kevin Neeld and his staff. Early returns are very positive.
“He’s had a really strong first two days here and been a very effective player. He looks stronger in battles, winning a lot of one-on-one battles. He looks stronger over the puck. He’s learning what it means to be a pro and being over the puck instead of reaching and getting away with it. I think in general even his first step maybe looks a little bit better. That’s an area that we knew and he knew that he has to focus on,” said Langenbrunner.
BRETT HARRISON
After scoring once on Friday, Harrison added another on Saturday.
His decision to spend the month of August in Boston preparing for the season is paying dividends.
“I’ve been skating there, working with (skills and skating coach Tom Ford). I feel a lot quicker and a lot stronger. I’m not getting pushed off in battles. That’s helped. And just the confidence, being in Boston a month early has gotten me used to all the guys. Skating with all the NHLers, I’ve gained confidence with them and I’ve just brought that on the ice here. I feel good. My body feels good,” Harrison said.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
New Jersey native John Farinacci on the late Johnny Gaudreau
“Growing up, I had a Johnny Hockey T-shirt from when he was at BC. In those days, I think every kid from New Jersey wanted to be like him.”
Rinkside Rhode Island 