John Farinacci scored Providence’s only goal on Sunday in Bridgeport. He is tied for the team lead in points with 5-7-12 in 13 games. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)

After winning five of six, the Providence Bruins plummeted back to earth over the weekend.

They lost all three of their games while scoring a measly four goals.

The weekend started with a 4-2 loss at home to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. It was one of Providence’s weakest offensive efforts of the season. The P-Bruins showed more life on Saturday but lost to the Penguins again, 2-1. Traveling to Bridgeport on Sunday, Providence fell, 3-1, to the Islanders.

“We’re struggling to score,” coach Ryan Mougenel said after Saturday’s loss. “We have to make a decision to play the way we need to play. Some guys are doing it, for sure. Other guys are on their own page.”

Here’s the good, bad and ugly.

GOOD

— Georgii Merkulov, John Farinacci and Justin Brazeau scored a total of a goal and an assist in the three games. They were the only players with more than a point.

Ryan Mougenel had this to say about Merkulov after Saturday’s loss: “Merk’s one guy I’m extremely happy with. He works his tail off.”

— The P-Bruins scored twice in 22 seconds to make a game of it on Friday.

— Reilly Walsh scored his first goal of the season on Saturday night.

BAD

— Providence finished the weekend in seventh place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 6-7-1-2.

— Alex Nedeljkovic of the Penguins hit dead center on the empty net for a goal on Friday. When the opposition goalie buries one, well, that’s never a good thing.

— After Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored goals from around the Providence crease in the two games against the Penguins. Ryan Mougenel wasn’t happy with his defense.

 “You want to be a Bruin, you’ve got to box out, you’ve got to get under sticks, you’ve got to be mean. Right now there’s not a lot of mean back there,” he said.

— The P-Bruins have allowed 49 goals. Only four teams have given up more.

— When it rains, it pours: The team will spend Thanksgiving in Allentown, Pa.

UGLY

— Injured: Parker Wotherspoon, Vincent Arseneau, Fabian Lysell.

— The P-Bruins had just one shot in the second period on Friday and only five in the third period.

— The power play went 0 for 13 in the three games. The P-Bruins have had 76 power play opportunities, second-most in the league. But the PP’s success rate is 24^th at 14.5 percent.

Jesper Boqvist tucks the puck past Hartford goalie Dylan Garand for the game-winning goal in overtime on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)

It was the best weekend of the season so far for the Providence Bruins as they won all three games and walked away with six out of six points.

The P-Bruins opened with a sloppy 5-4 decision against the Springfield Thunderbirds at home on Friday.

Providence played a very strong road game on Saturday and earned a 2-0 win against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Back home on Sunday, the P-Bruins notched an entertaining 3-2 overtime win against Hartford.

“I think the guys should be real proud of how they responded from a real tough Tuesday practice. The response was fantastic. The quality of some of the veteran players kind of led the way with (Dan) Renouf and Mike Callahan, I guess, is one of those veteran players now. That’s happened pretty quickly,” coach Ryan Mougenel said after Sunday’s win.

“The most important thing is that we’re playing the way we need to play to have success. The things that we value as foundations are being bought into. At the end of the day, that translates into wins.”

Here’s the good, bad and ugly.

GOOD

— After Fabian Lysell put the puck on his tape, Jesper Boqvist raced in and scored the game-winning goal in overtime on Sunday to cap a terrific weekend for Providence.

“I thought him and Fabian had a little bit of a connection and (Trent Whitfield) should take full credit for putting those two together in overtime. That was a fantastic goal,” said Mougenel.

— Did not expect an offensive explosion from Dan Renouf this weekend but that’s what he delivered. He buried the game-winner with 1:46 left in Friday’s game, plus he had three assists, then he scored a critical insurance goal on Saturday.

— Michael DiPietro was outstanding in stopping all 34 of Hartford’s shots on Saturday, starting with a nice stop of an Adam Edstrom shorthanded breakaway 52 seconds into the game. He committed highway robbery, as Fred Cusick used to say, with a glove save on Riley Nash on a Wolf Pack power play midway through the first period. And he stood tall in the third, stopping all 19 Hartford shots.

DiPietro has a .935 save percentage in three starts.

— Brandon Bussi turned in a strong game on Sunday, turning aside 35 of 37 shots in the win.

— There’s been an uptick in Fabian Lysell’s play since he was benched for a period by coach Ryan Mougenel on Oct. 22. He scored a goal on Friday night and sent in Jesper Boqvist for the game-winner in OT on Sunday after earning an assist earlier in the game on Marc McLaughlin’s power-play goal. He leads the team with 4-8-12 in 13 games.

— The fourth line of Brett Harrison/Trevor Kuntar/Curtis Hall had a strong game on Saturday, combining for seven shots. Hall scored after a good play by Kuntar on a faceoff in Hartford’s end in the first period. Kuntar kicked the puck to Hall, who scored his first goal of the season. In the third period Hall and Harrison did some good digging on the boards, leading to Dan Renouf’s goal, which doubled Providence’s lead. Hall and Harrison were credited with assists.

— Georgii Merkulov scored a goal and played a strong all-around game on Friday. Ryan Mougenel said it was the best game he’d ever seen Merkulov play.

— Alec Regula scored a goal and was plus-three in Friday’s win.

— Special teams had an excellent weekend. The penalty kill was 7 for 7. The power play scored a pair of goals on Sunday. The Fabian Lysell to John Farinacci to Marc McLaughlin goal in the third period was a thing of beauty. With his score, McLaughlin snapped a stretch of 10 games without a goal.

BAD

— The way Reilly Walsh and Jakub Zboril mismanaged the puck leading up to Will Bitten’s goal early in the second period on Friday was … not good. The P-Bruins had just taken the lead, then they gave up the tying goal 17 seconds later.

— Providence was outshot, 19-2, in the third period in Hartford.

— Brandon Bussi allowed two goals on the first five shots on Friday.

— It would have been nice to see exactly what Parker Wotherspoon did to earn a game misconduct at the end of the second period on Saturday, but the AHLtv feed from Hartford immediately switched to between periods mode and didn’t show it. Lame.

UGLY

— Ugly is canceled for the week. I don’t even have anything negative to say about the refereeing.

The Providence Bruins returned from a three-game road trip to Pennsylvania and Ohio in better shape than when they left.

Struggling as they started the week, the P-Bruins took some positive steps and earned four out of six points.

The trip started with a gritty 3-1 win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday. The P-Bruins moved on to Cleveland and the offense got untracked in a 7-3 victory over the Monsters on Friday night. In the rematch on Saturday night, Providence led late in the game but gave up two goals and lost, 5-4.

While the P-Bruins finished the weekend in seventh place in the Atlantic Division, they are only four points behind the second-place Hartford Wolf Pack.

Here’s the good, bad and ugly.

GOOD

— It was the best week of the young season by miles for Fabian Lysell. He scored a goal and assisted on two in Friday’s win, then sniped a goal off the rush and added an assist on Saturday. Lysell now leads the team in scoring with 3-6-9 in 10 games.

— Brandon Bussi won both his starts and added to his already impressive highlight reel with a fabulous stop on Jonathan Gruden of the Penguins. With Providence up by a goal in the final minutes, Gruden had the whole net to shoot at before Bussi, without his stick, slid over and made the save with his blocker glove. Incredible.

— Anthony Richard scored his first goal of the season and assisted on Lysell’s goal on Saturday night.

— John Farinacci stripped flashy Columbus first-rounder Kent Johnson of the puck and, with a nifty backhand finish, scored a breakaway shorthanded goal late in Saturday’s game. He also had an assist. Farinacci is second on the team with 4-4-8 in 10 games and his plus-9 is tied for second in the league.

— Vincent Arseneau had a very good week. His first goal of the season was the game-winner against the Penguins. He posted a Gordie Howe hat trick on Friday that included a one-sided win in the fight. On Saturday, he knocked Samuel Knazko into next week with a clean check.

— The power play went 3 for 7 on Friday.

— Justin Brazeau has goals in two straight games. Jakub Zboril has assists in three games in a row.

— 12 different Providence players recorded points on Friday.

— Luke Toporowski scored twice, including the game-winner, on Friday.

— Curtis Hall, a native of Ohio, was in the starting lineup in his home state for Friday’s game and earned primary assists on two goals.

— Thankfully, the team flew home from Cleveland. By bus, the trip would have been around nine hours.

BAD

— I don’t normally figure callups to Boston into the “Bad” part of this column. After all, providing players to the parent club is why the P-Bruins exist. But it’s worth mentioning Providence was without three top defensemen – Ian Mitchell, Mason Lohrei and Parker Wotherspoon – for the last three games.

— Kyle Keyser’s save percentage in his two starts is .842. Going with three goalies, as the P-Bruins are, isn’t good for anyone.

— Providence faces its first three-in-three weekend starting Friday.

— Play-by-play guys who reflexively gripe “And there’s no call!” every time someone on the team that signs their paychecks goes down need to shut the hell up. Save it for when there really is a missed call. Chances are it won’t be long.

— Speaking of which, referee Jordan Samuels-Thomas was 15 feet away and looking right at it when a Cleveland player’s slash broke the stick of Frederic Brunet in the second period. Seconds later, the puck was in Providence’s net.

— Ahead by one with under three minutes left in Saturday’s game, Providence gave up two goals in 1:32 and lost, 5-4.

UGLY

— The penalty kill is 31^st in the AHL at 70.7 percent. Cleveland scored three power play goals – including two 5 on 3s — on seven chances on Friday.

— It was after 4 a.m. on Thursday when Providence’s bus pulled into Cleveland after Wednesday night’s game at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

— Injured: Joey Abate

Providence’s Trevor Kuntar scored his first pro goal last week and got his first fight out of the way on Sunday against Springfield’s Sam Bitten. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)

It was another rough weekend for the Providence Bruins as they earned only one out of four points.

The P-Bruins fell behind by three goals in the first period at Springfield on Saturday and went on to lose, 5-2. In the rematch at home on Sunday, Providence got a point but lost in overtime, 3-2.

“It’s a great lesson for us that the details matter and defending first matters. Our standard’s not met here (so far) and it’s not acceptable. It’s fixable, which is the good news. Every team has to go through something. Ours is just early in the season,” said coach Ryan Mougenel.

“Our habits have to get better and a lot of it is coming from guys that we expect a lot more from, to be honest. That’s really the bottom line. You want to play and get a gift of getting in the lineup every night? Well, you’ve gotta do something when you’re there.

“Unfortunately, some guys, it’s not for lack of trying, it’s just lack of execution and lack of attention to detail.”

Here’s the good, bad and ugly.

GOOD

— Jesper Boqvist scored his first goal of the season on Saturday and recorded a team-high 5 shots.

— Providence scored power play goals in both games.

— On Sunday, after Springfield tied the game early in the third period, the P-Bruins responded with a goal by Justin Brazeau just 10 seconds later.

— The next three games are on the road for Providence, at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Cleveland.

“We need some time together. It will be good to get on the road,” Mougenel said.

BAD

— Referees Chris Waterstradt and Jeremy Tufts apparently switched to Hudson Bay Rules – anything goes — in overtime on Sunday. A blatant trip on Anthony Richard by Hugh McGing of the Thunderbirds right in front of Waterstradt 52 seconds in went uncalled. The puck went to the other end of the ice and Springfield scored to win the game.

On Saturday, Waterstradt and Andrew Bell made some Charmin-soft calls on both teams.

— Springfield scored on three of its first eight shots – within a span of 3:58 — on Saturday. They outshot Providence, 17-8, in the first period.

The P-Bruins got their act together and made a game of it, but the damage was done.

“I like our response after we called a timeout, but it shouldn’t take a timeout from the coach to be inspired to play the right way. It’s disappointing. We’ve always relied on our veterans to kind of send that message. It’s on me that they’re not ready to play. That’s inexcusable,” said Mougenel.

— Georgii Merkulov scored a goal on a wicked shot on Sunday, but was on the ice for all three goals against.

— Jakub Zboril was beaten wide by Matthew Peca, who broke in and scored Springfield’s fourth goal on Saturday.

UGLY

— With a record of 1-3-1-2 for 5 points, Providence finished the weekend in 25^th place in the AHL.

— Tough night for the penalty kill on Saturday as Springfield went 3 for 5 on the power play.

— Injured: Joey Abate

Providence’s Vincent Arseneau and Hershey’s Dylan McIlrath engaged in a heavyweight bout a couple of minutes into Saturday night’s game. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)

The second week of the AHL season was better than the first for the Providence Bruins, but not by a lot.

While they earned three out of six points in three home games, the P-Bruins still have lots of work to do to hit their stride.

On Wednesday, Providence did enough to earn its first victory of the season, a 4-2 decision over the Bridgeport Islanders. On Friday, they didn’t play well in a 3-2 loss to the Hershey Bears.

In a rematch on Saturday night, Providence showed plenty of character in the third period and forced overtime by scoring with nine seconds left in regulation time. They lost, 5-4, in a shootout, but they displayed good pushback in coming from behind twice to get to OT.

“I think it showed a lot. It said a lot. One of the messages before the game was it’s going to be a revealing game for the group. Not just individuals,” said coach Ryan Mougenel.

“(Vincent Arsenault) did an amazing job of stepping up for his teammates (by fighting Hartford’s Dylan McIlrath). Unfortunately, the response from some of our guys wasn’t the right thing. Things like that can’t go unaddressed. Your teammate steps up for you, for you guys. He’s fighting the toughest guy in the league. I’m proud of how a lot of the guys responded. I’m disappointed in some of the guys, as well.”

Here’s the good, bad and ugly. 

GOOD

— Vincent Arseneau dropped the gloves and went toe-to-toe with Hershey heavyweight Dylan McIlrath early in Saturday’s game. Arseneau was answering McIlrath’s cross-check to the back of Oskar Steen’s head at the end of Friday’s game.

“I can’t say enough about what he did,” said Mougenel.

— Trevor Kuntar had a good week and scored the first goal of his pro career against Bridgeport. Dan Renouf, Justin Brazeau, Georgii Merkulov, Fabian Lysell recorded their first goals of the season during the three games.

— John Farinacci is off to a good start to his rookie season. He’s tied for the team scoring lead with 2-3-5 in 5 games.

“I like everything about Farinacci. He probably hears it a lot, but there’s a reason why he got into Harvard. It’s reflected in the way that he plays. He’s a really good player, he’s smart and he’s building trust with the coaching staff. Those are the guys that go up and have longevity in the NHL is guys that coaches trust. You’re seeing it up (with Boston). (Jim Montgomery) has trust in (Johnny) Beecher,” said Mougenel.

“That’s an important thing and that’s what we’re trying to instill in our guys. You play the right way and the details are there, you are going to get rewarded. If you play on the move and cheat for offense, you’re not. That’s what it’s about sometimes.”

— Michael DiPietro won his first start of the season, stopping 23 of 25 shots against Bridgeport. He made a great stop on Arnaud Durandeau with 4:30 left and Providence shorthanded and protecting a one-goal lead.

— Luke Toporowski smoked a shorthanded goal past Bridgeport’s Jakub Skarek.

— Oskar Steen has started strong and leads the team in goals with 3 in 5 games.

BAD

— Mougenel benched Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov for the entire second period on Saturday night. They did return in the third period and play well.

“They’re young players, but sometimes to get young players’ attention you have to take some things away,” Mougenel said.

— Tough times for the power play, which went 1 for 16 in the three games. Providence had two lengthy 5 on 3s on Saturday night but didn’t score.

— Luckily, Oskar Steen was not injured on Dylan McIlrath’s cross-check, but he certainly could have been. McIlrath, who has played on the edge of the rules throughout his career, was assessed a two-minute penalty at the 20-minute mark of the third period, so he didn’t even have to serve it. The AHL reviewed the play and decided not to suspend McIlrath, though he was fined $200. The bottom line, then, is McIlrath paid a minimal penalty for a cross-check to an opponent’s head.

— The P-Bruins didn’t have much going in the Hershey end of the ice in Friday night’s game, mustering only 16 shots.

— Bridgeport’s first period goal was one that Michael DiPietro stops 9 times out of 10, but it got by him on Wednesday night.

UGLY

— Injured: Anthony Richard

Providence’s Luke Toporowski battles for the puck with Hartford’s Louis Domingue on Friday night. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)

The Providence Bruins didn’t get off to the start they were looking for in their first two games, coming away with one out of four points.

That one point was earned in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack before a big home crowd on Friday. After grabbing the lead in the first period, the P-Bruins made a lot of mistakes and were outplayed.

“Some of our guys that we’ve had a couple of years have to understand that the sexy play isn’t always the play. That’s on me to hold them accountable,” coach Ryan Mougenel said after the game.

On the road on Sunday afternoon, Providence started the third period with a lead but defensive mistakes cost them as they dropped a 4-3 decision to the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Here’s the good, bad and ugly.

GOOD

— After a terrific rookie season, Brandon Bussi picked up where he left off with a brilliant, 40-save performance against Hartford. He made a half dozen seemingly impossible saves and was the reason Providence was able to earn a point.

— Jayson Megna scored the team’s first goal of the season on a power play on Friday, converting a perfect dish from Luke Toporowski.

— Oskar Steen was a standout against Hartford with a goal and an assist and nine shots. If he had any luck around the net he might have had one or two more goals.

— Attendance at the home opener was 9,147.

— The overtime on Friday was wildly entertaining, with end-to-end action and great chances at both ends of the ice. 

— The power play is off to a good start, going 1 for 6 on Friday (but failing to convert on a 5 on 3 for just over a minute) and 2 for 5 on Sunday.

— Rookie John Farinacci scored his first pro goal and added an assist in Springfield. Luke Toporowski and Marc McLaughlin also scored their first goals of the year against the Thunderbirds.

— Providence outshot Springfield, 16-3, in the second period.

BAD

— The P-Bruins were outshot, 34-16, over the last two periods and overtime against Hartford.

— Providence gave up a goal 9 seconds into the third period in Springfield.

— The P-Bruins had the lead with under three minutes left in regulation time on Friday, but Alec Regula took a cross-checking penalty and Hartford pulled its goalie for an extra attacker and tied the game.

— Mason Lohrei was caught out of position inside the offensive blue line in the second period, leading to a 4 on 1 for the Thunderbirds. Lohrei’s partner Alec Regula made a great play to break up the rush.

— Fabian Lysell had the tying goal on his stick and a lot of net to shoot at in the final minute on Sunday, but he shanked the shot.

UGLY

— Injured: Dan Renouf

Brandon Bussi, making a save against Springfield in the preseason, is coming off a rookie year in which he went 22-5-4-1 with a .924 save percentage. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)

Get your popcorn ready. The puck drops on the Providence Bruins’ 32^nd season on Friday night and all indications are that it will be an entertaining one.

The P-Bruins have finished first in the Atlantic Division in three of the last four seasons. They start 2023-24 with a deep, fast, well-balanced team that figures to once again contend for the top of the division.

“We have depth in every position, which is going to be really important as the (Boston) Bruins work through some things,” said coach Ryan Mougenel, who went 80-43-13-8 in his first two seasons as head coach.

“Every line kind of has an identify, which is important. One of our real attributes is going to be our speed. I think we’re going to be real fast. And we’ve got a great blend of second-year guys that are going to take a huge step.”

Evan Gold, Providence’s general manager and Boston’s assistant GM, is excited about the team’s potential.

“We’re deep at all three positions. We like the makeup of the group. Hopefully we can maybe match up against other teams where the depth of our group and coming in waves and everyone playing our system to a T can wear down teams down.”

Here’s how the team looks.

FORWARDS

Providence has promising prospects up front in second-year pros Georgii Merkulov – second in scoring among AHL rookies last season — Luke Toporowski, Fabian Lysell and Marc McLaughlin.

Justin Brazeau, coming off his best year as a pro, is back, too, as is Oskar Steen, who had a good camp with Boston.

Veterans Anthony Richard, a 30-goal scorer for Laval last season, and Jayson Megna are free-agent additions who will be counted on to play important roles.

Jesper Boqvist starts the year in Providence after spending the last two seasons in the NHL with New Jersey.

Rookies Trevor Kuntar and John Farinacci have shown promise in the preseason. Farinacci scored a highlight-reel overtime goal against Springfield last week. Brett Harrison is another first-year player who will be in the mix.

Second-year winger Joey Abate will bring energy and get under the skin of opponents.

Veteran Vincent Arseneau, acquired from Vancouver, is an under-the-radar useful addition. He’ll keep the flies off the skill players and the youngsters.

“He understands his role. He’s also been in the league a long time and he’s improved as a player. We aren’t going to bring a guy in who can only do one thing,” said Gold.

“What impressed us is his understanding of when it’s important to be there for his teammates and also when it’s important – and you saw it in the exhibition game the other night – to just play the game. He has a good understanding of that.

“Off the ice, too, we’ve already seen that he takes opportunities to give some advice to the kids in terms of when to put in some extra work, and things like that. Even when he’s not in the lineup, I think his value to the organization will be there.”

Rounding out the roster are Curtis Hall and Adam Mechura.

“Hopefully we can generate a little more consistent offense this year, that’s through some of the young kids, too, as well as some of the vets,” said Gold.

DEFENSE

The P-Bruins have a nice combination of youth and experience as well as size on their D corps to start the season.

Mason Lohrei, Boston’s top defense prospect, starts the season in the AHL after a good camp with Boston.

Veterans Dan Renouf and new additions Alec Regula and Parker Wotherspoon will be counted on for steady minutes.

Mike Callahan looks to build on a solid rookie year and Reilly Walsh figures to continue to be a point-producer.

Looking to work his way back up to the NHL, Jakub Zboril starts the season in Providence.

Rookies Frederic Brunet and Ryan Mast round out the group.

GOAL

The net should be a strong suit.

Brandon Bussi, a revelation as a rookie last season, returns for his second year. He was an AHL Second Team All Star in ‘22-23.

Kyle Keyser and Michael DiPietro will compete for the backup job.

PREDICTION

You never really know what you’re going to get in the AHL regular season, which is a six-and-a-half-month battle of attrition. With callups and injuries, the roster you start with might not be what you finish with when April rolls around.

Having said that, there’s lots to like with this edition of the P-Bruins.

“I love our compete. I love our blend of vets and our youth,” said Mougenel.

While defending Calder Cup champ Hershey figures to be strong as usual, look for Providence to be right there with them in the hunt for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Johnny Beecher heads to Boston’s training camp this week after playing well at the Prospects Challenge.

BUFFALO – The Bruins rookies finished the Prospects Challenge with a 1-2 record after losing to the New Jersey Devils youngsters, 4-2, on Monday morning.

Curtis Hall and Brett Harrison, with his third of the tournament, scored the Boston goals. William Rousseau played the first two periods and gave up one goal. Samuel St. Hilaire took over in the third period and gave up two goals. The Devils added an empty netter near the end.

“A lot of the guys showed really well. At times it’s a tough tournament, too. Some of the older guys are banging the rust off, getting ready for main camp,” said coach Ryan Mougenel.

“Now the real bullets start to fly. Some of those guys that are going to push for a job, they might have a little bit of a leg up just because they’ve been getting bumped around a little bit and are understanding what it’s going to take to compete.”

Here are quick hits on three players.

JOHNNY BEECHER

Beecher played two games at center and one on the wing. While he didn’t have any goals, he did a lot of things right.

Finished his checks, won faceoffs, took care of details. In short, he was engaged.

On Monday, several times New Jersey defensemen were in full retreat when Beecher sped up the ice with the puck.

“That’s part of the growth of Beech. His speed is a gift. If he can create those races, he’s creating tons of anxiety for D. It’s taken some time,” said Mougenel. “I think, at the NHL level, you realize pretty quickly that’s going to be a little bit of his strength. Chipping the puck in, using the ice behind (the D), using his legs and pushing the D back and creating some space.”

Beecher had a lot to do with Boston’s second goal even though he wasn’t even on the ice.

“The goal only happens because Beech hunts (a Devils player) down, they ice the puck, we get an offensive zone faceoff (leading to the goal.) It’s things like that that he does that have value. When players start understanding the value of their gifts, they can build an identify. He’s doing that.”

Beecher should have plenty of confidence heading into Boston’s training camp.

MIKE CALLAHAN

Callahan was solid as a rock in both games he played.

He “showed that he’s kind of outgrown the tournament. He was outstanding,” Mougenel said.

“I hope he carries that into the main camp and understands that he’s come a long way and I think he’s ready to push. I’m excited for him.”

In Providence, Callahan had the usual ebbs and flows that rookies face last year. His performance in Buffalo indicates that he’s ready to take the next stop.

“He’s always been a very responsible and safe player. He completes a lot of plays. He’s first back on pucks, makes a lot of positive plays, and then he’s got a certain hardness that wasn’t necessarily built into him. He’s put it into his DNA. Kudos to him. He’s really bought into how we play. The other part of it for Cally is he’s a high-quality person,” Mougenel said.

“We’re going to count on him to be that leader (in Providence this season). We think that highly of the person and the player. I’m excited about his growth and his development. He’s put the time in and now we’re starting to see it.”

GEORGII MERKULOV

Coming off a tremendous rookie year in Providence, Merkulov was not at his best in Buffalo, though he did flash his considerable offensive skill with a perfect pass to Luke Toporowski off the rush for a goal on Friday against Pittsburgh.

He’ll have to be a lot better in Boston’s camp if he expects to challenge for an NHL job.

“We were fortunate enough to see him play last year, we know what he’s capable of. He’s one of those players – it’s a tough tournament for a player like Merk. I was hoping he could see the puck go in the net and build his confidence a little bit,” said Mougenel.

“Now it’s pen to paper, it’s rubber to road for Merk. He’s going to get an opportunity. He’s definitely a (Jim Montgomery) type of player, thinks the game extremely well.”

Playing in the defensive zone will be the key.

“You want to be a center in the National Hockey League? You have to buy into how we play in our own end. And that’s up to Merk now,” said Mougenel.

Matthew Poitras finished fifth in scoring in the OHL with 95 points in 63 games for Guelph last season. (Photo courtesy of Boston Bruins)

BUFFALO – Brains, not brawn, are what will open the door to the NHL for Bruins prospect Matthew Poitras.

But that doesn’t mean he’s not going to have to handle the hard knocks that are coming his way as a 5-foot-11, 176-pound center.

And it looks like he’s up for it.

After taking a couple of tough hits in Friday’s Prospects Challenge game against the Pittsburgh Penguins rookies, Poitras answered with one of his own.

When defenseman Ty Higgins took a run at him along the boards at the Pittsburgh blue line, Poitras sent him crashing to the ice.

“I like the competitiveness,” said Bruins assistant general manager Evan Gold. “It’s like, ‘OK, I get it. I know why I’m being targeted and I also know that I can dish it out, too.’ To me, that says a lot about a hockey player.”

Indeed, the Bruins are saying nothing but positive things about the 19-year-old Poitras, drafted in the second round (No. 54) in 2022.

His ability to think the game is at the top of the list.

“My favorite trait is probably his brain,” said Jamie Langenbrunner, Boston’s assistant GM for player personnel. “I think he has a good feel for the game. He puts himself in the right spots. He knows where the puck is going. One thing he does really well is play in tight areas. He knows how to make plays out of there and uses his body despite not being the biggest guy.”

Gold seconds that opinion. “I just love the hockey IQ on the kid. I like the way he’s wired, too. Seems like he’s wired to be a hockey player.”

This is the second trip to the Prospects Challenge for Poitras. He set up a goal in the first game on Friday and made smart plays all over the ice in both games.

“Comfort level is up. Been through it. Played three games last year. Second time around you kind of know what you can get away with out there. It’s a different kind of comfort level, having more confidence with the puck and things like that,” he said after Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Montreal.

“I feel like I’ve gained a step and feel a bit stronger on my edges. Being able to go against bigger guys in the corner and protect the puck and just have the puck on my stick, I feel like that’s when I’m most effective. Being able to hold off those guys and have more puck-possession time helps my game.”

Brayden Point (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) of the Tampa Bay Lightning is a player Poitras likes to watch.  

“I kind of see some similarities. He’s a smaller guy. He gets away with a lot of things because he’s strong on his edges and he’s fast. For me it’s about coming up the ice with the puck with speed. It opens up a lot more space,” he said.

Poitras is coming to Boston training camp intent on making the NHL team, which as you may have heard is down a pair of world-class centers in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Realistically, he is practically a lock to spend another season with Guelph of the OHL. (He’s not eligible to play in the AHL.)

“It would be great if he makes a push and makes a real hard decision for us. That’s a win-win for everyone no matter how it ends up,” said Gold.

Coming off a season in which he finished tied for fifth in OHL scoring with 16-79-95 in 63 games, there are plenty of things for Poitras to work on in 2023-24.

“It’s not as much statistics, it’s trying to round out my game. I really try to work on the D side of my game. Faceoffs – starting with the puck is a big thing. It makes the game a lot easier when you start with the puck. Things like that (are important) for me to be a centerman and play at the next level,” he said.

Langenbrunner wants Poitras to work on shooting.

“We’d like to see him continue to develop his shot. He’s obviously a very good and gifted playmaker and that’s the way he’s going to look at it first, but being more of a dual threat will help him make more plays, to be honest with you, showing that willingness to shoot it a little bit more. So we’re going to stress that more with him,” he said.

“The next thing would be pushing his team beyond where maybe they are supposed to be. That’s something any player can do, get the most out of whatever team you are on.”

Gold looks for Poitras to “be a leader, drive a line, be a good teammate.”

Poitras figures to be in the conversation for Canada’s team at the World Junior Championships

“I understand Canada has a lot of good players, but he has the type of game that complements high-end players. He has the ability to create and play in a lot of different ways,” said Langenbrunner.

“I think he’ll be in the mix,” said Gold. “One thing I would give him credit for is there is some versatility to his game, where he can play the wing, and I can see him helping their team even if he’s not the one C. He’s a player that can play different roles in different spots in the lineup.”

For his part, Poitras would like nothing more than to represent his country.

“It’s a dream of mine to play for Canada at the World Juniors. Watching it every year, it’s unreal. Best time of the year. If I get the opportunity to get called to camp in December, I’ll give it my all to try to make the team. It would be a dream come true,” he said.

BUFFALO — The Bruins got on the board early on a Trevor Kuntar goal but didn’t score again in a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday at the Prospects Challenge.

The Habs, whose final goal was an empty-netter, were opportunistic, while Boston failed to take advantage of its chances.

“We had the puck a lot on the outside. There wasn’t a lot of interior play. We completed a lot of plays, made a lot of plays, just couldn’t capitalize. There were some good things and some things obviously that we want to get out of their game before main camp starts,” said coach Ryan Mougenel.

“Playing fast is a big foundation for the Bruins. Guys that are just starting their pro careers are going to learn when you get pucks into good spaces and play fast for each other, that’s where the game is.”

Here are three quick hits from Day Two.

TREVOR KUNTAR

Kuntar had a solid game on Friday but no goals to show for it. On Saturday, he beat Montreal goalie Quentin Miller with a surprise backhander through traffic at 5:41 of the first period.

“I saw that they were giving me a lane to the net so I figured I might as well cut through and put it on net,” said Kuntar, 22, who played three years at Boston College after being drafted in the third round.

Mougenel likes what he’s seen so far.

“I love how he plays. He’s tenacious, he’s inside, he’s got some offensive ability. I think he’s going to be a real good pro. I think he’s one of those players whose game translates real well to pro hockey. I’ve liked a lot of the things that he’s done. He’s a little bit of a dog on a bone. The way the game’s going, guys like that that play hard and inside are at times hard to find. You really can’t win without guys like that.

“He’s a very coachable kid. Our scouting staff’s done a great job of identifying a player who is inquisitive and wants to get better. We’re really looking forward to working with him. (Providence assistant coach) Trent Whitfield thinks very highly of him. Trent’s got a real keen eye for guys whose games translate from the American League to the NHL. That’s real encouraging.”

JOHN FARINACCI

The 22-year-old, signed as a free agent, is finding his way. He played center at Harvard, but he was on the wing on Friday, then back in the middle on Saturday.

“(Friday) was a tough assignment. We put him on the wall just because we have a plethora of centers that we’re trying to get acclimated and he’s one of them, so there’s going to be time on the wall. He’s a natural center for sure. He has good offensive instincts and you saw that at times (Saturday). He’s a player that is smart and plays a certain clean game, efficient in the offensive zone,” said Mougenel.

“I’d like to see him shoot a little more. That’s just from him talking to me, conversations about shooting the puck, getting it off in a hurry. It’s a little bit different than college. Sometimes it’s important to get your shot off and follow it.”

FREDERIC BRUNET

A fifth-round draft pick who is expected to start his pro career in Providence, the 20-year-old defenseman is an exciting player with the puck on his stick.

He is capable of making high-end offensive plays, such as his feed to Brett Harrison for a power play goal on Friday. But his defensive play isn’t at the same level as his offense. He was caught out of position early in the second period on Saturday, leading to an odd-man rush and a goal for Montreal.

“He’s got offensive instincts, in his DNA, which is important. Sometimes it’s hard to put that in a player. We obviously want to encourage the offensive gifts that he has. Then on the other side of it, to defend and have a good stick and end plays before you’ve got to defend it, those are very teachable things. We’re excited about where his growth is. He’s come a long way from where he was last year,” said Mougenel.

“We got a little taste of him (at the end of last season) in Providence. I’ve been impressed with the player. I’ve been impressed with the kid. He’s another one of these kids that wants to get better and asks the right questions.”

The Bruins haven’t signed Brunet yet. Look for that to change by the start of the regular season.

“I expect in the next few weeks we’ll sort through all of that,” said assistant general manager Evan Gold before Saturday’s game.

“I liked his game (Friday). I think his game is trending in the right direction. There’s attributes we really like about the player and I really like the person, from what I know of him so far. All indications are we’ll be in a good spot with Freddy.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Assistant general manager Jamie Langenbrunner on Matthew Poitras:

“My favorite trait is probably his brain. I think he has a good feel for the game. He puts himself in the right spots. He knows where the puck is going. One thing he does really well is play in tight areas. He knows how to make plays out of there and uses his body despite not being the biggest guy.”