The puck slides into the net behind Hartford goalie Talyn Boyko after Providence’s Billy Sweezey (6) bulled his way to the net. It was Sweezey’s first goal of the year. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
The Providence Bruins have had some sluggish starts in recent years, but not this season.
They won both their games over the weekend, improving their record to 4-0.
The P-Bruins started with a 5-3 road victory over the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday night. At home on Saturday, they beat the Hartford Wolf Pack, 5-2.
“I think we had a great camp,” coach Ryan Mougenel said of the fast start. “Everybody had a hand in it, from the (Joey) Abates to some of the guys that are even in Maine. It just started off on the right foot. The compete level was evident from day one.
“We’ve been talking about how important the start is. This is probably the first year we got off to the start we really wanted, playing good winning hockey early on. The goaltending’s been awesome.”
In both weekend games, Providence was able to grab the lead and extend it.
“We talked about creating doubt tonight and how important that is. The way you create doubt is by sticking to our structure. Offensive players are going to find ways to create ice and create space for each other and that’s what our offensive guys did. They made a lot of pretty special plays. I liked that we understood the momentum swings.”
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— The power play was on fire on Friday, clicking on three of six chances. It took Providence only five seconds to score on one of the power plays. After an offensive zone faceoff, all five Providence skaters touched the puck before Alex Steeves put it in the net. It went from Matt Poitras to Victor Soderstrom to Matej Blumel to Georgii Merkulov and then to Steeves. The PP has a 37.5 percent success rate, third-best in the AHL.
— Four of the top 10 scorers in the league are Bruins: Georgii Merkulov, Fabian Lysell, Alex Steeves and Matej Blumel.
— Riley Tufte scored twice and added an assist in Bridgeport, then chipped in with a goal and an assist against Hartford.
— Patrick Brown had a goal and an assist on Friday and two assists on Saturday.
— Georgii Merkulov recorded two assists against Bridgeport and a goal against Hartford. With 186 points, he is now tied for second all-time with Sergei Zholtok in points with the P-Bruins.
— Dans Locmelis, Jonathan Aspirot and Billy Sweezey scored their first goals of the season over the weekend.
— Blumel had two assists against the Islanders and one against the Wolf Pack.
— Mike DiPietro made 27 saves on 30 shots against Bridgeport. Simon Zajicek stopped 31 of 33 shots against Hartford.
— The P-Bruins are one of seven teams that has not lost a game.
BAD
— A turnover behind the net by Michael DiPietro handed Bridgeport a goal in the first period on Friday.
— The P-Bruins gave up two goals on the penalty kill against the Islanders. The PK is at 76.9 percent, which is 19th in the league.
Frederic Brunet is all smiles after his goal in Bridgeport (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins).
The Providence Bruins opened the 2025-26 season with a pair of wins, one on the road and one at home.
On Saturday night, they rallied from two goals down to beat the Bridgeport Islanders, 3-2, in Connecticut.
In the home opener on Sunday, the P-Bruins trailed, 3-2, before exploding for four straight goals on the way to a 6-3 victory in front of 9,093 fans.
“The guys stuck to their identify,” coach Ryan Mougenel said after Sunday’s game. “There were definitely moments where we were bending. We didn’t necessarily break. That’s to be expected early on in the season, kind of building in those habits that protect you. We did a good job of it.”
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— With a hat trick and a primary assist, Fabian Lysell played his best game ever in a Providence uniform on Sunday. All three of the goals were different. The first was on a breakaway; he went to the edge of the crease for the second; and the third came off the rush. He was plus-four for the day.
“It’s good to see Fabian watch a couple of pucks go in the net. For offensive guys it’s always good that they can see the puck go in and start building that confidence. It’s a big part of the game, obviously, feeling good and playing good,” said Mougenel.
“The big thing for us is we want guys’ games in a really good place when they go up. It’s not always necessarily the stat sheet. It’s the wall play, stick details. Those are the things that give you protection and longevity in the NHL and those are the habits we’re trying to build into a lot of our young players like Fabian. Sometimes it takes time.
“I liked that he shot the puck tonight. My favorite goal was the second goal. He went to the net and that’s what happens when you go to the net. He got rewarded.”
— Alex Steeves had a goal and three assists and was plus-four against Charlotte.
— Matt Poitras recorded four assists and was plus-four on Sunday.
— Georgii Merkulov was brilliant on Saturday with a goal and two helpers.
— Matej Blumel, doing what he does best, scored goals in both games.
— After a rough start, Simon Zajicek locked it down and stopped 23 shots in Saturday’s win. His best stop came with seven minutes left, a 10-bell save on Joey Larson that kept the score at 2-2. It was Zajicek’s first win in the American Hockey League.
— All three of Providence’s goals against the Islanders were of the highlight-reel variety
First, Merkulov showed off his quick, slick hands to score from close range. On the second goal, Merkulov started the play and then Victor Soderstrom made a perfect pass to Frederic Brunet, who buried it. In overtime, the puck went from Brunet to Merkulov to Blumel, who ripped home a one-timer for the win.
— They held Bridgeport to just one shot in the third period.
— Patrick Brown scored a goal and had seven shots on Sunday.
— Michael DiPietro stopped 34 shots against Charlotte.
— Good start for the power play, which went three of six on the weekend.
BAD
Providence allowed two goals in just under two minutes in the first period in Bridgeport. The D pairing of Jonathan Aspirot and Ty Gallagher was on for both goals.
— Hate to start the year dumping on a referee, but I have to call it like I see it: The holding penalty on Victor Soderstrom at the start of the second period in Bridgeport was not referee Chad Ingalls’ best moment.
— The P-Bruins allowed a goal with 32 seconds left in the first period.
UGLY
— Nothing ugly to report at this time. Check back next week.
Optimism leading into a Providence Bruins season is nothing new.
Most years that positive feeling proves to be justified.
The P-Bruins haven’t missed the playoffs since 2012, which was Bruce Cassidy’s first year as head coach. They have consistently delivered entertaining hockey with regular season wins outnumbering losses most years.
This season, however, the high hopes are higher than ever.
The P-Bruins head into their first weekend with the deepest roster, top to bottom, they’ve had in recent memory.
There’s a top goaltender, proven scorers and strong defense. All the ingredients for success are there.
You never know what you’re going to get in the six-and-a-half-month battle of attrition that is the AHL regular season, but Providence starts out with the makings of a very strong team.
From the net out, here’s how it looks.
GOALTENDING
The P-Bruins have gotten some of the best goaltending in the league in recent seasons.
Brandon Bussi is gone, but Michael DiPietro returns. He was the AHL’s goaltender of the year and a first-team All-Star last season.
The backup will be Simon Vajicek, a free agent signing from Czechia, who has looked good in the preseason, but is unproven on this side of the Atlantic.
“Goaltending has been a real strong suit and we’ve got Dipper back. I really like Simon. He’s got a tremendous upside,” said coach Ryan Mougenel.
DEFENSE
There’s a good mix of experience and youth on D.
Mike Callahan, Billy Sweezey and Jonathan Aspirot are good, experienced defenders. Frederic Brunet is an up-and-coming two-way defenseman. Victor Soderstrom put up 37 points in 49 games and earned Defenseman of the Year honors in Sweden last year.
Loke Johansson is a first-year pro drafted in the sixth round in 2024.
Ty Gallagher, Jackson Edward, Max Wanner and Colin Felix will battle for ice time.
“I like our depth,” said Mougenel.
FORWARDS
The opening night lineup at forward is impressive.
“We have some offensive weapons, for sure. There’s guys that have had a lot of success at the American League level. I don’t know if in the past we’ve had gifted offensive players like we have up front,” said Mougenel.
At the top of the lineup, at least for the start of the season, are the two top goal-scorers in the AHL last season, Matej Blumel (39 goals) and Alex Steeves (36 goals). Blumel was a first-team All-Star; Steeves was a second teamer.
How it goes in Boston will likely determine if Blumel or Steeves will be around for the short term or the long term, but as long as they’re in Providence they should provide plenty of offensive punch.
Matthew Poitras put up 41 points in 40 AHL games last season. He’s determined to make his way back up to Boston sooner rather than later.
Georgii Merkulov, Providence’s top scorer the last three seasons, is back for a fourth year.
Patrick Brown had a strong camp in Boston. He’s a model captain.
“He does such a good job with all of our guys – teaching them how to be pros, how to act, how to train, how to live it every day,” said Mougenel.
First-rounder Fabian Lysell, in his fourth pro season, looks to rebound after a subpar year.
Riley Tufte, a consistent 20-goal scorer in the AHL, is back. Riley Duran and John Farinacci both got their first taste of the NHL last season. They are looking for more.
Dans Locmelis and Dalton Bancroft, both of whom finished last season with the P-Bruins after their college seasons were over, are expected to contribute offensively. Joey Abate will continue to provide energy and enthusiasm.
Other forwards in the mix are Brett Harrison, Jordan Schmaltz and Shawn Element.
INTANGIBLES
Providence has outstanding leadership, starting with Brown, Callahan and Sweezey.
“We’re very fortunate to have that around us. I don’t take that for granted,” Mougenel said.
Under Marco Sturm, Boston has made changes in their systems in the defensive zone and neutral zone. Providence will follow suit.
“We’re going to have a couple of tweaks in how we play. There’s going to be teaching moments in that for our D and for the coaches, too. We’re trying to paint a clear picture for our players,” said Mougenel.
“That’s going to be a little bit of a challenge but one that we welcome, too. We’ve played the same way for years. It was nice and refreshing to hear somebody else’s perspective on the game.”
MAINE MEN
Another potential change: It sounds like there could be more traffic this year between Providence and its ECHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners, who have a new coach in Rick Kowalsky.
“We’re going to use Maine as much as we can. They’re a big part of it. I don’t like young players sitting in the stands. I don’t think it does anything for anybody,” said Mougenel.
PREDICTION
With the current roster, there’s every reason to expect the P-Bruins to be in the hunt for first place in the Atlantic Division.
Jackson Edward (41) played 31 AHL games last season. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
BUFFALO – With their second and last game of the Prospects Challenge scheduled for Sunday at noon against the New Jersey Devils, the Boston Bruins rookies got a morning practice in on Saturday.
Here are three notes from the day.
EDWARD STAYING POSITIVE
There were times last season when it looked like Jackson Edward was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
In fact, he was.
As Jackson embarked on his rookie year with the Providence Bruins, his mother, Jennifer, was recovering from a brain aneurysm and subsequent stroke suffered in March 2024.
Jackson took responsibility for Jennifer, a single mother of three, and the management of her affairs as well as helping his younger sister and brother.
It was a lot for anyone to cope with, and a massive burden for a young man trying to make his way in pro hockey.
Thankfully, Jennifer’s situation has improved and, as a result, Jackson is in a noticeably better frame of mind heading into his second season.
“She’s doing good. She’s at home now. She’s got the care she needs. Everything is going well, managing it and pushing forward as best I can,” he said after the team practiced on Saturday morning.
“You can imagine (last season) was pretty hard, for sure. But stuff happens and you’ve just got to push through it the best you can. Stay positive and keep moving along.”
Jamie Langenbrunner, assistant general manager for player personnel, said the team did what it could to help Edward through last season.
“Once we learned everything that was going on we were able to properly be there for him and give him that space to deal with those things,” he said.
“On-ice performance is important and it’s what we evaluate, but we also have to take into account sometimes what else is going on in (a player’s) life.”
Edward was drafted in the seventh round from London of the OHL in 2022. After playing 31 games with Providence and seven with Maine in 2024-25, Edward will look to step up his game this season.
“Playing simple, simple touches, stick work, technical little stuff. Soon as I get that down, then it’s about building my game, stacking on top of that and putting in reps,” he said.
Finding consistency will be key, says Langenbrunner.
“Can he be a reliable guy in your lineup every night – competitive, good defender, move pucks efficiently. He’s going to be in a fight for playing time in camp.”
Playing defense is a challenge for young pros, Providence coach Ryan Mougenel says.
“You got away with some things in junior. You can’t get away with them in pro. The things Jackson needs to work on is valuing different parts of it. He’s a physical D and we say it all the time: Things change in that there are limited opportunities to put licks on guys. You don’t want to take that out of guys’ games, but to have success at the American League and NHL level, it’s about recognizing those opportunities when and where you can be physical.
“That’s what Jackson is figuring out. He’s put on some size, he’s put on some weight, he looks good. We’re expecting big things from him this year. Year One as a pro is always a huge learning curve and Year Two is where you put the rubber to the road.”
SIMPSON ‘WANTS TO BE A DAWG’
Cooper Simpson knows his way around the offensive zone. That much was clear in Friday’s Prospects Challenge opener against the Penguins.
After playing high school hockey in Minnesota last season, the 18-year-old third-round pick didn’t look the least bit out of place with the puck on his stick.
“It’s a cool experience, first off. I’m a young player, everyone is bigger, faster, stronger. You’ve just got to think the game fast. You get the puck, you don’t have space. You’ve just got to be involved in the game and figure it out,” Simpson said.
“I feel like the first period I settled in, tried to figure out what works and doesn’t work. Every guy is big so you’ve got to play physical, as well.”
Minnesota native Langenbrunner, who watched Simpson in high school, likes his vision and playmaking ability. “It’s good to see him looking pretty comfortable out there,” he said.
“I think there’s more layers to his game than maybe you would have thought. He plays with a little more grit than you would probably notice in high school, which makes sense when you play probably 35 minutes a night.”
Simpson will play for Youngstown in the USHL this year before enrolling at North Dakota.
Youngstown coach Ryan Ward is happy to have him.
“I expect Cooper to be one of the top players in the league,” he said. “Special mind, special talent. Wants to be a dawg.”
BIG D ON THE WAY
At 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds, sixth-round pick Loke Johansson plays a physical game.
The 19-year-old defenseman is expected to graduate from Moncton of the QMJHL to Providence this season.
“He’s going to be in a little bit of a similar situation to what Jackson (Edward) was last year, coming in into a lineup where he’s going to have to fight for games, especially early on, depending on health and all those things, but I think that’s also a good thing for those guys,” said Langenbrunner.
“They can get tons of practice time, they can get their work in. They don’t have to play every night to build in that consistency to their game. For him, adjusting to what’s it’s like to play three in three or three in five at the pace you’re going to have to be playing at in the American League, compared to junior, where you can take off shifts and you’re OK.
“In the American League, it usually ends up in your net when you’re taking off shifts as a young guy. That’s the way life works. He’s just got to learn that. First-year pro, good opportunity for him.”
Mougenel said the Bruins know what they have.
“He’s a player that we drafted and we know exactly what he is. Usually when you draft a player, you’re like, he could be this, he could be that. I think we know exactly what he’s going to be. He’s a big physical guy, has a real thirst to be physical.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Ryan Mougenel on defensemen
“We really want our D making plays and being more than a one option D. We talk a lot about the different types of defensemen. There’s guys that are one option D that play a long time in the NHL, say, like a Derek Forbort. There’s two option Ds and three option Ds. We want to keep developing. We don’t want to put our D in a box. We want guys to keep growing their game.”
BUFFALO – The Boston Bruins rookies opened the 2025 Prospects Challenge on Friday afternoon with a 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Trailing by a goal in the third period, Boston tied the game on a goal by free agent invite and Merrimack College commit Mavrick Lachance of Sherbrooke of the QMJHL
But the Pens scored the game-winner on a breakaway in the final minute.
Here is a hat trick of notes from the day.
ZAJICEK SHINES
Playing his first game in North America, Simon Zajicek was a bright light for the Bruins.
The 24-year-old goalie from Czechia stopped 30 of 32 shots and kept the score close.
“It was a pretty good game for me,” he said. “The guys blocked a lot of shots.”
In addition to some fine saves, Zajicek black-and-gold pads drew some positive comments.
Coincidentally, the team Zajicek played for last season, HC Litvinov, also has black and gold as its colors. He didn’t have to get new pads, he just stuck with the ones he was already wearing.
Asked about his style of play, he said, “Probably I’ve got good feet, I think. I can read the game.”
Zajicek signed with the Bruins as a free agent after going 15-13 with a .930 save percentage and a 2.12 goals-against average in the Czech league last season.
Jamie Langenbrunner, Bruins assistant general manager, player personnel, liked what he saw from Zajicek on Friday.
“He looked calm. He looked poised. He looked like a seasoned pro. He’s a guy that our goalie group said had some intrigue in him. We’re excited to see where it goes,” he said.
LITTLE GUY PLAYS BIG
Dylan Edwards was the shortest player on either team at 5-foot-8, but he didn’t play like it.
A free agent invite from Erie of the OHL, Edwards was around the puck all day.
After throwing a hard hit in the first period, Edwards was called on to fight by Quinn Beauchesne of the Penguins.
Edwards absorbed some punches in the bout, which he said was the third of his career, but he continued to seek out body checks at every opportunity.
“Right away after that hit, I knew someone was coming so I was prepared and ready to go,” he said. “Typically not my game, but I’m willing to do whatever I gotta do out there.”
Coach Ryan Mougenel was impressed.
“He’s trying to make some noise. I like that. There was a lot of good things that kid did,” he said.
The number of NCAA schools scouting the Prospects Challenge reached double figures on Saturday and some of the recruiters surely noticed Edwards, who turned 20 in July.
While his focus this season will be on helping Erie have a good season, Edwards said he has talked to NCAA schools and is open to the idea of playing college hockey down the road.
NEWEST BOURQUE
Like his famous father Ray and his brother Chris before him, Ryan Bourque is now a Bruin and he couldn’t be happier about it.
Bourque, the new assistant coach in Providence, was on the bench in Buffalo. He replaces Matt Thomas, who left the organization to take over as head coach at the Rochester Institute of Technology, his alma mater.
The opportunity with the Bruins “means the world to me. Growing up, it’s obviously an organization that (is) family. It’s a huge part of my life.
“My dad and my brother were part of the organization. I was the only missing link. To get the opportunity meant a lot and I had to jump on it,” he said.
Bourque, who coached Cushing Academy to a prep school championship last season, played for a number of coaches in his pro career.
He points to former Providence captain Brent Thompason, his coach in Bridgeport, as someone who had a lasting impact.
“His demeanor, his intensity, his compete. He’s really a guy that maybe you wouldn’t expect him to be as detailed as he was, but he was extremely detailed and passionate,” he said.
“He just always had his players’ backs. He really cared about the person before the player. That’s an important thing when it comes to pro hockey, especially.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Ryan Mougenel on Fraser Minten, who along with Brett Harrison and Riley Duran wore an “A” for the Bruins on Friday:
“The one thing about Fraser is he’s got a lot of pride. For a guy that’s played (25 NHL games) to play as hard as he did today says a lot about the character, the person. I liked his leadership. Did some things, didn’t do some things. It’s part of getting your game in a good place.”
Will Zellers scored 44 goals as a USHL rookie last season. (Photo courtesy of Green Bay Gamblers)
If anyone deserved a week or so away from the rink to relax and recharge after a long season, it was Will Zellers of the Green Bay Gamblers.
But Zellers didn’t grow into the player he is by taking time off.
Just a few days after his USHL season ended in mid-April, the 5-11, 170-pound winger was back on the ice working on his game and looking ahead to Boston Bruins development camp, starting on June 30.
“I’m not a big take-a-break guy. I like putting the work in and getting right after it,” said Zellers over the phone last week.
That drive to get better is paying off for the 19-year-old winger from Maple Grove, Minn., who will be a freshman at North Dakota in 2025-26.
Acquired by the Bruins from Colorado in March as part of the Charlie Coyle/Casey Mittelstadt trade, the speedy, skilled Zellers immediately upgraded Boston’s prospect pool.
Consider what Zellers, drafted in the third round by the Avs in 2023, accomplished as rookie last season:
*** He torched the USHL for a league-leading 44 goals in 52 games
*** He was named USHL Player of the Year, USHL Forward of the Year and was All-USHL First Team.
*** He earned USA Hockey’s Junior Player of the Year Award.
“His goal-scoring ability is the best I’ve ever been around and I played with Anders Lee here in Green Bay,” said Gamblers coach Patrick McCadden. “It’s uncanny the way he can score. He can just find the hole and put the puck there, It’s pretty special.
“I kept waiting for him to hit the wall and he just never did. It was incredible how he continued to score consistently over the course of the season.”
On March 7, Zellers was at his billet house preparing for a Gamblers game and watching the Minnesota state high school tournament with teammate Aidan Park when he got word from his adviser that a trade might be in the works.
“I thought he was talking about the USHL for a second. I was like, the trade deadline was done already,” Zellers said.
“I ended up getting a call from (Don Sweeney) a little bit after that.”
Zellers took the news in stride.
“I’ll always be grateful to Colorado. They made a lifelong dream come true for me. It’s every kid’s dream to get drafted. I also understand it’s a business. It’s about winning,” he said.
“To get traded to an Original Six team like Boston is pretty exciting, just knowing that they wanted me at this young of an age. It was pretty special to get that call and hear the excitement on their end that they wanted me that badly.”
Zellers is acquainted with Boston. He committed to Boston University in 2022 before switching to North Dakota a year later, and he played at the Bruins’ Warrior Arena several times while attending Shattuck St. Mary’s, the Minnesota prep school.
“I love the City of Boston. It’s great. The fans are very passionate and very driven. Boston checks all the boxes,” he said.
Zellers attended Colorado’s development camp last summer but stayed off the ice because of an injury.
He’s excited about Bruins camp.
“I’m looking forward to meeting a bunch of the other draft picks and other affiliated players. That’s one of the best parts about hockey, the relationships that you build. And I just want to kind of pick every coach’s brain. This will be a good learning opportunity for me,” he said.
Among others at the camp, Zellers knows fellow Minnesotan Beckett Hendrickson, drafted by the Bruins in the fourth round in 2023, and he played against Dean Letourneau, Boston’s first rounder a year ago, while at Shattuck.
“He’s an unreal player, a big kid with a lot of potential. It will be cool learning from those guys and hearing what they have to say about college hockey,” Zellers said.
A few days after development camp ends on July 3, Zellers will head to North Dakota to begin his freshman year. He’ll be taking an English class and a science class during the summer session.
“It’s great how they have you ease into college, the academic part of it. They give you every tool to be a great student,” Zellers said.
The UND hockey program is known, of course, for developing players who go on to NHL careers.
“They have one of the best track records in all of college hockey, putting guys through to the next level, all different types of players. They’ve had skill guys from Jonathan Toews all the way down to some grinders like Rocco Grimaldi or Drake Caggiula,” said Zellers.
“It doesn’t matter what type of player you are, they will give you every tool you need to get to the next level, which is ultimately the dream.”
There was a coaching change at North Dakota after last season as highly respected coach Brad Berry, who guided the Fighting Hawks to the NCAA championship in 2016, was replaced by longtime assistant Dane Jackson.
Zellers is on board with the new staff.
“I trust Jacks. He’s a great coach and an even better mentor off the ice. I went (to Grand Forks) a couple of weeks ago just to talk to the new coaches,” he said.
In Zellers, Jackson and his staff are getting a player who is self-aware and motivated to do what it takes to get better, according to McCadden.
“He’s very grounded, especially for a player of his caliber. It allowed me to coach him the way I needed to coach him. You get a lot of high-end players like that who think they know better. They don’t want to hear it, necessarily, when they’re not going well,” he said.
“That’s probably what stands out the most about Will, his coachability, in taking criticism in good faith. Getting better and understanding it’s not always perfect. I had the freedom with Will to be hard on him if I needed to be, not that it was a frequent occasion, but there were definitely a couple of times with him.
“That’s kind of a coach’s dream, when you have a player that is as talented as he is and when you need to get on him, you need to coach him, that he takes to coaching.”
His determination to keep improving is a subject that comes up often in conversation with Zellers.
“I wasn’t always the best player growing up. I mean, I could always score goals, make plays, but I was never on those top teams. I had a drive to become a better player, be a guy teams rely on and teams want,” Zellers said.
“Doing something every day to better myself is a big thing, whether it’s on the ice, working on my stride, or even on a Sunday night, I got no skate or anything, just shooting pucks. You’ll never be a perfect hockey player but chasing that perfection is the best part of it.”
One player that Zellers has paid a lot of attention to is North Dakota born Jackson Blake, who stepped into the Carolina Hurricanes’ lineup in 2024-25 after two outstanding seasons in Grand Forks.
“He has been a guy I’ve watched growing up, starting at Eden Prairie (Minn.) High School. He was kind of the same build as me. Not the biggest guy. Five-eleven, maybe six foot, around 180 pounds. He’s been a player I’ve loved to watch and tried to pull parts of his game,” said Zellers.
All things considered, it would work out nicely for the Bruins if Zellers’ timeline to reach the NHL matches Blake’s.
“Will’s a special player. Special kid, too. He’s on the right track. Boston got a good one,” McCadden said.
The Bruins acquired Will Zellers from Colorado at the trade deadline. (Photo courtesy of Green Bay Gamblers)
The best playoff run in years for the Providence Bruins ended on Mother’s Day in Charlotte, N.C.
It was a tough finish to a fine season for the P-Bruins.
They went to Charlotte down by two games to the Checkers in the best-of-five Atlantic Division semifinal, but fought back with a pair of gutsy one-goal wins to extend the series to the limit.
Facing elimination in Game 3 on Wednesday Providence scraped out a 3-2 victory. They trailed in the third period of Game 4 on Friday, but tied the game late and won, 3-2, on an overtime goal by – who else? – captain Patrick Brown.
That set the stage for Game 5. The battered and worn-out P-Bruins – missing the AHL’s top goalie in Michael DiPietro and leading scorer Georgii Merkulov, both out with injuries – took another gut punch when Brown injured his hip on the first shift.
He stayed in the game, but at much less than 100 percent. “I can’t even believe he got through the game. He can hardly walk right now,” coach Ryan Mougenel said.
The final was Charlotte 5, Providence 2.
“I’m proud of the guys. We lost some important pieces and guys really battled,” Mougenel said of the playoff run.
“It was telling for a lot of guys. We got a lot of answers. (Matt Poitras) stepped up in the playoffs, which is an important part of it. We’re going to go on and build a winning culture in Boston, it’s encouraging that he played like a man. Guys like Brownie and (Jeffrey Viel) did a real good job leading this group all year,” he said.
In the end, “it is what it is. We just didn’t have enough juice,” Mougenel said.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— With the P-Bruins facing elimination, Patrick Brown’s goal at 7:08 of overtime capped a 3-2 win in Game 4 that tied the series.
— Brandon Bussi had to take over in net just 2:22 into Game 4 when Michael DiPietro was injured. Bussi delivered a terrific performance, kicking out 31 of 33 shots in Providence’s OT victory.
— DiPietro was brilliant in stopping 38 of 40 shots in Providence’s 3-2 win in Game 3.
— Matt Poitras made a high-end play to set up Oliver Wahlstrom’s game-tying goal with 5:09 left in regulation time in Game 4.
— Riley Tufte scored twice in Game 3. Frederic Brunet recorded two assists.
— The fourth line came through with an important goal in Game 4 as John Farinacci scored from Trevor Kuntar and Joey Abate.
— Tyler Pitlick buried a nice pass from Jeffrey Viel for the game-winning goal in Game 3.
— Providence played with a lot of heart all season so it was no surprise that they battled until the end, scoring twice in the third period of Game 5 to cut Charlotte’s lead to one goal before the Checkers added a pair of empty-netters.
— Vinni Lettieri scored twice late in Game 5 to pull Providence within a goal. He had assists in Game 3 and 4. Lettieri was the team’s top scorer in the playoffs with 3-4-7 in 8 games.
— The playoffs was a valuable learning experience for Providence youngsters such as Matt Poitras, Fraser Minten, Frederic Brunet, Riley Duran, John Farinacci and Dans Locmelis.
BAD
— Let me be clear: Poor officiating is not the reason Providence didn’t win the series. But there were decisions by the refs in Charlotte that made you shake your head.
In Game 5, referees Morgan MacPhee and Stephen Hiff butchered their first consequential call. Goalie Brandon Bussi was clearly interfered with on Charlotte’s first goal, but MacPhee and Hiff allowed it.
“It’s disappointing that that was the standard. It’s not even debatable,” Mougenel said.
In Game 4, Joey Abate took a bare-fisted sucker punch from Riley Bezeau. All Bezeau received was a minor for roughing from refs Alex Lepkowski and Jordan Samuels-Thomas.
“It’s tough to watch one of your players get sucker punched with no glove, break his orbital bone and it’s a two-minute minor. These are important decisions (the referees) are making,” Mougenel said.
— Fabian Lysell was a healthy scratch for Game 4 on Friday. He returned to the lineup for Game 5 on Sunday and on one of his first shifts he put Charlotte on the power play by taking a roughing penalty in front of the benches. If there was a glimmer of hope that Lysell might come back from his stint in Boston with a spring in his step, it vanished in a hurry. He was a nonfactor in the postseason.
UGLY
— Injured: Georgii Merkulov, Billy Sweezey, Michael DiPietro
— The shots were 20-1 in favor of Charlotte at the midway point of Game 5. Providence finished the game with only 8 shots. After expending a lot of energy in digging deep to win Games 3 and 4, they didn’t have enough left for Game 5.
Riley Duran is denied on a breakaway byKaapo Kähkönen in the second period of Game 2. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
The Providence Bruins are in trouble.
After losing the first two games of their best-of-five Atlantic Division semifinal series at home against the Charlotte Checkers on Friday and Sunday, Providence’s season will be on the line in Game 3 in North Carolina on Wednesday.
The P-Bruins fell behind in the opening minutes and lost Game 1 on Friday, 5-1. They started slowly again in Game 2 on Sunday, mounted a furious push in the third period, but lost, 2-0.
“I didn’t like some of our compete tonight. It’s a little disappointing,” said coach Ryan Mougenel on Sunday. “It’s something that, I know this group can turn it around. It’s a special group in the fact that we have great leaders and we have some young guys that are full of life and energy. We’ve got to just keep playing our game, where we’ve had success. I feel like we’ve gotten away from it.”
Mougenel referenced a conversation with Boston assistant coach Chris Kelly, who attended Game 1.
“The biggest thing he said to me was in the regular season you earn a paycheck. The playoffs are about your reputation. That was a message to the guys today,” Mougenel said.
“We want guys playing meaningful games, we want to see how you play in meaningful games. We want to see you play like a man. You’re going to be bumped, you’re going to get hooked. You’ve gotta fight through it. Some guys fight through it, some guys didn’t. It’s about being a pro and being a man and playing like a man.”
The Bruins have their work cut out for them.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— The P-Bruins outshot Charlotte, 15-2, in the third period of Game 2.
“That third period we took it to them and started playing our game. We’ve got to find a way to start that way and play that way for a full 60. I feel like it’s going to give us a little confidence going into the next game,” said Matt Poitras.
“We’re going to go to Charlotte, take it one game at a time and see what happens.”
BAD
— It was a tough night for some of Providence’s top players in Game 1. Matt Poitras finished with a minus-4. Ian Mitchell, Dans Locmelis and Vinni Lettieri were minus-3.
— Referees Mike Sullivan and Jim Curtin whistled the P-Bruins for three penalties in the first 12 minutes of Game 2.
— Halfway through Game 2, Providence had only seven shots.
— The power play is 0 for 8 through two games.
“Our power play has to be better. (Charlotte is) an aggressive bunch. We’ve got to take a deep breath and be able to make the next play. We haven’t been able to make the next play,” said Mougenel.
UGLY
— Providence gave up two unassisted shorthanded goals on the same penalty in the first five minutes of Game 1. It was a grotesque way to start a series.
— Going into Game 3, Providence has gone 111:43 without a goal.
— Injured: Georgii Merkulov, Billy Sweezey, Trevor Kuntar
Ian Mitchell and Vinni Lettieri celebrates Mitchell’s goal, which turned out to be the game-winner on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
It was a Sunday to remember at the AMP.
In the deciding game of the best-of-three first-round series between Providence and Springfield, the P-Bruins exploded for four third period goals in a 5-1 victory.
It was Providence’s first win in a playoff series since 2017, when they defeated the Hershey Bears, four games to two.
“Michael DiPietro made some huge stops early on,” said coach Ryan Mougenel, who was back behind the bench on Sunday after being away from the team for a couple of weeks to be with his father, Ron, who passed away last week.
“They’re an amazing group to be around,” he said of his team. “I can’t say enough about our leadership – (Patrick Brown and Tyler Pitlick) and these guys. Even (rookie Fraser) Minten, saying the right things and playing the right way.”
To get to Sunday, the P-Bruins and Thunderbirds played a pair of tight, low-scoring games. Springfield won, 2-1, at the AMP on Wednesday, then Providence prevailed, 1-0, on Vinni Lettieri’s overtime goal on the road on Friday.
Providence will move on to face the Charlotte Checkers in a best-of-five series starting in Providence on Friday night.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— Captain Patrick Brown capped an amazing series with a pair of primary assists on power play goals in Game 3, but it was his leadership that paved the way for Providence’s series win.
Providence fans are going to be talking for a long time about his Game 2 performance. With Springfield pressing around the Providence net in the third period, Brown blocked a shot with his face. With blood splashed all over his visor, he went to the locker room for repairs but quickly returned to the game, which the P-Bruins won in OT.
The blocked shot might have been the turning point in the series.
“You watch him eat that one and that’s why Brownie is our captain,” said Matt Poitras after Sunday’s win. “When you see a guy bleeding from his face and he looks at the bench and tells us to get going, you gotta listen.”
— Days after being named a First Team AHL All Star, Michael DiPietro won the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award, which is given to the AHL’s most outstanding goaltender each season. He was brilliant in stopping all 24 Springfield shots in Game 2, then made some huge stops in the win in Game 3.
— Riley Tufte is playing his best hockey of the season. He had assists in Game 1 and 2, then scored twice in Game 3. His steal and finish on Providence’s third goal on Sunday electrified the crowd.
— Matt Poitras was a standout all over the ice throughout the series. He scored two power play goals in Game 3.
— Vinni Lettieri was a problem for Springfield in all three games. He scored the OT goal in Game 2, had two assists in Game 3 and piled up a total of 15 shots in the series.
— Ian Mitchell had a goal and an assist in Game 3. His power play goal in the third period was a game-winner.
— Both the penalty kill and the power play were difference-makers. Providence killed all 11 Springfield power plays. The power play scored once in Game 1, then went 3 for 5 in Game 3.
“I try to not get too involved in the special teams and overcoach it,” said Mougenel. “For me, (assistants) Matty Thomas and Trent Whitfield are two of the best. There’s something to be said about guys that can teach things and make it as simple as possible. Those are two guys that do it extremely well. Our special teams have been outstanding all year. Not that coaches should get credit all the time, but those two should. They’re amazing at what they do.”
BAD
— Providence outshot Springfield, 10-6, in the first period of Game 1, but gave up a pair of goals in a span of four minutes. It was a hole the P-Bruins could never climb out of as they lost, 2-1.
— Trailing by a goal in the third period of Game 1, the P-Bruins failed to score on a four-minute power play.
— Providence took three straight penalties in the third period of Game 2. That’s living dangerously in a scoreless game.
UGLY
— Injured: Billy Sweezey, Georgii Merkulov, Jake Gaudet
Vinni Lettieri (95) scores Providence’s first goal on Saturday night. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)
The Providence Bruins took care of business in the final week of the regular season.
By winning both of their games, they nailed down third place in the Atlantic Division and earned home ice against the Springfield Thunderbirds in a best-of-three first round Calder Cup series.
The P-Bruins opened the week with one of the signature wins of the season. On the road at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, they came from one goal down in the third period and defeated the Penguins, 3-2, on a goal in the final minute by Riley Tufte.
At home on Saturday, Providence closed out the regular season by edging the Bridgeport Islanders, 3-2.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly.
GOOD
— Providence finished in third place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 41-23-5-3, good for 90 points. They trailed first-place Hershey by six points and second-place Charlotte by four.
— Mike DiPietro was named an AHL First Team All-Star on Thursday. He’s the first P-Bruin goalie to earn that honor since Niklas Svedberg in 2012-13. DiPietro finished with a record of 26-8-5 with a .927 save percentage and a 2.05 goals-against average.
— Dans Locmelis finished tied for 65th in scoring in the NCAA this season at UMass with 8-25-33 in 40 games. Since turning pro on April 1, Locmelis has piled up points at a stunning rate. After recording two assists in each of Providence’s games last week, he has 3-9-12 in six games. The sample size has been tiny, but he’s been a breath of fresh air.
— With Providence trailing by a goal in the third period on Wednesday, Patrick Brown simply was not going to be denied. He willed the puck into the net for his team-leading 10th power play goal of the season and the P-Bruins went on to a key win. The team has been fortunate to have outstanding captains through the years and Brown is one of the best.
— Providence’s special teams finished strong. They were third in the league on the power play at 21.4 percent and second on the penalty kill at 85.7 percent.
— Georgii Merkulov finished with 15-39-54 in 59 games. He’s led the team in scoring in each of his three seasons. He deserved more than the six games he got with Boston this season.
— Vinni Lettieri, Tyler Pitlick and Riley Tufte – all natives of Minnesota – tied for the team lead in goals with 21.
— It was a good week for John Farinacci. He scored his first NHL goal in Boston on Tuesday and tallied the game-winner against the Islanders on Saturday.
— Daniil Misyul displayed a different side of his game when he landed some big punches on Bridgeport’s Travis Mitchell in a late-game scrap.
— Providence finished with a record of 11-1 against last-place Bridgeport.
BAD
— The P-Bruins went 5-6-0-1 against their first-round opponent, Springfield.
— Since scoring a natural hat trick against the Thunderbirds on March 16, Fraser Minten doesn’t have a goal in eight games.
UGLY
— Providence was whistled for two too-many-men penalties against Bridgeport.
— Injured: Georgii Merkulov, Billy Sweezey, Jake Gaudet
Rinkside Rhode Island 