The Providence Bruins continue to showcase their prowess in the American Hockey League, marking a significant weekend with back-to-back victories. The team's latest performances solidify their standing in the Atlantic Division, where they now sit in third place, just six points behind the Hershey Bears and one point ahead of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
On Friday, March 21, 2025, the Bruins took the ice against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a match that turned into a one-sided affair. Providence dominated the contest with an overwhelming 10-2 victory. Jake Gaudet, who opened the scoring, netted two goals. Gaudet's first strike came just over eight minutes into the game, setting the tone for the team. Before the first period concluded, Joey Abate scored, pushing the Bruins lead to 2-0, and Gaudet added another goal, making it 3-0 by the end of the first twenty minutes.
The Bruins didn’t ease up in the second period. Just under a minute after play resumed, Jeffrey Viel scored his 11th goal of the season, extending Providence's lead to 4-0. Despite the Penguins' Sam Poulin managing to score unassisted, the Bruins were relentless. Goals from Georgii Merkulov, Ty Gallagher, and Frederic Brunet in rapid succession established a comfortable 7-1 lead. As the third period commenced, Viel scored again, completing a stellar performance with his second goal of the match. Matthew Poitras added to the scoreboard, marking his tenth goal of the season with a score that pushed the lead to 9-1. Although Boris Katchouk managed to respond for the Penguins, it proved futile as Brett Harrison sealed the game for the Bruins with his fourth goal.
Goaltender Brandon Bussi was instrumental in the victory, thwarting 42 of the 44 shots he faced, while the Penguins shuffled through both their goaltenders, Sergei Murashov and Filip Larsson, who combined were unable to handle the relentless Bruins offense.
The following day, Saturday, March 22, 2025, the Bruins faced off against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The team’s momentum carried over into this matchup as they scored first again, with Matthew Poitras finding the back of the net at just over 11 minutes into the first period, marking his 11th goal of the season.
The second period saw no scoring, leaving the Bruins with a precarious 1-0 lead heading into the final period. However, the Bruins extended their advantage early in the third when Brett Harrison scored his fifth goal of the season, adding a crucial insurance goal. Poitras struck again shortly thereafter, pushing the lead to 3-0.
The Phantoms made a late attempt to rally, with Alexis Gendron scoring, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit. Michael DiPietro earned the win for the Bruins with a solid performance in goal, stopping 28 of the 29 shots he faced.
The weekend sweep places Providence in a strong position as they prepare for their upcoming matches. The Bruins have a busy week ahead, with games against the Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday and Wednesday at Bojangles Arena, both games set to start at 7:00 PM EST. Providence currently leads the Checkers by a single point in the standings.
This week also includes a return home game against the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday, March 29, 2025, with puck drop slated for 7:05 PM EST. The following day, on Sunday, March 30, 2025, the Springfield Thunderbirds will visit Providence for a matinee match starting at 3:05 PM EST. Notably, Providence has a solid record of 5-3-0-0 against Hartford this season, averaging 3.5 goals per game while allowing just 2.6 goals. They also hold a record of 5-5-0-1 against Springfield, with similar scoring averages.
As the regular season approaches its climax, the Providence Bruins are keen to maintain their upward momentum, working hard to solidify their playoff positioning with each passing game.
