The Providence Bruins look like they’ve started to hit their stride. The Maine Mariners continue to figure things out.
A major part of the development process is finding ways to earn results. After rocky starts to the season for both Boston Bruins affiliates Providence and Maine, the two teams are beginning to stabilize things and gut out results.
Providence is looking to get back to its form from the past three seasons, and are currently riding the momentum of a five-game winning streak. The AHL Bruins swept a home-and-home series from the Bridgeport Islanders, winning the opener in Providence on Friday, 6-3, before a 4-3 road victory on Saturday. Providence welcomed the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers) to town on Sunday, notching a 3-2 win to close the weekend.
Up in Maine, the Mariners took on the Kansas City Mavericks (Seattle Kraken) in a two-game series in Portland. Maine cruised to a 5-2 win on Friday, before dropping a 3-2 result in overtime on Saturday.
Providence Bruins
11-8-3, 25 points, 3rd in Atlantic Division
Providence hasn’t slowed down as the calendar turned to December, shaking off a slow start to climb up to third in the Atlantic Division standings. Providence won all three games over the weekend, extending its winning streak to five straight contests.
The Bruins opened the weekend with a home-and-home against Bridgeport, winning the first game in Providence, 6-3. After a scoreless first period, Providence erupted for five goals in the second period to take command. Twelve different Bruins registered a point, including six with multi-point efforts. Jayson Megna, Luke Toporowski, Justin Brazeau, and Alec Regula each tallied two helpers, while Parker Wotherspoon and Anthony Richard notched a goal and an assist.
In the return leg at Bridgeport, Providence overcame an early two-goal deficit to rally for a 4-3 comeback win. Trailing 2-0 entering the middle frame, Brazeau got Providence on the board after just eight seconds, with Richard equalizing three minutes later. Providence fell behind again at the start of the third period before Brett Harrison evened the score and Richard tallied his second of the night to give the Bruins a late lead. Michael DiPietro made 29 saves to earn his second straight win over the Islanders, while Wotherspoon provided a pair of assists in another multi-point effort.
To close the weekend, Providence returned home and gutted out a 3-2 win over Lehigh Valley on Sunday. The teams traded goals in the first before Regula gave Providence the lead after 40 minutes. The Phantoms tied the game early in the third, but Providence dug deep and regained the lead through Justin Brazeau’s seventh goal of the campaign. Brandon Bussi returned to action as well, stopping 20 of 22 shots in the victory.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Anthony Richard — This was a tough one, but three goals and an assist were enough to give Richard the honors this week. Plenty of stick taps to go around too — Wotherspoon, Regula, DiPietro, and Brazeau.
ROSTER MOVES
- Called up to Boston — Ian Mitchell.
UP NEXT: A three-game Pennsylvania road swing begins with a pair of contests this weekend. First, Providence visits Lehigh Valley on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. The following day, Providence will take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 6:05 p.m. matchup.
Maine Mariners
6-8-1, 13 points, 6th in North Division
The Maine Mariners took three out of four possible points on the weekend in a cross-conference matchup with the Kansas City Mavericks. While it’s only a start, it could be the boost the Mariners needed as they hit the busy stretch of their schedule.
Maine opened the weekend with a 5-2 win over Kansas City on Friday. Alex Kile led the charge with three points on a goal and two assists, with the hosts opening up a 3-0 lead early in the second period. Kansas City pulled within a goal late, but Maine struck twice towards the end of the third period to ice the proceedings. Brad Arvanitis seems to have won the starting job in net, notching another victory with 20 saves.
On Saturday, Kansas City salvaged a split with a 3-2 overtime win. Maine twice trailed by a goal, with markers from Tyler Drevitch in the first and Adam Mechura in the second tying the contest. The Mavericks struck early in overtime, with half of their 30 shots coming after the second intermission.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Alex Kile — Four points (1g, 3a) secured the honors for Kile this week. Stick taps go to Mechura and Arvanitis.
ROSTER MOVES
- Loaned Out — Austin Osmanski (Springfield Thunderbirds — AHL).
UP NEXT: The Mariners head to Canada for four games this week. First, a meeting with the Trois-Rivieres Lions (Montreal Canadiens) on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. Then, it’s a three-game series at the Newfoundland Growlers (Toronto Maple Leafs), with Friday and Saturday’s contests set for 5:30 p.m. ET and Sunday slated for a 2:30 p.m. ET puck drop.