Preview: Providence Bruins Head to Albany

Providence adopts ‘You Can Play Project’
(photo courtesy of Ron Morin/ Ron’s Sports Photography)

The Bruins hit the road to head to Albany to take on the Devils in the second meeting of the season.  In the first meeting between these two teams the Bruins were able to defeat the Devils 2-1 in a shootout.

The Devils main man is Keith Kinkaid and for good reason as he sports a 2.35 GAA and a .921 SV%.  Kinkaid currently has a 5-5-0-3 record.

Chris Bourque is looking to keep his points lead and score once again against the Devils as he registered the only marker in regulation against Albany the last time they played. Jamie Tardif should also be on the Devils radar as he has recorded 13 goals this season, three of them from last night’s round with the Falcons.

Game time is 7:00pm and can be seen on AHL Live. #LetsGoBruins!!

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Bruins Beat Falcons 6-3

 

12-8-12: Jamie Tardif against the Connecticu Whale (Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Vail/Flickr)

The Providence Bruins improved their win streak to four games last night after beating the Springfield Falcons at home by a margin of 6-3.

The Bruins were eager to build off of the momentum and confidence instilled in their three-in-three victorious weekend.  Currently they sit in first place, tied in points with the Portland Pirates, a far cry from the fifth seed they had just a week and a half ago.

Through the opening twenty minutes the game remained scoreless with each goaltender performing outstanding, turning away every shot they faced. It would be Lane MacDermid who would open up the scoring in the second period as he tallied his second goal of the season.  Feeding off of the energy from the crowd the Bruins soared through the period as Jamie Tardif netted a power play goal and 13 seconds later Craig Cunningham was able to put one past McElhinney.  heading into the locker room for the third and final frame Svedberg helped turn all eight of Springfield’s opportunities to preserve the 3-0 Bruins lead.

In the opening minutes of the third period the Falcons began to claw their way back as they scored two goals in a span of 18 seconds, cutting the Bruins lead to one.  However, the Falcons streak was short-lived as Jamie Tardif struck again, improving the lead to 4-2. Cam Atkinson was able to net one past Svedberg, but Ryan Spooner answered right back for Providence, keeping the two-goal cushion and 5-3 lead heading into the final minutes. As the Falcons pulled their goalie Tardif would net his third of the game for his first hat trick of the season and end the game 6-3.

The Bruins next game is tonight against the Albany Devils at 7pm and can be seen online at AHL Live.

Game Notes…

• Goaltending: Niklas Svedberg improved to 11-4-1 and stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced. Curtis McElhinney dropped to 13-3-2 and made 28 saves on the 33 shots he faced.
• Shots on Goal: Providence  12-8-10 (30) Springfield  9-13-12 (34)
• Power Play Opportunities: Providence  1/3  Springfield 0/5
• Three Stars of the Game:

1. Jamie Tardif 3 goals (Providence)
2. Ryan Spooner 1 goal (Providence)
3. Max Sauve 2 assists (Providence)

 

All information is courtesy of the official score sheet from the AHL.

Preview: Providence Bruins Host the Falcons

Christian Hanson (photo courtesy of Ron Morin/ Ron’s Sports Photography)

Tonight the Providence Bruins host the Springfield Falcons at the Dunkin Donuts arena for face off that is set to start at 7:05pm.

The Bruins started out really rough through October and November but seem to have turned things around.  After a recent power surge and confidence builder in the past ten games, the Bruins have improved to a 12-8-0-2 record, a far cry from the 4-6-0-1 they started with.

Most of the team has finally found their legs, wit hmore than half of their team improving their plus/minus ratings.  Chris Bourque is leading the way offensively with 16 assists in 22 games, Spooner and Tardif hot on his heels. The only player looking to really step up is defenseman Torey Krug, while being able to register one goal in the past six game stint, he has fallen to a -9 on the season.  Early front runner Max Sauve has also petered off after missing action due to an injury and not registering a single point in the last month.

The series between these two teams is currently tied at a game a piece as we head into the third game tonight of ten.  The B’s will be counting on recent confidence boost to help them gain momentum through this one and hopefully beat netminder Curtis McElhinney who posed as the top threat saving all 33 of the Bruins shots in their last meeting.

Along with McElhinney, Cam Atkinson and Jonathan Audy-Marchessault should be on the radar as they have set the pace for the team offensively, averaging more than a point per game.

Tonight’s game can be seen on AHL Live for a small fee if you can’t make it to attend.

Zdeno Chara is Back From Europe

Zdeno Chara (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

Currently the KHL, Swiss and Czech leagues are on a 10-day holiday break so along with Tyler Seguin, Zdeno Chara has come back to Boston, at least for the time being.  The break couldn’t come at a better time for Chara as coincidentally he has reportedly lost his friendship with former teammate Miroslav Satan after this hit:

Here in the NHL this would be ruled a legal hit, Satan’s head was down and Chara made an open ice hit. The issue here is that in Europe they like to see more skill and fast paced hockey as opposed to the heavy hitting we are all accustomed to here.  Satan’s choice words regarding the incident:

“The plate between my sixth and seventh vertebrae in my neck is displaced by 4.5 millimeters, I am lucky I was not paralyzed.  Fortuniately the headaches have subsided… I’m not saying that he intended to seriously injure me, but knowing who I was and that I did not see him. To risk the health and life of a human that he calls a good friend…” (Ran through Google translate, via Chara Risking My Life!)

Chara told the media after the game that he did not know it was Satan that he hit until after the fact and that it was a normal ‘hockey play.’

Chara joined teammate Shawn Thornton in skating today along with Keith Yandle (Phoenix), Jay Pandalfo and Ryan Whitney (Edmonton) while Rask, Marchand and Lucic took the day off.

Fan Gets Seguin’s Signature Tattooed…Again

Remember after the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup NESN reported about a fifteen year old girl trying to preserve her Tyler Seguin signature on her arm in order to get it tattooed when she turned 18? Well, it appears that someone has beat her to the punch as @ScottyBurger ‘s friend got it last night. 

Providence Profiles: Torey Krug

Krug in his first NHL game! (Credit:Flickr/Slidingsideways)

Torey Krug , if not for the lockout, would most likely be on the Boston Bruins roster right now. He was signed back in March coming in from Michigan State University with just 7 games left in the Bruins regular season. Krug ended up playing in 2 games with the Bruins before the season getting his first NHL assist. But with the lockout continuing until at least the end of 2012, Krug has spent his season with Providence.

Looking at Krug you wouldn’t exactly think defensive weapon; he’s 5’9″ and 175 pounds. Obviously I’m saying this in comparison to defensive GIANT Zdeno Chara. But if those 2 games with the B’s last season were any indication, Krug has no fear playing with the big boys. His competitive nature and strength are definitely a huge asset that Boston could use.

This season in 20 games for Providence, Krug has 1 goal and 5 assists. Krug is the the kind of player that every team needs; he’s that guy that’ll do whatever necessary to secure a win and that is what makes him the kind of player that the Bruins need!

Here’s a clip of Krugs first NHL point thanks to a Milan Lucic goal!

 

Bruins Best Phantoms in OT, Win 3-2

 

12-8-12: Jamie Tardif against the Connecticu Whale (Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Vail/Flickr)

Sunday evening the Providence Bruins hosted the Adirondack Phantoms in their third and final game of the weekend.  Although the game needed additional minutes to be decided, Kyle MacKinnon was able to beat Munroe and give the Bruins their fifth win in the past six contests, instilling a three-game win streak, the best of the season.  The Bruins record improved to 12-8-0-2 and are now within one point of first place in the Atlantic Division.

Unlike the past two games the Bruins came out with the drive and determination they needed to get the ball rolling in the first period.  They dominated the play through the first half of the period allowing Adirondack only a single shot on goal.  They dominated the shot clock, but unfortunately couldn’t convert their power plays. It wouldn’t be until 15:13 that Jamie Tardif would slap one past Scott Munroe‘s right shoulder and give Providence a 1-0 lead, their first first period lead in their last 4 games.

Unfortunately, the Phantoms are much like their major league affiliate (Philadelphia) and came out in the second period ready to fight (not literally). Svedberg was unable to keep up with the sudden tempo change and Adirondack’s  Harry Zolnierczyk was able to capitalize, tying the game at one a piece. However the Bruins regained control of the lead again when Chris Bourque fired a perfect pass toRyan Spooner who shot the one-timer with Jamie Tardif banking the rebound in behind Munroe for his second of the night and 102nd of his career. Heading into the third period the Bruins held a goal advantage and dominated the shot clock 38-13.

The final frame is where the game began to get scary for Providence fans watching after an ill-timed penalty cost the Bruins their lead and Dimmen put the Phantoms within reach of victory. While the Bruins could have given up and fallen apart they kept their heads in the game and battled through the rest of the period, pushing the game into overtime. In recent games the Bruins have dominated in regulation and have been spent for the extra minutes or just barely make it through to a shootout. Thankfully that wasn’t the case against Adirondack, they fought hard and Kyle MacKinnon was able to use his speed and beat Munroe blocker side on the first and only shot in overtime.

The Bruins next game is Friday, December 14 against the Springfield Falcons at the Dunk. Face off is at 7:00.

Game Notes…

• Goaltending:

Niklas Svedberg improved his record to 10-4-1 in saving 24 shots out of the 26 he faced.  He currently has a .921 save percentage and 2.34 goals against average.  Scott Munroe fell to 7-6-0 on the season and saved 44 of 47 shots faced. He currently holds a .920 save percentage and 2.55 goals against average.

• Shots on Goal: Providence 16-22-8-1 (47)  Adirondack 7-6-12-1 (26)
• Power play Opportunities: Providence 1/4  Adirondack 1/5
• Three Stars of the Game:

1. Kyle MacKinnon 1 goal,GWG (Providence)
2. Jamie Tardif 2 goals (Providence)
3. Tye McGinn 1 goal, 1 assist (Adirondack)

*Note: All statistical information is courtesy of Official Game Score Sheet and Game Report courtesy of the AHL.

Chris Kelly Heads Back to Boston

 

Chris Kelly and Tyler Seguin (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

Chris Kelly signed with HC Red Ice at the tail end of October and according to the teams’ official website he played his last game November 30.  He only signed a one-month deal with the club but had the option to extend his stay, it appears he chose to come back to Boston.

Kelly performed well in Switzerland playing in eight games with the Red Ice and recording four goals and five assists, more than a point per game in some cases. While his numbers aren’t as devastating to the Swiss League as Seguin or Bergeron’s who are averaging multi-points per game, Seguin leading the entire league in points over guys like Rick Nash and Joe Thornton, they are still good for the alternate captain.

He is the second player to return home from playing overseas so far after Tuukka Rask who also had a productive ‘vacation.’ Currently Tyler Seguin is home visiting, but only for the week. While two players have come back there still remain ten other players overseas, including the most recent signing of Daniel Paille.  While I’m sure many of us would like to take Kelly’s return as a sign of negotiations coming to an end (in a positive way) this is most likely not the case. However, we can remain optimistic for a little while longer I suppose.

Preview: Bruins Host Phantoms

Ryan Spooner at the face off against the Worcester Sharks (Photo Credit: Stephanie Vail/Flickr)

Today the Providence Bruins take on the Adirondack Phantoms at home for the first time this season. The Bruins are looking to take the third and final game of their schedule, picking up wins both Friday and Saturday night. The Phantoms are also coming off of a victory last night after defeating the Crunch in their first shootout of the season.

This evening the Bruins look to gain another two points in the standings to take control of first place in the Atlantic Division, a far cry from being last just a week and a half ago.  Last night the Bruins were able to come from behind once again and defeat the Worcester Sharks in a shootout with a goal from Max Sauve who just returned from an injury.  Chris Bourque was also able to register and assist last night with a helper on Bartkoswi’s goal, preserving his team points lead.

As the Bruins look to earn a win against the Phantoms this afternoon there is one man that should be on their radar.  The name, Brayden Schenn. In 22 games this season Schenn has posted 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points.  That’s 9 points more than team leading Chris Bourque has for the Bruins.  Their goaltending isn’t too shabby either with Scott Munroe expected to be in net.  Munroe has a .918 save percentage and 2.51 goals against average in 14 games played.  He holds a record of 7-5-2 on the season so far.

Face off is at 4:05pm. You can watch the game on AHL live for a small fee or listen online on the AHL Official website.

 

Bruins Beat Sharks in Shootout, Win 3-2

Max Sauve (Photo courtesy of Stephanie Vail/ Flickr)

Last night Max Sauve was the star of the game, coming back from injury and scoring the game-winning shoot out goal he provided Providence with two points that ties them for third place in the Atlantic Division with the Portland Pirates after their win last night.

The Bruins went into the first period in hopes of carrying momentum over from Friday’s victory, but unfortunately got off to a slow start.  It would be Worcester that was able to make things happen as they got on the board a little over half way through the period.  The Bruins held a slight advantage in shots through the first twenty minutes with 9 shots to their 7, but were unable to beat Stalock and went into the first intermission 1-0.

To no surprise the goaltending is what made this game so interesting. Both teams provided golden scoring opportunities, but both Alex Stalock and Michael Hutchinson were on the ball doing everything but standing on their heads to keep pucks from going by them.  Scoring wouldn’t occur again until the final frame when Jamie Tardif came right out and blew a shot past Stalock 2:20 into the period.  Much like Boston, the baby B’s showed up strong in the third period and dominated the ice The Sharks were able to slip another one past Hutchinson around the 13:30 marker, but Bartkowski answered right back at 17:58 to tie the game in the final minutes.

After a scoreless additional five minute overtime period the game was sentenced to a shoot out. Hutchinson and Stalock both stopped all five shooters flawlessly making it look effortless.  It would come down to the sixth round when Max Sauve would find a way to slip the puck past Stalock and give the Bruins their second win of the weekend.

Next game is Sunday at 4:05pm at the Dunkin Donuts Arena against the Adirondack Phantoms.

Game Notes…

• Goaltending: Michael Hutchinson (2-4-1)- 32 saves out of 34 shots faced, five saves in overtime and all six shooters in the shootout. He has a save percentage of .885 and a 3.02 goals against average.  Alex Stalock (8-5-1) -28 saves out of 30 shots faced, two saves in overtime and made 5 out of 6 saves in the shootout.
• Shots on goal: Providence 9-7-12-2-1 (31)  Worcester 7-15-7-5-0 (34)
• Power Play Opportunities: Providence 0/4  Worcester  1/6
• Three Stars of the Game:

1. Max Sauve– 1SOG-GWG (Providence)
2. Alex Stalock– 32/34 saves (Worcester)
3. Matt Bartkowski– 1 Goal (Providence)