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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Providence Signs WHL Prospect Button

Boston Draft Pick Joins Providence
March 29, 2011


The Providence Bruins, in their 19th season in the American Hockey League, today announced that they have signed defenseman Ryan Button to an Amateur Tryout Agreement.

Button, who turned 20 on Mar. 26, joins Providence for his first professional experience after spending much of the year in the Western Hockey League. In his fourth junior season, Button split time between the Prince Albert Raiders and the Seattle Thunderbirds, appearing in 69 games with five goals and 30 assists for 35 points. He also totaled a career-high 49 penalty minutes.

Selected by the Boston Bruins 86th overall in the third round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Button amassed 16 goals and 97 assists for 113 points, along with 168 PIM, in 264 career junior games. The Edmonton, Alberta, native never appeared in a playoff game during his WHL career.

*Information gathered from www.providencebruins.com

Trent Whitfield Wins AHL Award

Named Team's 2010-11 IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year
March 28, 2011

The Providence Bruins, in their 19th season in the American Hockey League, today announced that Trent Whitfield has been named the team's winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Providence community during the 2010-11 season.

While recovering from an offseason Achilles injury that kept the Providence veteran out half the season, the 13th year Whitfield was always the first to volunteer his time in order to stay involved. The alternate captain frequently visited schools to talk to children and also appeared at several other local Rhode Island community events.

At the arena, he participated in Toys for Tots and Rhode Island Food Bank collections on the concourse prior to games while injured. Now healthy, Whitfield often signs autographs for youth hockey groups prior to his own games.

Whitfield is now one of 30 finalists for the AHL's 2010-11 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia.

The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the AHL in the coming weeks.

*Information gathered from www.providencebruins.com

BRUINS SIGN DAVID WARSOFSKY TO ENTRY-LEVEL CONTRACT

BU Product and Marshfield, MA Native Assigned to Providence
March 24, 2011


Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has agreed to terms with Boston University junior David Warsofsky to an entry-level contract. Per club policy, the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He will report to Providence of the American Hockey League.

The 20-year-old defenseman appeared in 34 games this season for the Boston University Terriers (Hockey East), with 7-15=22 totals and 46 PIM. In three seasons with the Terriers, Warsofsky had 22 goals and 46 assists for 68 points and 122 PIM in 113 games.

The 5'9", 170-lb native of Marshfield, MA was originally selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round (95th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. His rights were acquired by the Bruins on June 26, 2010 from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Vladimir Sobotka.

During his freshman season at BU in 2008-09, Warsofsky won a National Championship, Hockey East Championship, and Beanpot Championship. Prior to BU, he captained the US National Under-18 team in 2007-08.

*Information gathered from www.providencebruins.com

Providence Sign Two College Players

Kyle MacKinnon and Kevan Miller Join the Fold
March 18, 2011

The Providence Bruins, in their 19th season in the American Hockey League, today announced that they have signed forward Kyle MacKinnon and defenseman Kevan Miller to Amateur Tryout Agreements.

MacKinnon, 23, is a four-year product of Providence College, where he recently completed his senior season for the Friars. The center scored a career-high 14 goals in 34 games this season, adding nine assists for 23 points. In four collegiate seasons, the Walnut, California, native totaled 71 points (37g, 34a) and 79 penalty minutes in 137 contests.

Miller, 23, also recently concluded his college career, finishing his senior season at the University of Vermont with one goal and three assists in 27 games. A Los Angeles, California, native, the blue-liner registered 30 points (5g, 25a) and 97 PIM in 144 outings for the Catamounts.

*Information gathered from www.providencebruins.com

Friday, March 18, 2011

Providence In Must Win Games Now

Providence has 13 Games Left, Sitting Nine Points Out of a Playoff Spot
March 18, 2011

The Providence Bruins (30-32-3-2, 65 PTS, 5th Atlantic) host the Worcester Sharks (31-24-4-8, 74 PTS, T-3rd Atlantic) tonight at the Dunkin' Donuts Center for the ninth of 12 meetings in 2010-11 between the Route 146 rivals. On the year, the P-Bruins are 2-4-1-1 versus the Sharks and 1-2-0-1 against them in Rhode Island. Providence dropped the season series-finale against Bridgeport on Sunday, losing 5-1 at home. Jordan Smotherman had the lone goal for the P-Bruins as the Sound Tigers scored five unanswered goals to close the game, including three on the power play. The defeat was Providence's second in a row, following four straight wins.

The Sharks have won three of their last four contests, including a home-and-home sweep of Connecticut last weekend. If the season ended today, though, Worcester would just miss the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Whale currently hold the tie-breaker over the Sharks, and the Binghamton Senators -fifth place in the East Division with 75 points - would cross over into the Atlantic for the postseason.

Providence, meanwhile, has 13 games remaining in the regular season, including nine against Worcester, Connecticut, Binghamton and Springfield, all teams the P-Bruins are competing with for two available spots. The P-Bruins trail a spot by nine points entering the weekend.

The P-Bruins have two new additions to the line-up and one departure from the team entering play tonight. Defenseman Maury Edwards was released from his Amateur Tryout Agreement as he left to join Lake Erie. Blue-liner Kevan Miller and center Kyle MacKinnon, a former Providence College Friar, each signed on.

Jamie Arniel's 41 points are a P-Bruins team-high, while Max Sauve is first on the team with 19 lamp-lighters. Zach Hamill leads the P-Bruins in helpers with 30. Sharks right winger Jonathan Cheechoo leads his team with 47 points, 18 goals and 29 assists.

Providence goalie Anton Khudobin is 23-13-1 with a 2.54 GAA and .911 save percentage on the 2010-11 season, with six games under his belt in Providence. Michael Hutchinson is 10-9-1 with one shutout, a 3.25 GAA and a .900 save percentage.

Worcester goalie Alex Stalock leads the club in every category, but is out for the rest of the season due to an injury. Among active Sharks goaltenders, Carter Hutton has a team-best 7-3-2 record, 2.90 GAA and a .902 save percentage. Sharks forward Benn Ferriero leads all skaters in the season series with three goals and six points.

Arniel is tied with Smotherman and ex-Bruin Jeff Penner for the most goals against the Sharks with two, and he also has the most assists (3) and points (5). For Worcester, Dan DaSilva, Sean Sullivan and Justin Braun have a team-leading four assists against Providence this season.

Hutchinson is the only active P-Bruins goalie with experience against the Sharks this season. He is 0-2-1 versus Worcester with a 3.29 GAA and .907 save percentage. Hutton has a 2-0-0 mark against Providence, featuring a 0.50 GAA and .983 save percentage.

On special teams, the P-Bruins rank 29th (13%) in the league on the power play and 28th (78%) when short-handed. The Sharks are 18th (17.4%) on the man advantage and 24th (79.8%) on the penalty kill.

*Information gathered from www.providencebruins.com

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Three Providence Players Suspended

AHL Announces Suspensions
March 8, 2011

The American Hockey League today announced the following suspensions: • Providence Bruins defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk has been suspended for three (3) games, Providence right wing Kirk MacDonald has been suspended for three (3) games and Providence center Zach Hamill has been suspended for one (1) game as a result of their actions in a game vs. Bridgeport on Mar. 6. All three players were suspended under the provisions of AHL Rule 28.1 (supplementary discipline). Bodnarchuk, MacDonald and Hamill will all miss Providence’s game Wednesday (Mar. 9) at Manchester. Bodnarchuk and MacDonald will also miss Providence’s games Friday (Mar. 11) vs. Bridgeport and Saturday (Mar. 12) at Portland.



*Information gathered from www.theahl.com

Monday, March 7, 2011

Trent Whitfield Is Player of The Week

Captain Whitfield On A Roll
March 7, 2011


The American Hockey League announced today that Providence Bruins center Trent Whitfield has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Mar. 6, 2011.


Whitfield had a hand in seven of Providence’s 10 goals on the week, scoring four and assisting on three others as the Bruins collected a pair of home-ice victories.


Whitfield entered the weekend having recorded just two points in his previous 11 contests, but he erased that drought with a two-goal, one-assist performance in Friday’s 4-2 win over Charlotte, which came into the tilt on a six-game points streak. He followed that up by recording a season-high four points (2-2-4) on Sunday in a 6-0 win over Bridgeport, including a shorthanded goal and assists on a pair of power-play markers. Whitfield finished with seven points in a two-game span after recording seven points in his last 18 outings combined.


In recognition of his achievement, Whitfield will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Bruins home game.


Whitfield, who missed the first three months of the season while recovering from an injury suffered over the summer, has registered 18 points (9-9-18) in 29 contests since returning to the Bruins’ lineup. Originally drafted by Boston, the 33-year-old Whitfield is a four-time 20-goal scorer at the AHL level and has totaled 549 points (222-327-549) in 698 career AHL games for Portland, Peoria, and Providence. A native of Alameda, Sask., Whitfield also shows 18 points (9-9-18) in 193 NHL contests with Washington, the N.Y. Rangers, St. Louis, and Boston.


*Information gathered from www.theahl.com

Just Win, Baby!

Reformulated Providence Team Is Winning
by T. Chace Jr.
March 7, 2011


February was not a kind month for New Englanders, with bitter cold temperatures and snow forecasted almost daily. The Providence Bruins found February to be a miserable month as well. Winning just four games during a grueling 14 game schedule, the P-Bruins had half of their team replaced or restocked with new additions through trades and ECHL call-ups during the month.

The Providence parent club, the Boston Bruins, made several trades to better themselves for a playoff run and Providence was affected dramatically. Gone is Joe Colbourne, a Bruins 1st round pick in 2008. Colbourne was one of the top goal scorers for Providence and his game was improving. Colbourne was dealt to Toronto to obtain Toronto defenseman, Tomas Kablerle, a long coveted power play specialist that Boston has been after for several years.

On the same day, Boston traded Mark Stuart and Blake Wheeler to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for forward Rich Peverley and 6’7” giant defenseman Boris Valabik. Valabik was assigned to Providence and has played in seven games and has two assists and two fights.

About a week later, disgruntled enforcer Brian McGrattan and defenseman Sean Zimmerman were dealt to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward David Laliberte and natural center Stefan Chaput. Laliberte has played in only two games but has tallied a goal and an assist already. Chaput has scored a goal in one of his two games played.

The biggest move took place on the day of the trade deadline. Providence’s defenseman Jeff Penner and the rights to Euro Mikko Lehtonen were moved to Minnesota for 24 year-old goaltender Anton Khudobin. Khudobin has played in two games and has won them both including a shutout of Bridgeport yesterday. Khudobin had a 19-12-1 record with a 2.58 GAA with Houston. He has played three NHL games, winning two, including a shutout of the Vancouver Canucks in January of this year.

Before the start of the weekend games, Matt Bartkowski was recalled by Boston and it was determined that Nate McIver would be out with a broken right hand suffered in a fight last week. McIver has had 26 fighting majors for Providence, ranking 3rd in the AHL. Providence recalled Ryan Donald and Alain Goulet from Reading in the ECHL.

Despite all the turmoil, the Providence club has won two games in a row with their new team. Captain Trent Whitfield, who scored four goals in the last two games, knows the road ahead to make the playoffs is daunting. “Obviously, we know our backs are against the wall, we’ve got some new faces, and hopefully some new energy. Those guys came in and are playing really solid games; it’s one game at a time now. We can’t have a game off now; we need to be sharp every game and try and work our way up the standings.”

Head Coach Rob Murray stated, “We’ve had a huge turnover of players and little time to practice, but the core guys are still here. We’ve had a little rest, but February was just brutal.”
The Bruins have been in a pattern of playing well every other month; they need March and early April to be their best played months of the season. Time will tell.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

StadiumJourney.com Rates Dunkin Donuts Center

The Dunk Is Rated By New Website For Fans
March 4, 2011
by T. Chace Jr.

Stadium Journey is a website venture that hopes to become a world-class community resource for sports fans, built around optimizing the experience of attending live sporting events.

They send Regional Correspondents out in the field to help provide tips and information through reviews of pro and college sports stadiums.

They also rely on fans to provide tips and information about their favorite home stadium, or a first time impression. By sharing their knowledge, they hope to make every trip to the ballpark, stadium, or arena the very best it can be.

They rate food & beverage, atmosphere, neighborhood, fans, access, return on investment, and extras.

Go here to see how the Dunkin Donuts Center was rated, you maybe surprised!
http://www.stadiumjourney.com/stadiums/dunkin-donuts-center-s871/

Slideshow: Providence vs. Charlotte - March 4, 2011

Friday, March 4, 2011

Yet Another Move By B's

P-Bruins Loan Goaltender Schaefer to Hershey
by T. Chace Jr.
March, 4, 2011


With the loan of veteran Nolan Schaefer to the Hershey Bears the Providence Bruins recalled Michael Hutchinson from Reading of the ECHL. "Hutch" had been sent down with the addition of new Providence goalie Anton Khudobin.

Khudobin is expected to start tonight and help backstop the Bruins as they attempt to make the playoffs with less than 20 games to go in the regular season.

More Roster Moves By Providence

P-BRUINS ANNOUNCE ROSTER MOVES
Donald & Goulet Up from Reading, Hutchinson to ECHL


The Providence Bruins announced that they have recalled defensemen Ryan Donald and Alain Goulet from the ECHL's Reading Royals. In addition, the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins have reassigned goaltender Michael Hutchinson from Providence to Reading.

Donald, 24, begins his third stint of the season in Providence, where he has gone scoreless in three games. The rookie defenseman has spent the majority of the year in Reading, where he has totaled three goals and nine assists for 12 points, along with a team-best plus-19 rating and 101 penalty minutes.

An undrafted native of St. Albert, Alberta, Donald signed an AHL contract with the P-Bruins on Sept. 17, 2010 after making his professional debut late in 2009-10 with Springfield following his senior season at Yale University. Donald appeared in three games for the Falcons, while tallying his first pro point with an assist. With the Bulldogs, Donald totaled 24 points, including five goals and 19 assists, along with 231 PIM over 123 contests.

Goulet, 22, began the season in Providence and appeared in one game before getting assigned to Reading on Oct. 12, 2010. Since, the second-year pro has compiled four goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 43 contests for the Royals, his point-total ranking tied for second among the club's blue-liners. He also has a plus-eight rating and 29 PIM. Goulet spent his entire rookie season in Providence in 2009-10, scoring 18 points, including three goals and 15 assists, in 71 games.

Prior to turning pro, the native of Kapuskasing, Ontario, enjoyed parts of two seasons in college with the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks from 2007-08, before then spending a portion of the 2008-09 campaign in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Gatineau Olympiques. He was selected by Boston 159th overall in round six of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Hutchinson, 21, has split his first professional season between the AHL and ECHL. The rookie has recorded a 10-8-1 mark with one shutout and a 3.13 goals-against-average in 23 games for Providence, and a 9-5-3 record with one blanking and a 2.85 GAA in 17 outings for Reading. During his most recent stint in Rhode Island, Hutchinson went 3-1-1 with his first career AHL shutout and a 3.21 GAA in five games.

Prior to turning pro, Hutchinson spent four junior seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with Barrie and London. The native of Barrie, Ontario, went a remarkable 32-12-2 with three shutouts and a 2.86 GAA in his final junior year for the Knights in 2009-10. Overall, Hutchinson compiled a 67-50-13 record in 130 regular season games in juniors, plus a 12-11 playoff mark. He was selected by Boston 77th overall in round three of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

*Information gathered from http://www.providencebruins.com/