AHL Announces Schedule Reduction By Two Home Games

Providence Bruins To Play Special 20th Anniversary Season Events
April 13, 2011

The Providence Bruins announced today they will be hosting two special hockey events at The Dunkin' Donuts Center to celebrate the 2011-12, 20th Anniversary Season. The P-Bruins will play host to the 1st Annual Boston Bruins Black & Gold Game at The Dunk and will also host a 20th Anniversary Providence Bruins Alumni Game.

The American Hockey League also announced that they will be reducing the 2011-12 regular season schedule to 76 games, which means there will be 38 home games played at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The 2011-12 regular season schedule is expected to be announced during the month of August.

Providence Bruins full season ticket holders will receive their seats for the Boston Bruins Black & Gold Game and the Providence Bruins Alumni Game as part of their season ticket package. P-Bruins 20 Game, 10 Game and 5 Game season ticket holders will have the first chance to purchase their seats at a reduced rate for both of these special events before they go on sale to the public.

The Boston Bruins Black & Gold Game kicks off the Boston Bruins pre-season schedule. This will be the first chance for fans to see members of the 2011-12 Boston Bruins skate together as a team. The Boston Bruins Black & Gold Game will take place in September with the game date to be announced at a later date.

*Information gathered from www.providencebruins.com

Carter Camper Will Play For Providence

Miami Scorer Should Dress Friday For P-Bruins
April 6, 2011

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Miami University senior forward Carter Camper has signed an entry-level deal with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL) Wednesday morning. A free agent out of college, Camper reported to Providence, R.I. Tuesday night and will begin his professional career with the Bruins’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Providence Bruins, this weekend.

“I’ve been talking to teams since the season ended. It all happened pretty quickly,” Camper said. “I’m extremely excited. It’s a dream come true to be a part of the Bruins organization.”

Camper, a native of Rocky River, Ohio, finished his career at Miami as the second leading scorer in school history with 183 points, totaling at least 40 points all four seasons in Oxford, and was the NCAA’s career scoring leader over the last four years. The 2010-11 captain for Miami also closed his RedHawk career ranked second in assists with 114 and tied for seventh with 69 career goals, including 31 power-play goals and 11 game-winning goals, both of which rank third all-time at Miami.

Camper was one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award this year, the second time he’s been named a finalist (2009), and was a First-Team All-CCHA selection for the second time in his career this year as well. He was named CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in March and is a finalist for the prestigious Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, which is announced Thursday.

This past season, Camper put up career numbers, ranking fourth nationally with a career-best 57 points while ranking third in the country with 38 assists and a 1.46 points per game average. He recorded a point in 32 of 39 games this year, including 16 multi-point games, while being named National Player of the Month for October. An All-American in 2009, Camper led Miami to its first Mason Cup this year while ranking second in CCHA play with 39 points and 28 assists.

Camper is scheduled to make his professional debut with the Providence Bruins Friday when they host the Portland (Maine) Pirates at 7:05 p.m. The Bruins also play at Springfield (Mass.) Saturday and close out the season Sunday, April 10 by hosting Manchester. Following the end of the season Sunday, Camper will return to Oxford but will attend the Boston Bruins’ rookie camp this summer with a chance to earn a roster spot on the NHL club. Details of the contract were not released.

Donald and Goulet Back Down Again

Donald and Goulet Shipped to Royals for ECHL Playoffs
April 5, 2011

The Providence Bruins, in their 19th season in the American Hockey League, today announced that they have assigned defensemen Ryan Donald and Alain Goulet to the ECHL's Reading Royals for the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Reading begins its best-of-five Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against Cincinnati on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m.

Donald, 24, enjoyed three stints in Providence this year, where he tallied two assists in 13 games, along with a minus-two rating and 13 penalty minutes. The rookie was most recently recalled from Reading on Mar. 1 and registered two assists in 10 contests. Both helpers came in his first career multiple-point game on Mar. 11 against Bridgeport.

The blue-liner returns to Reading, where he has three goals and nine assists for 12 points in 45 games, plus 101 PIM and a team-best plus-19 rating.

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, finished his second AHL campaign with two goals and six assists in 16 games over two stints in Providence, along with a plus-one rating and 10 PIM. The second-year pro had a career-best three-point game, all assists, on Mar. 6 against Bridgeport, finishing as the game's third star.

In 43 games for the Royals, Goulet has recorded 18 points, including 14 assists, and 29 PIM. He enjoyed a five-game point-streak in January, earning one point per game, and also appeared in his 100th professional game on Jan. 7 at Toledo.

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.

*Information gathered from www.providencebruins.com

My Letter To The Editors of the Providence Journal

Why Be So Negative?
by T. Chace Jr.
April 4, 2011

You really reached me this morning with your April 4, 2011 Providence Bruins article in the Sports section titled, “Some good news: It’s almost over”. The unnecessary negative title enraged me on so many levels.

First and foremost, for a newspaper company that is literally across the street to choose not to cover the capital city’s own team is completely beyond my comprehension. In addition, by choosing not to cover the team you have robbed thousands of RI hockey fans the opportunity to get to know the players, coaches, and staff that have helped make it one of the most successful franchises in the American Hockey League.

For most of the season Providence was third in the league in attendance, averaging over 7400 fans per game. Just recently they were passed by Chicago. Most Friday nights beginning on Opening Night there are 8000 – 10,000 fans in attendance at the Dunkin Donut’s Center. These fans travel from all over New England and Canada to Providence and they frequent the many eating and drinking establishment’s downtown. With the economic situation we presently face, this is a huge boost forty times a year or more for local businesses. That’s a positive in my book.

The Providence Bruins are charged with developing players for the big club in Boston. The Boston Bruins are presently preparing for a Stanley Cup run. Over a third of their roster features players who have recently played right here in downtown Providence. Players like Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Brad Marchand, Johnny Boychuk, Adam McQuaid, Steve Kampfer, and Tuukka Rask all honed their skills in Providence. Highly respected coaches Rob Murray and Bruce Cassidy have made their transitions possible, tirelessly working and motivating these future stars.

Many of these Providence players do charity work throughout the season all over the state. These players are rarely if ever featured in the Providence Journal, whether it is for their skills, their charity, or other special circumstances. These boys are great role models, friendly to a fault; reside in the city, and frequent businesses in the city and state.

The negative title was a poor demonstration of journalism in my opinion. This team, those men, and boys deserve a lot more from the hometown newspaper. Shame on you!