Bruins Beat Undefeated Springfield in Shootout
Warsofsky With Game Winner
October 25, 2013
Providence Bruins Press Release
Providence, RI-- The Providence Bruins defeated the Springfield Falcons 4-3 in a shootout Friday night at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Nick Johnson scored twice and Justin Florek added a goal in regulation, while Ryan Spooner and David Warsofsky tallied goals in the shootout. Niklas Svedberg recorded 36 saves.
After a scoreless opening period where both teams had many scoring chances, the P-Bruins took a 1-0 lead 4:29 into the second when defensemen Zach Trotman took a hard shot from center ice which tipped off Johnson and into the net. For Johnson it was his third goal of the season and Carter Camper got the second assist. Springfield bounced back quickly at the 8:10 mark when a rush up the ice led to a crowd of players in front of the net, which helped Falcons forward Sean Collins flip the puck into the net for his first goal of the season. Jake Hansen and Patrick McNeill recorded the assists. Springfield took its first lead of the night, while on the power play at the 10:23 mark. Defensemen Jean-Francois Jacques scored a power play goal, his first goal of the season, with Collins and Darryl Boyce getting the assists. The Falcons led 2-1 going into the second intermission.
Bobby Robins returned to action for Providence after missing the first six games of the season and recorded his first point of the season with an assist on the P-Bruins goal at the 15:56 mark of the third period. He fed a long pass from Warsofsky to the front of the net where Florek flipped it into the net. The scoring was not over when Collins tallied his second goal of the night to put the Falcons up 3-2 at the 17:34 mark. St. Denis and Hansen picked up the assists. The P-Bruins would again match their rival when Johnson scored his second goal of the game off a shot from the point by Joe Morrow at the 18:27 mark. Camper had the second assist as the game went into overtime tied at three.
After a scoreless overtime the game went into a shootout. In the shootout, Spooner scored in the first round to give the P-Bruins a 1-0 lead. Springfield answered back in round four with a goal from Jonathan Marchessault to tie the shootout at one. Providence grabbed the victory when Warsofsky scored in the sixth round to give the P-Bruins the 4-3 victory.
Svedberg stopped 36 of 39 shots for the P-Bruins, while Jeremy Smith made 32 saves for the Falcons. Providence was 0-for-4 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Providence Team Has a Lot to Learn
Young Squad Needs Time
October 16, 2013
Thomas Chace Jr.
October 16, 2013
Thomas Chace Jr.
With
just four games played and a couple of wins it’s no time for Providence Bruins
fans to cast too much judgment on this year’s team. The one home game they played on Friday
October 11th did not end well, as the B’s gave away a two goal lead
and were beaten in a shootout by the Manchester Monarchs. The season is long and there are many young
players on the roster that will be learning along the way about the
professional style of play in the AHL.
The
current roster for Providence includes just seven players that were born in the
1980’s. Defenseman, Mike Moore, will be
29 years old in December and is the elder statesman of the group. Injured forward, Bobby Robins is 31 years old,
but is recuperating from a knee injury suffered in an exhibition game vs. the
Washington Capitals in September and as of yet has no return date.
One
of Boston’s last assignments to Providence after training camp was 27 year old
Nick Johnson, who has picked up where he left off in Boston, tallying 3 goals
and an assist in their four contests so far.
No one else on the team was born before 1985.
Most
of the team is 23 years old or younger and will have to learn to adjust to the
AHL’s weekend heavy series of games and what to do on their own, during the
week when meetings and practices conclude.
It’s an adjustment for anyone in that age group, but to play a
professional game with men takes some getting used to.
The
Boston Bruins philosophy of how to play the game filters through all their levels
of play in the minor leagues. Many times
during the season a player from Providence seemingly fits seamlessly into the
Boston line-up while filling in for an injury or as a reward for solid two-way
play in Providence.
The
biggest job asked of the Providence Bruins is to develop players for the big
club in Boston and hopefully win along the way.
Last year that happened in big fashion.
Providence finished with a flurry and got to the Conference Semi-finals against
the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins where they took a 3-0 lead in their best of
seven series. However, after Game 2,
both defensemen, Matt Bartkowski and Torey Krug, were now summoned to Boston
for their playoff run. Leaving
Providence with no blue line scoring and facing a hot goalie, the P-Bruins
caved and eventually lost in seven games to the Pens. The team lost and it was heartbreaking but
the big picture showed Providence coaches and staff getting it done in
preparing the players for Boston. Bartkowski and Krug are both integral parts
of the Boston defensive corps today.
Ryan
Spooner, due to his position at center was a tough cut for the Boston
club. He played well enough on offense
but needs to work better along the wall and be stronger on his stick. Battling for a job with Patrice Bergeron,
David Krejci, Chris Kelly and Greg Campbell was a no win situation for
Spooner. His future is bright because he
is such a great skater. Forwards, Nick
Johnson, Matt Lindblad, and Craig Cunningham battled to the end of Boston’s
camp and should excel in Providence.
On
the defensive side, Zach Trotman, Tommy Cross, Joe Morrow, Kevan Miller, Chris
Casto, Mike Moore, and David Warsofsky anchor a strong defense. Warsofsky was expected to improve to the point
that he would get the recall to Boston last year but he watched Krug skate past
him into the Boston line-up. Mike Moore,
a Princeton graduate, is the veteran as mentioned earlier, who is a solid d-man
and unafraid to drop the gloves when needed.
Miller was essentially the 8th defenseman in Boston’s camp
and plays a style like Adam McQuaid. He
played over 60 games last year for Providence and along with the other
Providence defensemen has good size and understands the Bruins systems.
Jared
Knight was injured most of last year but is in great shape this season and it
shows already. Knight, a left wing, has
already scored two goals and is playing a solid game thus far. Younger players like Russian Alexander
Khokhlachev, rookies Seth Griffith, Alexander Fallstrom, Anthony Camara, and
Justin Florek are expected to improve on last year or gain knowledge this year
to give them a chance down the road to see NHL action.
Carter
Camper, Rob Flick, Matt Fraser and enforcers Bobby Robins and Tyler Randell
round out a very young club in Providence which is ultimately backed up by two
stalwart goaltenders in Niklas Svedberg and rookie Malcolm Subban. Thus far Svedberg has played in three of the
four games and playing time as always in Providence is based on how the week
goes in regards to practice, preparation, and attitude.
Scoring
looks like it should be balanced among several lines; the defense appears to be
pretty solid but lacks the offensive creativity Bartkowski and Krug
provided. Warsofsky and others need to
step up their games in that regard.
Toughness is covered by Moore, Randell, Flick, and Robins. The Providence Bruins are capable of playing
several styles of hockey but they all involve a work ethic and a philosophy
developed by the Boston brass and carried out by Head Coach Bruce Cassidy and
Asst. Coach Kevin Dean.
Make
no mistake; these young guys have much to learn about professional hockey and
playing against grown men but the blueprint is written. Keep learning, take direction, and follow instructions
and you’ll get a chance like Krug and all those before him, who got to wear the
spoked “B”.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Providence Wins First Game of Season
Johnson Scores In OT, Svedberg 40 Saves
October 4, 2013
Providence Press Release:
The Providence Bruins won their season opener 4-3 in overtime over the St. John’s IceCaps Friday evening at the Mile One Centre. The P-Bruins got a goal from Matt Fraser and Jared Knight and two goals, including the game-winner in overtime from Nick Johnson. Niklas Svedberg made 40 saves in the winning effort.The IceCaps came out strong in the first period, outshooting Providence early, but it was the P-Bruins taking the 1-0 lead at the 14:28 mark of the opening period. Fraser scored off his backhand, his first goal of the season, while Johnson and Ryan Spooner recorded the assists. The P-Bruins led 1-0 going into the first intermission.
The P-Bruins doubled their lead at the 13:13 mark of the second period. Johnson tallied his first goal of the game and of the season with help from a behind the back pass from Spooner. Fraser picked up the second assist. Providence led 2-0 going into the second intermission.
St. John’s got on the board at the 9:18 mark of the third period. Adam Lowry scored his first goal of the season, while Patrice Cormier and Jordan Hill had the assists. Providence retook their two-goal advantage at the 12:47 mark, when Knight notched his first goal of the season, with Alexander Khokhlachev grabbing the lone assist. The IceCaps battled back with two goals in less than a minute. At the 18:11 mark, J.C. Lipon tallied his first goal of the season, while Brenden Kichton and Jason Jaffray had the assists. It was Eric O’Dell tying the game at three at the 19:03 mark, his first goal of the season. Kael Mouillierat and Jerome Samson picked up the assists on the goal. The game went into overtime tied at three.
At the 2:04 mark of overtime, Johnson’s second goal of the game gave the P-Bruins the victory as he skated in on a breakaway and beat St. John’s net minder Eddie Pasquale on the backhand. Khokhlachev recorded his second assist of the night and the lone assist on the game winning goal. Providence went onto the 4-3 victory.
Svedberg stopped 40 of 43 shots he faced for the P-Bruins, while Pasquale made 26 saves for the IceCaps. The P-Bruins were 1-for-2 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.
October 4, 2013
Providence Press Release:
The Providence Bruins won their season opener 4-3 in overtime over the St. John’s IceCaps Friday evening at the Mile One Centre. The P-Bruins got a goal from Matt Fraser and Jared Knight and two goals, including the game-winner in overtime from Nick Johnson. Niklas Svedberg made 40 saves in the winning effort.The IceCaps came out strong in the first period, outshooting Providence early, but it was the P-Bruins taking the 1-0 lead at the 14:28 mark of the opening period. Fraser scored off his backhand, his first goal of the season, while Johnson and Ryan Spooner recorded the assists. The P-Bruins led 1-0 going into the first intermission.
The P-Bruins doubled their lead at the 13:13 mark of the second period. Johnson tallied his first goal of the game and of the season with help from a behind the back pass from Spooner. Fraser picked up the second assist. Providence led 2-0 going into the second intermission.
St. John’s got on the board at the 9:18 mark of the third period. Adam Lowry scored his first goal of the season, while Patrice Cormier and Jordan Hill had the assists. Providence retook their two-goal advantage at the 12:47 mark, when Knight notched his first goal of the season, with Alexander Khokhlachev grabbing the lone assist. The IceCaps battled back with two goals in less than a minute. At the 18:11 mark, J.C. Lipon tallied his first goal of the season, while Brenden Kichton and Jason Jaffray had the assists. It was Eric O’Dell tying the game at three at the 19:03 mark, his first goal of the season. Kael Mouillierat and Jerome Samson picked up the assists on the goal. The game went into overtime tied at three.
At the 2:04 mark of overtime, Johnson’s second goal of the game gave the P-Bruins the victory as he skated in on a breakaway and beat St. John’s net minder Eddie Pasquale on the backhand. Khokhlachev recorded his second assist of the night and the lone assist on the game winning goal. Providence went onto the 4-3 victory.
Svedberg stopped 40 of 43 shots he faced for the P-Bruins, while Pasquale made 26 saves for the IceCaps. The P-Bruins were 1-for-2 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.
Providence Roster - Game 1 - October 4, 2013
Strong From Goaltender Out
October 4, 2013
The Providence Bruins roster consists of a majority of young talented players. Bobby Robins and Mike Moore are the eldest statesmen of the team. The majority are 23 and under if you can believe that. The talent across the board is improving every season. Robins injury keeps him off this list but he is on the team.
The Providence Roster:
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