Providence Bruins Updates

WOZNIEWSKI BACK IN PROVIDENCE
Veteran Served as Healthy Scratch During Latest NHL Stint

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, in their 18th year in the American Hockey League, announced that the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins have assigned defenseman Andy Wozniewski to Providence. With the move, the P-Bruins have 26 players on their roster, including 16 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders.

Wozniewski, 29, was recalled to Boston on January 14 but served as a healthy scratch in two games for the big club. The NHL call-up was the veteran blue-liner's second of the season after appearing in two road games for the parent Bruins in December. In Providence this year, Wozniewski is a PlanetUSA All-Star and currently ranks second on the P-Bruins with a career-high 27 points, including seven goals and a team-best 20 assists in his 38 games. His point and assist totals also place him in the league's top 10 among defensemen. Wozniewski's best month of the year came in October when he was named Providence's Player of the Month after recording 15 points (5g, 10a) in just 10 games.

LEHTONEN NAMED PLANETUSA STARTER
First Time All-Star Enters Starting Line-Up

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, in their 18th year in the American Hockey League, announced that forward Mikko Lehtonen has been added to the PlanetUSA team's starting line-up for the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic, scheduled for Tuesday night at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine. Lehtonen, a first-time All-Star, replaces former P-Bruin and current Norfolk Admirals forward Brandon Bochenski, who will miss the event due to his National Hockey League recall.

Lehtonen, 22, paces Providence with 12 goals and 32 points, while his 20 assists and five power play goals are tied for the team-lead. In 44 games for the P-Bruins, the second-year pro has taken 152 shots, which slots him second in the AHL. Lehtonen has also appeared in one game for the Boston Bruins this season during a brief November recall.

Last season, Lehtonen led the P-Bruins with 28 goals and finished his rookie campaign with 53 points (28g, 25a) in 72 regular season games. He added seven points (2g, 5a) in 14 postseason contests. Lehtonen also enjoyed his first career NHL recall on April 10, 2009, going scoreless in his NHL debut for Boston the following night against the Buffalo Sabres. The native of Espoo, Finland, was selected by Boston 83rd overall in round three of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

LARMAN RECALLED BY BOSTON
Center Earns First NHL Promotion of Season

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, in their 18th year in the American Hockey League, announced that the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins have recalled forward Drew Larman from Providence on an emergency basis. Larman will be available for Boston's game against the Ottawa Senators this afternoon. With the move, the P-Bruins have 25 players on their roster, including 15 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders.

Larman, 24, is in his fifth professional season and first in the Bruins organization after signing with Boston on July 13, 2009. The undrafted center has appeared in all but one of Providence's 44 games this season, recording nine points, including five goals and four assists. This is his first recall to Boston after previous NHL experience with the Florida Panthers. Larman enjoyed parts of two seasons with the Panthers from 2006-08, appearing in 22 games with three points (2g, a).

Prior to signing with Boston, Larman spent the majority of his first four pro seasons with the Rochester Americans, twice winning the team's McCulloch Trophy for outstanding community service. In his career, the Canton, Michigan, native has suited up for 292 games between the regular season and playoffs, amassing 106 points (55g, 51a).

ROCHE RELEASED BY PROVIDENCE
Forward Tallied One Assist in Three Games for P-Bruins

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, in their 18th year in the American Hockey League, announced that they have released forward Kenny Roche from his Professional Tryout Agreement. With the move, the P-Bruins have 24 players on their roster, including 14 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders.

Roche, 26, was recalled by Providence on January 15 from the ECHL's Charlotte Checkers, where he began the season with 27 points (16g, 11a) in 33 games. The fourth-year pro appeared in three games for the P-Bruins, registering an assist on January 16 in Providence's 3-2 overtime loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The South Boston, Massachusetts, native and four-year standout for the Boston University Terriers has enjoyed previous AHL experience with the Lake Erie Monsters and Hartford Wolf Pack, appearing in 35 games with seven points (2g, 5a) between the two squads. In his professional career, Roche has 84 points (37g, 47a) in 138 regular season games and five points (2g, 3a) in 12 postseason contests. The center was selected by the New York Rangers 75th overall in the third round of the 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

*INFO COURTESY OF WWW.PROVIDENCEBRUINS.COM

Wozniewski Called Up To Boston Again

AHL All-Star Earns Second NHL Recall of the Season

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, in their 18th year in the American Hockey League, announced that the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins have recalled defenseman Andy Wozniewski. With the move, the P-Bruins have 24 players on their roster, including 15 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders.

Wozniewski, 29, returns to the NHL after a one week recall to Boston in December. The veteran blue-liner appeared in two road games for the parents Bruins, going scoreless. In the AHL this season, Wozniewski is a PlanetUSA All-Star and currently ranks second on the P-Bruins with a career-high 27 points, including seven goals and a team-best 20 assists in his 38 games. His point and assist totals also place him in the league's top five among defensemen. Wozniewski's best month of the year came in October when he was named Providence's Player of the Month after recording 15 points (5g, 10a) in just 10 games.

The seventh-year pro signed with Boston as a free agent on September 9, 2009. In his career, Wozniewski has appeared in 291 regular season games, amassing 101 points (24g, 77a), along with 25 postseason contests, registering 11 points (5g, 6a). Among his totals, Wozniewski has suited up for 79 career NHL games with Boston, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the St. Louis Blues, recording 12 points (2g, 10a) overall. Prior to turning pro in 2003-04 with the St. John's Maple Leafs, the undrafted native of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, played at the college ranks for four seasons, the first for the UMass-Lowell River Hawks and the final three with the University of Wisconsin Badgers. His NCAA career finished with 40 points (11g, 29a) in 133 contests.

*INFO COURTESY OF WWW.PROVIDENCEBRUINS.COM

Providence Adds Foward From Alaska

John Lammers Joins Providence from ECHL's Alaska

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, in their 18th year in the American Hockey League, announced that they have signed forward John Lammers to a Professional Tryout Agreement. With the move, the P-Bruins have 25 players on their roster, including 15 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders.

Lammers, 23, began the season with the ECHL's Alaska Aces, where he has registered 35 points in just 25 games. His 20 goals rank tied for fourth in the league and lead the Aces, as do his nine power play goals and his plus-seven rating. The fourth-year pro also enjoyed an 11-game scoreless stint with the AHL's Manitoba Moose this season, spending roughly one month with the club. In the ECHL, Lammers has nine multiple-point games and four point-streaks of at least three games.

The native of Langley, British Columbia, has considerable AHL experience, appearing in 121 regular season games for the Iowa Stars, Houston Aeros and Manitoba. Lammers spent the entire 2008-09 campaign with Houston, totaling 26 points (12g, 14a) in 57 regular season games, plus eight assists during an 18-game playoff run. As a pro, which includes time in the AHL, ECHL and overseas play in Finland, the Western Hockey League product has 126 points (67g, 59a) in 214 regular season games, plus 30 points (7g, 23a) in 44 postseason contests.

Lammers was selected 86th overall in round three of the 2004 National Hockey League Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars.

*INFO COURTESY OF WWW.PROVIDENCEBRUINS.COM

Providence Bruins Season Half Over

Halfway To Where
by T.Chace Jr.
January 12, 2010

The halfway point in the regular season occurred last weekend in Worcester for the Providence Bruins and their pursuit of the Calder Cup in their 18th year in the American Hockey League. The 2009-10 season has been a series of ups & downs in both player movement and wins and losses.

Since last season Providence has developed several players who will not be returning any time soon including Byron Bitz, Tuukka Rask, David Krejci, Matt Hunwick, Johnny Boychuck, and Vladimir Sobotka. All have been playing substantial NHL minutes with the parent club in Boston.

Providence has also lost the services of Brad Marchand, Trent Whitfield, Guillaume Lefebvre, Mikko Lehtonen, Adam McQuaid, and Andy Wozniewski on call-ups by the Boston Bruins throughout the season.

Marchand who is the only Providence player to average nearly a point a game has been sidelined with a torn tendon in his foot after having his foot skated over in a freak injury in mid-December. He was expected to miss 6-8 weeks of play. Many other veteran and young players have been given professional try-outs (PTO) this season but nothing has panned out with great success. Recently returning from injury was QMJHL scoring champion, Yannick Riendeau. Riendeau captured an assist in his first professional game against Springfield on December 29th. Head coach, Rob Murray stated that “he’s on the power play, and that’s where he’ll be successful. The fans can’t expect miracles out of this kid. He’s gonna be a good player, but you’ve got to be patient with him. It’s his first professional game; no exhibition games, no training camp, no anything and these games are more difficult after Christmas.”

The Bruins are having horrible difficulty scoring goals. Their leading scorer, Mikko Lehtonen, has just 30 points, including 11 goals to lead the team. Their total of 101 goals is second to last in the Eastern Conference only ahead of the Adirondack Phantoms, whom they defeated at the Dunkin Donuts Center on Friday, January 8th, 3-1. Through 41 games the Providence Bruins have 40 points, including nearly identical home and road records, a true reflection of their season. Their season’s longest winning streak of five games was followed by Marchland’s injury and losing their next six of seven contests. However, they are in almost every game, with solid goaltending provided by NHL veteran Dany Sabourin. Sabourin has logged the fourth most minutes played and is second in the AHL in saves. With one shutout and a 2.52 GAA, Sabourin has limited the opposition, allowing Providence to keep it close throughout the season.

The Bruins are without an identity and also very young, as they hope to gain confidence as the second half of the season begins. With the addition of Riendeau and a healthy Brad Marchand, the Bruins could see a bump in their scoring, but will it be enough? They are halfway there, but where are they going? That’s the question for this team.

Providence Trims Roster

December 21, 2009

Brouillette, Galvin & Stokes Released from PTO Agreements

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, in their 18th year in the American Hockey League, announced that they have released defensemen Julien Brouillette, Tom Galvin and Ryan Stokes from their Professional Tryout Agreements. With the moves, the P-Bruins have 24 players on their active roster, including 15 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders.

Brouillette, 23, was signed by the P-Bruins on December 18 and appeared in three games during his first career AHL stint. The blue-liner finished with one assist and a plus-one rating for Providence. Brouillette began the season with the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL, totaling 15 points (5g, 10a) in 24 games to lead all team defensemen in scoring. The third-year pro has also contributed a plus-nine rating and three multiple-point games.

Galvin, 30, joined Providence on December 10 from the International Hockey League's Muskegon Lumberjacks. He suited up for six P-Bruins games, going scoreless, after appearing in 18 games for Muskegon to start the year, where he totaled 12 points (4g, 8a) and a plus-10 rating. Since the 2006-07 campaign, Galvin has suited up for 203 games at the AHL level, primarily with the Grand Rapids Griffins. In that time, the seventh-year pro has registered 39 points (3g, 36a) in 193 regular season contests and three points (g, 2a) in 10 playoff games.

Stokes, 26, returned to Rhode Island on December 18 after spending the entire 2008-09 campaign with the P-Bruins. The veteran's first year with the P-Bruins was hampered by injuries as he appeared in only 29 games between the regular season and playoffs, registering a goal, an assist and 75 PIM. During this most recent stint, he went scoreless in three games. Stokes began the season with the ECHL's Toledo Walleye, recording 10 points (4g, 6a) and 53 PIM in 27 contests. The sixth-year pro had a Gordie Howe Hat Trick with a goal, two assists and a fight on October 31 at the Kalamazoo Wings.

INFO COURTESY OF PROVIDENCEBRUINS.COM

Mikko Lehtonen called Up To Boston

November 4, 2009

The Bruins have promoted Mikko Lehtonen from Providence on an emergency basis. Lehtonen will participate in tomorrow's morning skate and will be available for the game against the Canadiens.

The recall indicates that the Bruins were down to less than 12 healthy forwards following last night's 2-0 loss to Detroit.

The second-year pro has scored three goals and seven assists in 11 games for Providence. The right wing netted a team-leading 28 goals last year as a rookie. The 6-foot-5, 203-pound Lehtonen was the team's third-round pick in 2005. Lehtonen made his NHL debut last season when he played against Buffalo in the second-to-last regular-season game.

Information courtesy of Boston.com

Providence Rebounds Over Bridgeport

Roster Call-ups Hamper Goal Scoring
by T. Chace Jr.
November 4, 2009

On October 18th after a 7-2 victory over Portland the Providence Bruins had a 4-2 record and had scored 26 goals in just those six games. Things were looking good as the new season was progressing. However, the parent club, the Boston Bruins were about to place forward Milan Lucic on injured reserve. Lucic would join center Marc Savard on the Bruins injury list and with the trade of Chuck Kobasew, there were roster spots that needed to be filled.

After the Portland game, Vladimir Sobotka, Guillaume Lefebvre, and Brad Marchand were called up to the big club. This left a huge offensive problem for the P-Bruins. Marchand at the time had scored 6 goals in six games and Sobotka had recorded 10 points in six games, including 4 goals. Lefebvre was brought up to replace Lucic’s toughness and fierce corner work. Lefebvre was sent back down and replaced by veteran center Trent Whitfield who also had managed 8 points in six games for Providence.

Needless to say the P-Bruins struggled in their next four games, scoring just 3 goals in those four games. On Sunday, November 1st the Bruins beat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4-3 in what proved to be a very satisfying win according to Coach Rob Murray. “Very satisfying, we’ve got a depleted line-up, not only with the call ups, but a couple of injuries and a few guys are sick. We’ve had hard time generating any offense the last few games.”

The Bruins are looking for some of their younger players to step up and improve their play. Against Bridgeport, Murray felt several had. “Zach Hamill really picked up his game; Mikko Lehtonen looked good out there, our defense got into the scoring, so it was a good game for us to bounce back.” Regarding the young players and the need for them to respond while the team struggles, Murray says “I can’t be too hard on these guys; they stepped up today but they weren’t able to step up the last couple of games. They’re trying, Zach Hamill had a fantastic game, and he was awesome. We need a few guys to help us find a way to win.”

Jeff Penner was named the number one star; the defenseman notched his first goal of the season and also picked up two assists. Hamill had three assists and Jeff LoVecchio, just getting over being sick grabbed his 4th goal and added an assist as well. Bridgeport outshot Providence 40-28, Dany Sabourin made 37 saves for the victory in front of 4230 fans at The Dunkin Donuts Center.