Tl;Dr Recap for those who just want the stats:

2/16/18 Providence (28-16-5) vs. Bridgeport (23-20-6) 7:05 PM

Goalies: Zane McIntyre of Providence and Chris Gibson of Bridgeport stopped all shots in regulation, earning technical shutouts, however McIntyre received the W.

Shootout Scoring Summary:

Providence Bridgeport 18 K. Agostino – Goal 24 T. St. Denis – No Goal 19 R. Fitzgerald – No Goal 25 C. Bailey – Goal 27 A. Czarnik – Goal 17 M. Dal Colle – No Goal

PVD 1-0 SOW, Improves to (29-16-5), BRI drops to (23-20-7)

2/17/18 Providence (29-16-5) @ Springfield (22-28-2) 7:05 PM

Goalies: Jordan Binnington 22 of 24 shots, 0.916 SV%; Evan Cowley 023 of 26 shots, 0.884 SV%.

Box Score W/ Scoring Summary:

Period Team Goal Assist(s) 2nd PRO J. Hickman J. Hennessey, Clifton 2nd SPR C. Brown S. Kurker, G. Chase 2nd PRO R. Fitzgerald J. Hennessey, A. Czarnik 3rd SPR R. Horvat J. Lammikko, A. Greco OT PRO K. Agostino J. Forsbacka-Karlsson

PVD 3-2 OTW, Improves to (30-16-5), SPR drops to (22-28-3)

2/18/18 Providence (30-16-5) vs. Springfield (22-28-3) 7:05 PM

Goalies: Zane McIntyre 17 of 20 shots, 0.850 SV%; Harri Sateri 36 of 38 shots, 0.947 SV%

Box Score W/ Scoring Summary:

Period Team Goal Assist(s) 1st SPR T. Schemitsch C. Valk 2nd PRO R. Fitzgerald J. Lauzon, A. Czarnik 2nd SPR C. Valk A. Greco, L. Bystrom 3rd SPR R. Horvat J. Lammikko, A. Greco 3rd PRO J. Hennessy T. Cross, A. Czarnik

PVD Regulation L, drops to (30-17-5), SPR improves to (23-28-3)

Game Summaries:

Providence Bruins vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (2/16/18)

Providence faced off against division nemesis Bridgeport Sound Tigers to begin the former’s 3-in-3 weekend. Unfortunately for the sake of this blog, the game was scoreless through three periods but featured a lot of good give-and-take hockey. Some off the calls on Providence were questionable, but to the Bruins’ credit, they successfully killed off all 6 penalties including a 5 on 3 opportunity for Bridgeport. Both teams came close to scoring on several occasions but the goalies dominated their creases through 3 periods, and 5 minutes of OT. In the shootout, the Bruins elected to shoot second. Zane McIntyre made the first save, as Bridgeport’s Travis St. Denis curled in between the faceoff dots and tried to hook around Zane Mcintyre glove side. Kenny Agostino was in the on-deck circle for Providence and skated in hard on Gibson. Agostino faked a move in the low slot, and Gibson overcommitted in net, allowing Kenny to bank left and tuck the puck in. Casey Bailey shot next for the Sound Tigers. He skated up the left wing boards, cut toward the slot, and picked the top right corner, far post on McIntyre to even the tallies. Ryan Fitzgerald could not extend the Providence lead, but Michael Dal Colle failed to do so for the Sound Tigers, giving Providence a chance to take the game. Austin Czarnik took the final shot of the game, coming in on Gibson along the right-wing boards. He faked as if to shoot high, but instead tucked the puck five hole on Gibson to end a nail-biting game for the Bruins.

Providence Bruins @ Springfield Thunderbirds (2/17/18)

On a snowy night in Springfield, the Bruins skated against a Springfield club that was battered the night before by Lehigh Valley 8-2. Despite strong forechecking and scoring chances from both sides, the first period ended with no goals, making it 5 consecutive periods in Regulation Providence did not score a goal dating back to last Sunday. While on the powerplay in the first period, Springfield thought they scored early, and the horn went off, however the man in stripes behind the goal gave the wash-out signal. Midway through the second, Providence struck first on a legitimate goal from Justin Hickman. Josh Hennessey and Conor Clifton played catch between the right-wing boards and blue line, before Hennesey walked the puck behind the net and fed Justin Hickman at the right-wing faceoff circle who one-timed it past Even Cowley. Springfield woke up after this goal and begun walking all over Providence, however didn’t score until late in the second period. Thunderbirds forward Sam Kurker took advantage of a Providence team that wasn’t quite fully back in position defensively and sent a cross crease pass to teammate Cam Brown who fired into a yawning net as Providence netminder Jordan Binnington was scrambling back into position to cover the shooter streaking in. To their credit, Providence struck back before the second period expired. Austin Czarnik began the breakout, dishing to Josh Hennessey who carried into the zone, and snuck the puck through two Springfield defensemen to teammate Ryan Fitzgerald. The latter drove the net hard and slipped the puck under the pads of the Springfield goalie with 6 seconds remaining in the period. The third period was mostly uneventful until the last ten minutes of regulation, where Springfield again turned up the intensity. With three minutes remaining in regulation, the Thunderbirds tied up the score. After winning the puck battle after a faceoff in the Providence zone, Anthony Greco shielded the puck from Providence’s defense along the right wing boards. As he reached the goal stripe, he passed out to teammate Juho Lammikko parked in the slot. Lammikko quickly caught the puck and passed between the legs cross-crease to teammate Ryan Horvat left alone at the far post. The latter tapped the puck into the net for the tying goal. The score held at 2-2 into the end of regulation and the teams went to overtime. Six seconds into the OT frame, Kenny Agostino and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson broke into the Springfield zone, playing pattycake with the puck, before Agostino fired a shot that beat Evan Cowley to lift the score to 3-2 and securing a Providence win.

Providence Bruins vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (2/18/18)

In the last game of this week’s 3 in 3, Providence concluded a home and home with the Springfield Thunderbirds who they skated against the night prior. Unlike the night prior, Springfield’s first goal was actually deemed a good goal, as Thomas Schemitsch wristed a puck over McIntyre’s glove 4 minutes into the game. Later that period, Colby Cave came within inches of tying the game, but as goes the theme of this weekend, rang the crossbar instead. The first frame ended with Springfield ahead by one goal. Providence followed up a period of mismanaging the puck by coming out in the second period juiced up. Ryan Fitzgerald’s efforts were rewarded as just over 2 minutes in, he tied the score with his 12th goal of the season. Austin Czarnik carried the puck in, and Lauzon fired the slap shot from the point that Fitzgerald ended up converting the rebound on. During a penalty kill late in the second, Providence suffered a goal against, as Curtis Valk tipped a shot past McIntyre the latter had no chance of stopping. Springfield again ended the period up by a goal. The Thunderbirds added some insurance off the stick of Ryan Horvat, who potted a rebound after teammates Juho Lammiko and Anthony Greco’s shots were stopped by McIntyre. Providence would not end the period quietly, as Josh Hennessy notched a powerplay goal late in the third to put Providence within striking distance, however, even with the extra skater, they couldn’t complete the comeback and the Thunderbirds won in regulation.

Plus / Minus

Plus: + The Hargrove-Cave-Senyshyn line had some brilliant looks Saturday night, but couldn’t find hteir way on the score sheet despite a strong forecheck and heads up play. Their play in the attacking zone hemmed Springfield in for long portions of time limiting a Thunderbirds counterattack. It was the best showing a line could have without scoring a goal or registering a point.

+ Providence’s penalty kill went 9/9 between Friday and Saturday, suffering only one PPG against on Sunday.

+ Zane McIntyre continues his hot streak, earning a technical shutout by stopping all shots in regulation and overtime Friday night.

+ Austin Czarnik went 0-2-2, and had the game winner Friday night. Jeremy Lauzon recorded his first point since recovering from a concussion. His booming slap-shot set up the rebound the Bruins eventually scored on.

+ With two wins each of the past two weekends, Providence is on pace to erase points lost in a bad January.

Minus: – Despite several opportunities, the Providence powerplay only tallied once this weekend after a series of 3 and 4 PPG outings in January.

– Though he’s been mostly good, Zane McIntyre didn’t do the Providence squad any favors with 3 goals on only 20 shots Sunday afternoon.

– Providence (understandably) looked flat, mismanaged pucks, and took mostly low-danger shots in their last game of a 3 in 3 weekend and could only manage 2 goals on 38 shots. They are missing the services of Jordan Szwarz (recalled to Boston).

– Sunday, Providence had some defensive misfires, as they failed to clear the crease leading to a back-breaking goal against.

– Providence could not close out any wins in regulation this week, their loss notwithstanding.