SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Providence Bruins and Springfield Thunderbirds collided in their latest matchup between the two upper Atlantic Division rivals. Despite squandering an early lead, the Bruins recovered in the second period and clamped down on the lead to earn a 3-2 decision. Brandon Bussi earned the win for Providence in relief of Kyle Keyser, who left the game just over midway through the first period with an injury. Bussi made 25 saves on 27 shots for the win, while Vadim Zherenko suffered the loss with 25 saves on 28 shots.
The Bruins vaulted to the lead just under two minutes into the game when Fabian Lysell struck for his third goal of the season. Lysell led on the rush after a feed from Connor Carrick from in front of his own goalie, and Lysell beat the defense and Zherenko for the early lead. However, the Thunderbirds have mastered the art of striking fast from a pair of familiar faces with Matthew Highmore and Mathias Laferriere, who continued to have big games after contributing to Springfield’s win on Friday night over the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Fabian Lysell, No. 22 in black, springs himself on the breakaway and gets Providence on the board with a snipe. Stay hot, Lysell. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/GQIqNcd9Tq
— Bruins Network (@BruinsNetwork) November 5, 2022
Springfield lit the lamp twice in the span of a minute, to turn the early deficit into a 2-1 lead after one period. However, much as happened often in the pair of games a week ago, the Bruins found a way to reverse the score against the Thunderbirds in the middle stanza, starting with an early goal from Luke Toporowski and ending late in the frame with Joey Abate’s first AHL goal. Abate snapped a shot long side over the shoulder of Zherenko to get the Bruins back in front less than a week after he dropped the gloves with Tyler Tucker in Sunday’s game, his second fight in the AHL. Abate turned pro this season, signing an AHL contract with Providence after completing his third season with the University of Omaha-Nebraska.
Providence 🚨 Goal
# 47 Joey Abate (1st Pro Goal)
3-2 Bruins pic.twitter.com/9PDXm06OrE
— Peter Lindley (@PBruinsHockey) November 6, 2022
Providence held the score in the third period to earn the win, not needing a dramatic goal from Vinni Lettieri this time to get the game beyond sixty minutes in order to earn the win.
Both teams managed to come up empty on the power play in this game, with the Thunderbirds missing out on five opportunities and the Bruins with four scoreless man-advantage chances.
The regulation loss snaps a lengthy point streak of six games for Springfield, while Providence moves their streak to five games and a 4-0-0-1 record in that span.
The two teams both played their tenth game of the season on Saturday, with the Bruins sitting atop the division with the win. Springfield gets back into action on Wednesday when they visit the Hartford Wolf Pack at XL Center, while Providence visits the Bridgeport Islanders this afternoon to cap off a busy week of games.
