The Providence Bruins go to Charlotte, N.C., for the duration of their best-of-five, second-round, Calder Cup playoff series against the Checkers, and having lost Game 1 by a 5-1 score, it’s imperative they bring their best.
It is also a critical opportunity for Boston’s NHL prospects to take another step in their development, as they did in coming back from a game down to win the opening-round, best-of-three against Springfield.
Game 2 is live at the AMP in Providence, and the teams are scoreless, as the battle is rough to the point of an altercation in the Charlotte end that has the P-Bruins on an early penalty kill (Jeffrey Viel roughing minor).
The Checkers have seasoned pros who move the puck effectively and confidently with the man advantage, but starter Michael DiPietro and the P-Bruins killers achieve the kill.
Center Matt Poitras landed a big hit on winger Ben Steeves on the latter’s cutback move at the halfwall and threw a second hit as the P-Bruins scrambled to keep Charlotte from turning their powerplay into momentum.
It’s a more-intense battle tonight; we’ll see if the P-Bruins can sustain it line to line and send this series to Charlotte all knotted up.
Poitras goes to the box for kneeing at 8:22. (When Rink Rap was a kid, the only arena in which kneeing was ever called was the Montreal Forum.)
Frederic Brunet with the big block on the one-timer, then he clears, and hobbles to the home bench.
Riley Tufte has a turnover? But he gets interfered with? No, it’s his stick that catches the defenseman up high and it’s Tufte to the penalty box. P-Bruins short-handed for the third time this period … sooner or later …
P-Bruins get another penalty kill, this time on great work by Fraser Minten, Viel and Brunet.
Finally, a call against Charlotte, and an extended delayed-penalty effort by the P-Bruins involving Vinni Lettieri and Fabian Lysell. P-Bruins to the powerplay for the first time of the game at 15:54 of the first period.
Big chance as Tufte goes hard to the net. Minten and Poitras moved the puck effectively on the powerplay. Lysell got hit on an offsides zone entry well after he had entered the attacking zone.
Tufte breaks in, save Kaapo Kahnonen, who has needed time to get into this game the way DiPietro has been from the opening faceoff.
Steeves loses his helmet at the Providence goalmouth, and in the ensuing scrum Oliver Okuliar throws a punch at Viel with the official right there – no call.
Big save by DiPietro, coming out to challenge a moving one-timer by former NHLer Jesse Puljujarvi.
Period ends with more grappling. These teams don’t like each other.
SECOND PERIOD
It’s a 1-0 lead for Charlotte after a goalmouth scramble, CJ Smith the goal scorer.
4v4 in front of the goalies – Steeves high-sticked Brunet, then Lettieri went to the box in the separate incident, so Charlotte will have a short powerplay in a half minute.
Riley Duran picks off a pass on the PK, breakaway, deke to the forehand, save Kahkonen.
P-Bruins caught tired in their own end, and DiPietro stops Will Lockwood from the circle, but Steeves pads Charlotte’s lead by redirecting a shot-pass from Marek Alscher at the left point. Nice play and smart execution by the Checkers to exploit the fatigued five in front of DiPietro. 2-0 midway through the second period.
Puljujarvi to the box for interference with 7:38 left in the second period. P-Bruins to the powerplay.
Minten to the box for high-sticking, negating the powerplay. Tough break for the kid the Bruins got from TO in the Brandon Carlo trade. 4v4 for 1:29, then a short powerplay for Charlotte.
Michael Callahan disrupts a breakout pass, and Poitras fires the puck from the low circle, but Kahkonen makes the save.
The goaltending in the AHL playoffs has been superb.
Kahkonen makes another big save on a Brunet blast from the left circle.
Mike Benning in tight, save DiPietro. Lysell tripped at the other end, no call, fans chant bad stuff.
Kahkonen makes two stops on slappers from the points, as the P-Bruins press to get on the board.
It’s 2-0 Charlotte with 1:26 left in the second period.
Poitras upset at a non-call.
THIRD PERIOD
Bronx cheer for the stripes, as Matt Kiersted goes to the box, and the P-Bruins get a powerplay early in the third period.
Rasmus Asplund short-handed from the left circle, save DiPietro.
Tyler Pitlick swerves through the slot, backhand shot, wide.
Too many men on the ice for Charlotte with 12:52 remaining in regulation. P-Bruins are running out of opportunities to break the ice and make this a nailbiter.
Poitras nice turnaround effort, stopped by Kahkonen. DiPietro makes a save at the other end.
8:00 left.
Brunet gets a drop pass from Tufte at the right point and tests Kahkonen, who makes the stop.
Steeves volleys the puck to himself with speed, but his batted effort sails wide of the Providence net.
Poitras with a nifty feed to Callahan, but Kahkonen makes the save.
P-Bruins press as Lettieri and Poitras trade passes. Both realize looks and get shots onto Kahkonen, and DiPietro leaves the ice for an added offensive option with 2:48 remaining. Kahkonen is able to tie up the puck with 2:19 left, and it’s an ice-maintenance timeout.
Down to 1:03. Follow on X @MickColageo for further updates.
And, as always, drive safely.
Rink Rap with Mick Colageo 