Bruins Outlasts Three Lead Changes, Defeat Thunderbirds On The Road

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Going into Saturday night, the Providence Bruins (7-1-1-1) knew they were in for a fight for when they came to Springfield, but wound up having to survive three lead changes.

However, they wound up victorious and wound up defeating the Springfield Thunderbirds (5-4-0-1) by a final of 3-2.

After a dust-up just over a minute into the first period, Fabian Lysell took a pass from Connor Carrick on a 3-on-0, giving the Bruins an early 1-0 lead over the Thunderbirds – one of three lead changes on Saturday night.

With 8:54 left in the period, Providence goaltender Kyle Keyser was injured chasing the puck in the trapezoid behind the net. The fourth-year netminder wound up suffering a lower body injury, and remained out for the duration of the game.

Keyser was replaced by Brandon Bussi – a second year goaltender out of the University of Western Michigan – who was recently called up from the ECHL’s Maine Mariners.

He left the ice with the help of his teammates, but was unable to put any weight on his right leg going on his way into the locker room. He did not appear on the bench the rest of the game.

No update was given postgame on Keyser except for a confirmation of the injury location.

Bussi in the meantime would finish with 25 saves on 27 shots. The only two goals came in a matter of 59 seconds at the end of the first period, giving Springfield its only lead of the night at 2-1.

“A lot of emotions first off,” Bussi said of his feelings going in after the injury. “[I] feel for Keyser, and right now, [we] hope he gets healthy fast. It was a weird play, but it felt good to help the team win.”

The T-Birds two goals at the end of the first period though was the entire offense all night, and the only lead they would hold as three minutes into the second period, Luke Toporowski tied it at 2-2 – beating netminder Vadim Zherenko glove side.

With four minutes left in the second period, Joey Abate broke the 2-2 deadlock by sneaking around the defense and wristing the puck past Zherenko top-shelf – much to the chagrin of Springfield fans in attendance, and making 3-2 late in the second period.

Despite the successful results of the game, the gigantic elephant in the room eventually had to be addressed.

Where was new signee Mitchell Miller? First he didn’t show up on the listed roster before the game, then it was rumored he didn’t make the trip from Providence.

When asked to confirm if he had not made the trip from Providence, Bruins head coach Ryan Mougenel would not corroborate one way or the other if he had made the trip or not, stating that he “couldn’t talk about that.”

When asked what he was looking forward to when he does finally hit the ice for Providence, Mougenel stated they were focused on their next game against the Bridgeport Islanders, and would be solely focused on players who had played in the game.

Mougenel would not comment on what drew him to Miller at first, but fellow-defenseman Josiah Didier to paint a different light on who was, and is today.

“He’s a part of the team, we’re welcoming him,” Didier said. “We’re excited to have him, he’s a very skilled hockey player.”

Didier acknowledged that Mitchell made a mistake when he was younger, but emphasized that the team was there to help him through it and that he was “a good kid” and “deserves a second chance”.

When asked to elaborate on what they were doing to help him, Didier said that he had not been able to do much given the fact that he has only been with the team for two days.

When asked about Miller, Bussi did not have much to comment on it.

“I don’t make those decisions, I just play the games,” Bussi said.

When asked what he thought of him as a person, Bussi said he didn’t know him well enough to form an opinion.

The Bruins are back in action on Sunday against the Bridgeport Islanders, puck drop is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.