AHL American Hockey League

Chicago Blackhawks prospect Ben Smith's game is to work hard and be at the right place at the right time. Thus far this season for Chicago's AFL affiliate in Rockford, that place has been in front of the net.

A year removed from an injury plagued campaign, Smith has been making the most of his time with the IceHogs. Following this weekend's action, Smith leads all Rockford goal scorers with 10 tallies.

The former Boston College captain and Chicago's sixth-round pick in 2008 is second on the team with 20 points through 25 games. Besides serving as an alternate captain, Smith is claiming the area in front of the crease on a regular basis.

Smith had a six-game points streak come to a close Saturday night in a loss to the Chicago Wolves. However, the night before, Smith had a pair of goals to go along with an assist in Rockford's 5-3 win over Milwaukee. Sunday saw the 24-year-old Right Wing pick up his 10th helper of the season despite the IceHogs' loss to Grand Rapids.

Re-direction has been Smith's stock and trade over his last dozen games. Most of his seven goals in this stretch have come in this fashion, including two third-period scores Friday that brought the IceHogs back from a 3-1 deficit.

A concussion and hip issues limited Smith to 38 games in Rockford along with 13 games with the Blackhawks. With two 31-point efforts in his first two AHL seasons, a healthy Smith could easily eclipse his career-high in points in the next few months.

IceHogs Drop Out Of First

The 4-2 loss to Grand Rapids Sunday afternoon vaulted the Griffins over Rockford for first place in the AHL's Midwest Division. The IceHogs, who have 27 points, trail Grand Rapids by a single point in the standings.

The winners of seven of their last 10 outings, Rockford is tied with three other teams for fourth place in the Western Conference.

Leading In Something

The IceHogs currently lead the AHL with 601 penalty minutes.

Andrew Shaw, Kyle Beach and Rob Flick were all involved in scraps in the second period Sunday, and Rockford was assessed 55 minutes of penalties (Grand Rapids was on the hook for 77 minutes).

Shaw also got into an altercation Saturday night, as Rockford piled up another 52 minutes of penalties.

Special Teams Shine

Rockford may not be able to stay out of the penalty box, but they are turning in effective performances on special teams.

The IceHogs' power play has been red-hot lately with 16 goals in the last 12 games. They are tied for the league lead with 25 on the season, and their 21 percent success rate is good for sixth in the AHL.

Rockford's penalty kill has not allowed a 5-on-3 goal in 13 chances for the opposition. Over the last six games, the team has allowed just two goals on 27 chances.

Morin's Status In Question

Jeremy Morin also got into a scuffle Saturday and may be missing some time for it. Midway through the third period, Morin faced off with Chicago's Kevin Connauton only to seemingly take an uppercut to the chin. Connauton landed another big shot, with Morin hanging on for dear life before the two were separated.

Connauton went to the box while Morin went straight to the locker room. Morin returned for the final minutes but was held out of Sunday's action. There is no word on any injury he may have sustained, but the team was probably smart to hold him out of the game in Grand Rapids.

Other Injury Updates

Defenseman Joe Lavin will be missing most of the rest of the month due to a broken wrist sustained November 24 in Lake Erie. Lavin had appeared to have been coming around after a slow start to the season with assists in three straight games when he went down.

Brandon Svensden, who is in Rockford on an AHL contract, is nearing a return from an injury to his right arm suffered before the season. Svensden is practicing and if he isn't sent down to Toledo could return for the IceHogs' next game December 14 at Milwaukee.

After a rather dismal rookie season spending time on the fourth line and accumulating one point over 55 games with the New York Islanders, Nino Niederreiter has made his mark in the American Hockey league.

Rumors swirled that Niederreiter had been too rushed and may be a draft bust (albeit after only 55 games and rather prematurely). 

Upon the lockout, Nino was assigned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and immediately had a marked improvement in his play. The team went on a tear, posting a 10-4 record until they dropped three in a row last week. All the while, Nino sits 11th in points with nine goals and nine assists for 18 points in 17 games.

Nino scored more than a point per game in the Western Hockey League, and a lot was expected of him after being selected fifth overall in the draft.

The confidence developed in the AHL for the time being has paid dividends. Prior to his play in the NHL, Niederreiter was basically a high-scoring power forward. He had the size to be physical and the hockey sense and hands to be an effective scorer. 

The last thing Niederreiter should be considered is a draft bust. Perhaps he was a little low on confidence, and a steam-rolling by Mark Fistric last year didn't help, but if Nino continues to play like this he'll end up being a top scorer in the AHL by season's end.

The question is, should he be recalled if and when the lockout ends?

In short, his performance on a call-up should be the deciding factor.

If he can translate his AHL play to the NHL then he should remain. If not, allow him to continue his development in Bridgeport. 

While nothing is ever technically guaranteed, everyone will be better off the sooner hockey fans in the heart of Connecticut come to terms with the Hartford Whalers being gone for good.

It has been 15 years since "the Whale" bolted the congested virtual dividing line between New England and New York sports allegiance. But while the NHL’s Battle of New England is strictly a trove of memories now, there has been a radiant silver lining for both Boston Bruins buffs and the not-so-orphaned Hartford hockey fanbase.

That silver lining, namely the AHL rivalry between the Providence Bruins and Connecticut Whale, may never have shined brighter or in a more prominent view than it is right now.

In the midst of an NHL lockout, the next-best league in North America presses on with one team brandishing Boston’s colors and nickname and another bearing the same colors and affectionate nickname of its predecessor.

Friday night will mark the second of six Bruins-Whale bouts this season and the first at the Dunkin' Donuts Center, Boston’s prospect base and the best-attended AHL facility in the region.

This date is also hovering around the two-year anniversary of Connecticut’s abrupt, midseason switch from the Hartford Wolf Pack, the franchise’s original name from when it first came to fill the void in the fall of 1997.

Those two elements―the fact that this is the best quality of hockey presently available and the contesting clubs’ emblems and uniforms―should logically serve to intensify a feud that was appreciable enough to begin with.

The geographic aspect speaks for itself. It gives the AHL its own Battle of Southern New England to complement the Big East basketball grudge between Providence College and UConn.

One party caters to the capital of Rhode Island, the only New England state not to border any non-New England states or provinces.

The other represents the capital of Connecticut, the misfit New England state that, as implied earlier, blends Boston and New York fanfare.

One team hones the professional prospects for America’s oldest NHL franchise just north of the state border. The other functions as the farm club for the New York Rangers, another Original Six franchise that, like the Bruins, has undergone a recent revival in relevance.

With the lockout dragging on indefinitely, the two Gardens (TD and Madison Square) are as lacking in major league hockey as Hartford’s XL Center has been and most likely will continue to be. At the same time, the lockout means that Providence has the likes of Jordan Caron passing the time, while Connecticut has Chris Kreider.

Furthermore, as of this season, each team has one of legendary Boston blueliner Ray Bourque’s sons―Chris for Providence, Ryan for Connecticut. A host of former friends and foes from Boston College and Boston University, which have the quintessential college rivalry, are scattered around each roster as well.

Granted, this is not exactly the AHL’s most competitive card right now, but the old Bruins-Whalers rivalry did not always boast a pair of heavyweights. Neither was that always the case with the everlasting Original Six feuds of Bruins-Canadiens or Bruins-Rangers, but those matchups spark unconditional fan fervor nonetheless.

In its 15-plus years of existence, the AHL version of Boston-Hartford has sculpted enough of a history to match its NHL predecessor.

Two of Hartford’s eight Stanley Cup playoff appearances ended in seven- and six-game losses to the Bruins in 1990 and 1991, respectively. The P-Bruins have met the team formerly known as the Wolf Pack in four Calder Cup playoff rounds, claiming a sweep in 1999, losing in seven games in 2000 and winning a best-of-five in 2001 and a best-of-seven in 2007.

Providence-turned-Hartford defenseman Terry Virtue won a Cup with the Bruins in 1999, then scored in overtime in Game 7 to knock off his old friends and help Hartford press on to the 2000 title. The AHL’s playoff prize has not been back anywhere in New England since.

Virtue was hardly the first AHL entity to go from pleasing Providence to servicing the sworn enemy in Hartford. The Wolf Pack/Whale franchise originated as the Providence/Rhode Island Reds, who eventually bolted for Binghamton in 1977.

The Reds morphed into the Broome Dusters, then the Binghamton Whalers and ultimately the Binghamton Rangers. When their previous parent club left a hockey void in Hartford, their adoptive affiliate from Manhattan promptly decided to transplant its prospects to the Nutmeg State.

How about that? The two southernmost New England states each know the feeling of losing a pro hockey club. Rhode Islanders can indirectly begrudge Hartford for taking their old team, while Whalers fans can partially blame the Bruins for ushering their NHL franchise out of New England.

In turn, both fanbases can take it out on each other with their respective AHL teams.

If none of this makes the term "minor league" a misnomer, this author yearns to know what does.

It may have taken the Oklahoma City Barons a little longer to establish their chemistry on the ice, but it appears that the star-studded Barons are starting to hit their stride.

The team has compiled a respectable six-game winning streak heading into their game against the Houston Aeros on Nov. 29, a streak that seems to have been sparked by the Nov. 3 addition of Taylor Hall to the roster.

Hall has made an immediate impact, registering 15 points in 10 games, and he appears to have shaken off the rust after undergoing shoulder surgery last April. 

Thanks to an effort which saw Hall register one goal and eights assists with a plus-six rating in a three game span, Hall was named CCM/AHL  Player of the Week for the week beginning Nov. 26. 

Hall isn't the only Edmonton Oiler benefiting from his time in the AHL.

The Barons currently feature three of the top five leading scorers in the AHL. Justin Schultz, the Oilers' highly touted free agent signing this past summer, leads the league with 28 points. 

Schultz has been as good as promised so far for the Barons, racking up points at an astounding rate and holding a plus-minus rating of plus-14. 

Schultz was awarded CCM/AHL Player of the Month for October and could very well repeat in November. 

Jordan Eberle is only two points behind Schultz in the AHL scoring race, with the talented winger having registered 26 points in 18 games.

Eberle has had no troubles adapting to the AHL game and leads the Barons with 11 goals. 

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, currently sitting in fifth place in AHL scoring, has also benefited from his time in Oklahoma City. 

Point scoring aside, the time in the AHL will allow Nugent-Hopkins to work on aspects of his game that were lacking last season for the Oilers, such as winning faceoffs. 

It has already been reported that RNH appears quicker and faster in the faceoff circle and he should only continue to improve. 

Playing in the Oklahoma may not be as glamorous as playing in Europe, but the fact that so many of the Oilers top prospects decided to play and grow together in the AHL can't be overlooked.

If the Barons can continue to establish familiarity and chemistry on the ice and keep winning, then this young core can once again begin to establish a winning culture in the Oilers' locker room.

Hall, Schultz, Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins all had distinguished minor hockey careers with successful teams but joined an Oilers team that has finished last in the NHL standings two out of the past three seasons. 

The team has already learned to lose together, but now the Oilers' young prospects are learning how to win together, something which will prove invaluable going forward. 

While the theme of the 2012-13 AHL season is to help provide young superstars like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Cody Hodgson, Jake Gardiner and Sean Couturier an opportunity to mature and develop their skills, what shall the league do once Lockout 3.0 comes to an end? While said lockout has created an opportunity for the AHL franchises and their fans to benefit from this sudden embarrassment of riches, there is another drawing card that warrants serious consideration.

As the AHL has always served as a buffer to experiment with rule changes and other ideas that the big league ponders, perhaps it is time for the AHL to be proactive on another front. It may be considered revolutionary, yet groundbreaking: What if the league were to have one female ice hockey player on every roster? With Manon Rheaume recently celebrating the 20th Anniversary of breaking the NHL’s gender barrier, now would be the most opportune time to pay tribute to that remarkable event by pushing the boundaries of hockey like they have never been before.

Several years ago, a television network in Quebec had a reality show based on hockey. The premise was that two teams (one representing Montreal and the other Quebec City) would compete against each other in a series of contests. In paying tribute to the classic Montreal Canadiens and Quebec Nordiques rivalry, the key difference was that each team had at least one woman on their roster.

Former Connecticut Huskies legend and Clarkson Cup champion Dominique Thibault played forward for Team Quebec. Jenny Lavigne, a police officer and teammate of Thibault in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, stood between the pipes for Team Montreal. Of note, the matches were full contact hockey and Thibault was not immune to being on the receiving end of physical play (just like Angela Ruggiero endured in her one game with the Tulsa Oilers).

There is no question that many women today are more than good enough to play on the same ice as their male counterparts. Gillian Apps, whose father and grandfather both played in the NHL, would be perfect as a player for the Toronto Marlies. She could wear the No. 10 like her grandfather did when he led the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup many generations ago.

The hockey hotbed of Montreal features several female residents that could be productive members of the Canadiens farm team, the Hamilton Bulldogs. Jesse Scanzano is a 6'0" power forward and a member of the NCAA 200-point club. In addition, Caroline Ouellette, one of the greatest women’s hockey players in modern history, is another Montreal resident that could hold her own with the Bulldogs.

Of course, there are a plethora of goaltenders that could easily add a new dimension to the way the game is contested at the AHL level. Noora Raty, the greatest goaltender in the history of the Minnesota Golden Gophers, would be a suitable member for the Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate. Jessie Vetter, the Babe Ruth of NCAA women’s hockey, set so many remarkable records with the Wisconsin Badgers that she would be an ideal choice to guard the Milwaukee Admirals' net.

Shannon Szabados has all the tools to be the next Manon Rheuame. She has played with men’s teams in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Western Hockey League, and with Grant McEwan College. In 2010, many in the Edmonton media believed Szabados should have been used by the Oilers when the struggling franchise required an emergency goaltender. Szabados has the poise and endurance to stand between the pipes for the Oklahoma City Barons.

While fans may argue that it may take a man’s job away, the same concerns existed when European players joined the National Hockey League. Canadians still comprise the majority of NHL players, and men would still be the overwhelming majority in the AHL. In today’s world of sport (like all other areas of business), a key component of survival is innovate or fall behind. Women’s ice hockey players would draw remarkable media interest while bringing new female fans to the gate. Even if the league were to do this for one season and fail miserably, the newfound respect and admiration that the AHL would gain from so many would put the league in a better position than it ever had.

As was the case in 2004-05, the NHL lockout has forced a number of big-name young stars to hone their skills in the American Hockey League until the world's best league resumes play.

Though the AHL is clearly a step down in terms of skill and speed, it's still an elite level of hockey, and for players still in the development stage of their young careers, it's a valuable training ground.

Just as Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Cam Ward did during the last work stoppage, there is a group of future All-Stars who will benefit from the lockout by gaining confidence and experience from a year in the AHL.

Here's a look at some of the guys that fit that billing.

Jordan Eberle

The Edmonton Oilers' rebuild has been jump-started by a fistful of fresh-faced offensive dynamos, and though Eberle wasn't a No. 1 overall pick like many of his fellow budding stars, he's been the best of the bunch so far. His appearance at the 2012 NHL All-Star Game will be the first of many for the former Canadian World Junior hero.

Though he's already proven that he's capable of consistent offensive production at the NHL level, spending the year in the AHL will allow him to continue to grow alongside the players who should be his linemates for the next decade or so.

Justin Schultz

The Oilers made waves by signing the former Ducks draft pick to a free agent deal this summer, and so far, Justin Schultz has lived up to all the hype.

Schultz was named the AHL's Player of the Month for October, and given how quickly he's adjusted to professional hockey, the former Wisconsin Badger is a lock to be a top-pairing defenseman for the Oilers when the NHL resumes play.  

Braden Holtby

Yeah, Braden Holtby's spent more than his fair share of time riding the buses in the minors, but after his breakout performance during the Caps' run to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2012, Holtby will only continue to develop during his latest stint with the Hershey Bears.

Through his first four starts with the Bears in 2012-13, Holtby's save percentage of .937 is the best of his career at any level of hockey, so it's safe to say the kid is motivated to be even better once the Verizon Center opens its doors once again.  

Taylor Hall

For Taylor Hall, it's all about getting healthy, because the former No. 1 overall pick has battled injuries constantly since entering the league in 2010.

Hall has all the tools to be one of the game's best snipers, and when healthy, he's been just that, as he notched 27 goals in just 61 games last season with the Oilers.

He's finally back in the lineup for Oklahoma City, and alongside Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the trio has a fantastic opportunity to build even more chemistry for the future.

Brayden Schenn

When the Flyers agreed to move Mike Richards to Los Angeles, the biggest asset they demanded in return for their former captain was Brayden Schenn. Paul Holmgren knew he had something special in the former World Junior MVP.

After a solid rookie season in Philadelphia, Schenn exploded during the 2012 Playoffs, scoring nine points in 11 games during the Flyers two-round postseason run.

Now with the Phantoms, Schenn will have the chance to play bigger minutes in every situation. So far, the results have been good, as he's potted 11 points in his first nine games.  

Justin Faulk

The Carolina Hurricanes' defense corps was anchored last season by rookie Justin Faulk, who scored 22 points in 61 games while playing No. 1 defenseman minutes.

Faulk, now with Charlotte in the AHL, is clearly one of Carolina's most valuable assets for the present and future and seeing as he's only in his second season of pro hockey, spending the year developing with the Checkers will only speed up the development process.

He's already got 13 points in eight games, so Faulk's rookie season was no fluke, and he'll be an even bigger offensive presence for the revamped Canes when the NHL resumes play.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

As the Oilers' franchise centerman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins did not disappoint during his rookie season, scoring 52 points in 62 games en route to a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team.

Alongside Eberle and Hall with the Barons, RNH will be primed for a breakout season once the lockout ends. The 19-year-old simply has too much talent and hockey sense not to be a star at the NHL level.

Sean Couturier

As the No. 8 pick of the 2011 NHL Draft, it wasn't exactly a sure thing that Sean Couturier would crack the Flyers' lineup as a rookie.

But the lanky centerman did just that, and was a solid two-way presence for Philadelphia all year long.

His 27 points weren't overly impressive, but Couturier brings so much more than offense to the table. He should be the Flyers' second-line pivot for a very long time.

So far with the Phantoms, Couturier has been dynamite, racking up eight goals and 10 points in his first nine games, so it's possible that when the NHL resumes play, he'll be a 20-goal, 50-point guy with the Flyers.

Chicago Blackhawks prospect Brandon Saad has not started the 2012-13 season in the fashion he probably wanted to. Starting the season as a member of the Rockford IceHogs, Saad has found the going a lot tougher than many anticipated.

Saad, who started and ended the season with the 'Hawks and figured to be in their plans as soon as this season, celebrated his 20th birthday in Grand Rapids on Saturday night as a scratch for the fourth straight game. Saad's inactivity stretched to five games when he was held out of Sunday's game with San Antonio.

Chris Block of thethirdmanin.com tweeted that both Saad and Nick Leddy were nursing injuries. Block learned from Rockford coach Ted Dent following the IceHogs 3-1 win on Sunday that Saad (leg) is to begin skating this week.

A head injury is ailing Leddy at the moment, though the extent of the problem has not been revealed. Leddy is day-to-day after apparently suffering the injury in Thursday's shootout victory over the Rampage.

Saad is still looking for his first points in Rockford, while Leddy had three assists in six games with the IceHogs.

High On The Hog

After dropping their first four games, the IceHogs have come back to win four in a row.  After getting their first win of the 2012-13 season last Sunday night, Rockford has started playing winning hockey.

Thursday saw the IceHogs drop San Antonio 2-1 in a shootout. Saturday was a 6-5 overtime triumph in Grand Rapids, and then Rockford beat the Rampage for the second time in four days, winning 3-1on Sunday. The team rallied from behind on Thursday and Saturday and took advantage of some timely goals to prevail.

The Chicago Wolves, who swept the IceHogs to open the season, visit this Friday as Rockford attempts to catch the Midwest Division leaders. The Wolves have 11 points this season to Rockford's nine.

Pirri Rolling Again

Brandon Pirri, last year's leading scorer, looks to be picking up where he left off in the spring. Pirri netted the game-winner in overtime on Saturday and assisted on Ben Smith's goal on Sunday.

He now has three goals and four assists so far in 2012-13. He also leads the team with a plus-four skater rating. Pirri's seven points are tied with Martin St. Pierre for the team lead, as are his three goals.

Hutton Finally Getting Goal Support

 Carter Hutton was in net for Rockford's three wins this week. Though he gave up five goals on Saturday in Grand Rapids, he was terrific against the Rampage. After giving up a goal 45 seconds into Thursday's game, Hutton stonewalled San Antonio and turned away every shooter he faced in the shootout.

Hutton is now 3-3-0-1 on the young season. He sports a 2.25 GAA and a .925 save percentage.

Special Teams

Despite allowing three power-play goals to Grand Rapids Saturday night, Rockford is still killing penalties at an 88-percent rate. That includes Sunday's effort, which saw the IceHogs turn away seven San Antonio chances in a penalty-heavy game.

The power-play offense isn't faring as well as the penalty killers, though, with Rockford hitting on just 10 percent of its chances so far.

The Chicago Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, got their 2012-13 season underway in Chicago this past weekend. Despite a roster loaded with familiar names, the IceHogs lost Saturday and Sunday contests to the Chicago Wolves.

Rockford salvaged a point from the weekend, losing its season opener in a 1-0 shootout. The IceHogs then staked Chicago with a three-goal lead on Sunday. They rallied with their first three goals of the season, but eventually fell 5-3 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

The IceHogs are hoping to avoid the poor starts that kept them out of the playoff picture in each of the last two seasons. The roster now has more experience, but that didn't stop the Wolves from dominating early in both games.

Rockford allowed its opponent to control the puck in the first period all weekend. The real scoring chances were few and far between, as goalies Carter Hutton and Eddie Lack battled to a stalemate Saturday, with the Wolves prevailing 3-1 in the shootout.

Brandon Pirri was the only IceHogs skater to get a puck past Lack, who stopped 25 shots in regulation and overtime. Hutton deserved better than to take the loss in this one, though, making 31 saves in 65 minutes of action.

In Sunday's game, The Wolves took a 3-0 lead in the third period. Andrew Ebbett found the net 7:46 into the first period and Nathan Longpre picked Jeremy Morin's pocket to post a shorthanded goal 7:45 into the second. Brett Sterling banked in a shot off of Dylan Olsen 2:44 into the final frame before Rockford woke up and made it interesting.

Morin got the scoring started for the IceHogs with a power-play goal three minutes later. Marcus Kruger hit for another goal with a man advantage at the 7:28 mark to pull Rockford within a goal, but Chicago responded with another Longpre tally a few minutes later.

Down 4-2, Morin got his second goal of the night midway through the third to close the gap to a single goal, but that was as close as the game would get. Bill Sweatt found the net with 2:44 to play to send the IceHogs home with no wins in two games.

Noticeably Absent: Rockford used the same lineup both nights, with Shawn Lalonde being one of coach Ted Dent's scratches in both games. With Adam Clendening and Klas Dahlbeck both unavailable with injuries, it is becoming apparent that Lalonde, once a prized 'Hawks prospect, has lost his starting spot in favor of Ben Youds.

Captain TBA: The IceHogs usually name a captain a few weeks into the season. Ryan Stanton and Ben Smith each wore an "A" on opening night, while Smith and Martin St. Pierre shared the honor on Sunday.

Save for a subsequent Craig Cunningham goal on enemy grounds and an empty-netter on the cusp of the buzzer in their zone Saturday night, it was like Groundhog Day in October for the Providence Bruins after their game Friday.

Accordingly, an assessment of Saturday’s 4-2 road falter to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers will be inevitably fraternal to that of Friday’s 3-1 home drawback against Manchester.

For the second straight night, the offensive unit of Max Sauvé, Ryan Spooner and Jamie Tardif collaborated to spot the Bruins a 1-0 edge. Once again, Providence proceeded to spill that lead on an opposing short-handed goal and then fall behind, 2-1, via an opposing power-play goal before the second intermission.

Bridgeport’s Jon Landry and Matt Watkins sandwiched Cunningham’s comeback strike, which was assisted by Carter Camper and Jordan Caron, with goals to finalize Bridgeport’s 4-2 triumph.

As Providence dips to 0-2 in the young 2012-13 AHL campaign, here is a deeper look at the most jutting highlights and lowlights from Saturday’s scoresheet.

0

Points on the year for winger Chris Bourque, the reigning AHL scoring champion brought into the Bruins organization this past offseason. While it is barely the time to even start simulating the panic-button push, Bourque has not so much as been on the ice for a Providence strike through two games.

Only twice in his 93-point campaign last year did Bourque go through consecutive games without chipping in a goal or an assist. Only once did he go dry for three or more.

Other pointless Providence forwards after two games played apiece include Christian Hanson, Jared Knight, Lane MacDermid and captain Trent Whitfield.

2

Sophomore defenseman Kevan Miller’s rating on the plus side for the weekend.

Unlike Bourque, Miller is wasting no time composing a season akin to his 2011-12 campaign. Last year’s runaway plus/minus leader for Providence at a plus-20, Miller already has a plus-two rating on the season, having been on the ice for two of the three Bruins goals and only one opposing power-play goal.

None of Bridgeport’s four tallies on Saturday―which came in a variety pack of one short-handed, power-play, even-strength and empty-net strike―occurred on Miller’s watch.

Among his teammates, Tardif was Miller’s only company in the plus/minus black on Saturday, retaining an identical plus-one.

3.07

Michael Hutchinson’s goals-against average on the night, coupled with a .857 save percentage and credit for his second straight loss.

Since holding the Monarchs scoreless through nearly the first 40 minutes on Friday, Hutchinson has allowed six goals on 38 shots faced in roughly 80 minutes of action.

Again, this trend is not worth significant consternation, nor is it anything four-plus days of mental retooling and practice and maybe a switch in the rotation could not remedy. At the same time, it is especially not the ideal start, considering slow stumbles early last season and the year prior preceded a non-playoff campaign.

6

Providence power plays, which again eclipsed its cumulative short-handed but was, again, utterly squandered. 

The first two man-up segments, in particular, proved to be an embarrassment of wasted momentum. Landry went to the sin bin for hooking only 38 seconds after Sauvé had drawn first blood.

Despite shaking that off, the Sound Tigers went on the kill again, courtesy of a too-many-men hiccup, a mere seven seconds after Landry’s jailbreak. Yet, the Bruins remained barren on the man advantage and could not enhance their advantage on the scoreboard.

On their third advantage of the opening stanza, they only took 16 seconds to surrender the equalizer through Brandon DeFazio’s shortie.

10

Shots on goal from the Sauvé-Spooner-Tardif line, half of them off the goal scorer Sauvé’s stick, constituting almost exactly one-third of the tests administered to Bridgeport backstop Kevin Poulin.

The other nine Providence forwards combined for 14 registered bids and an identical solitary goal. Other than Sauvé and Tardif, Knight and blueliner Colby Cohen were the only other individuals to pelt Poulin at least three times.

With a little more aggression from the other offensive troikas a la Sauvé and his wingers, the P-Bruins very well could have at least mustered points on Saturday. Maybe then, it would have been easier to absolve Sauvé’s overcommitment early in the second period that warranted a goalie-interference penalty and opened the door to Nino Niederreiter’s go-ahead goal.

15

Shots on Poulin and saves by Poulin in the second period. Not unlike Friday’s opening stanza, Saturday’s second segment was the P-Bruins’ busiest on opposing property but yielded a famine of finish.

In the interim, Niederreiter drew his team’s first lead on one of its eight stabs at Hutchinson in the period.

As it happened, just as Providence would do from the second to the third, Bridgeport went from taking 15 shots on net in the first to eight in the second. The crucial difference was that the Sound Tigers hatched all of Hutchinson’s 20-minute goose eggs.

Indeed, despite the blizzard of biscuits issued by the visitors, the only “zero” in Saturday's period-to-period box score is in the Bruins’ half of the second-period column.