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In the stretch run for minor league hockey, both Bruins affiliates have suddenly hit their stride. Providence continues to have a strong season while Atlanta looks to be finding its form at the right time.
Providence Bruins
After dropping the opening contest of a six-game homestand, Providence caught fire, winning five in a row, including two this weekend.
On Friday, Providence rolled to a 7-4 win over the Springfield Falcons fueled by three-point nights from Paul Carey and Brendan Gaunce.
Sunday’s contest with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins was a bit closer, but Providence held on for the 2-1 win despite late pushback from the visitors.
Player of the Week: Brendan Gaunce – Once again, Gaunce had a solid week registering points in both games, including an assist on Sunday’s game-winner with one second left in the second period.
Up Next: Providence hits the road this week for three games. On Wednesday, they’ll complete the home-and-home series with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 7 p.m. followed by a Saturday night in Springfield and a Sunday matinee at the Hartford Wolfpack.
Looking at the playoff picture, Providence sits third in an extremely log-jammed Atlantic Division, just three points behind Hartford for second, making Sunday’s matchup between the teams of dire importance.
Springfield and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton are each vying for the final playoff spot in the East as well and are just four points behind Providence in the standings.
Atlanta Gladiators
After an up-and-down season, the Gladiators earned points in four straight games this week, including a pair of wins.
On Friday, Atlanta earned a regulation win over Orlando, 3-2, after a pair of second-period goals extended the lead.
Saturday night resulted in a 5-4 shootout loss at South Carolina, a night where Atlanta rallied to erase a two-goal deficit in the third period.
Sunday presented a back-and-forth affair with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, but Atlanta prevailed in overtime, 4-3.
Players of the Week: Scott Conway & Zach Malatesta – Conway registered a goal and an assist in every game over the weekend and finished with 17 shots. Malatesta has been coming on strong as of late, registering three goals, including two on Sunday, and a pair of assists along with 14 shots.
Up Next: The Gladiators hit the road to face the South Carolina Stingrays on Wednesday morning and return home for a Friday night faceoff with the Orlando Solar Bears and Saturday night against the Norfolk Admirals.
As far as postseason contention goes, Atlanta is closing in on third-place Greenville, sitting just three points back now with a couple games in hand.