AHL Providence Bruins

P-Bruins host playoff series this week

April 12, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Providence Bruins News Release


The Providence Bruins will host a best-of-three first-round playoff series against the Portland Pirates this week at the Dunkin' Donuts Center Providence, beginning with Game 1 on Thursday, April 15 at 7:05 p.m. Game 2 will be played on Friday, April 16 at 7:05 p.m. Should a deciding Game 3 be necessary, it will be played on Sunday, April 18 at 4:05 p.m. The winner of the series will move on to face the Hartford Wolf Pack in a best-of-seven Atlantic Division Semifinal series.

The Bruins and Pirates met 10 times during the regular season, with the season series split at 4-4-2-0. The Bruins were 4-1-0-0 on home ice against Portland. The Pirates hold a 52-46-14 advantage in the all-time series. This week's playoff series marks the second time that the long-time rivals have faced off in the Calder Cup Playoffs. They met in the 1995 Northern Division Semifinals, when the Pirates were looking to repeat as Calder Cup champions. The Bruins defeated the Pirates in Game 7 in Portland, 6-3, with former Bruin Mikko Makela scoring the series winner, and Scott Bailey making 30 saves for the win.

The Bruins finished the season in fourth place in the Atlantic Division, with their 36-29-11-4 record (87 points). Providence finished sixth in the league with 170 goals against, shattering the previous franchise record of 223, set in the 1998-99 and 2001-02 seasons. The Black and Gold was one of six teams to break the previous AHL record for fewest goals against in a season, 176, set by the Rochester Americans in 1998-99.

Providence goaltender Tim Thomas enjoyed a season to remember in 2003-04, establishing two franchise records, while ranking among the league's elite in several categories. Thomas, who turns 30 on the day of Game 1, set a new single-season franchise record with nine shutouts, while also becoming the team's all-time leader with 10 career shutouts in 78 games. He was 20-16-6 in 43 games, and ranked third in the AHL with a 1.84 GAA. He also ranked second with a .941 save percentage, and was tied for third in shutouts. Thomas posted back-to-back shutouts on three different occasions, and was named the Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week for the period ending March 21. He was voted by his teammates as the P-Bruins' Most Valuable Player, and also received the team's Three Stars Award.

Bruin center Brad Boyes was named an AHL Second-Team All-Star after finishing sixth in league scoring with 31-41-72 totals in 78 games. The 22-year-old native of Mississauga, Ontario was acquired by the Boston Bruins from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for former P-Bruins defenseman Jeff Jillson on March 9. He had 6-6-12 totals and a +4 rating in 17 games with Providence following the trade. Three of his six goals with the Bruins were game-winners. Boyes was named to the 2002-03 AHL All-Rookie Team after posting combined 30-34-64 totals in 80 games with the St. John's Maple Leafs and Cleveland Barons.

Providence captain Rich Brennan led the team's charge to the postseason by scoring three goals in the final five games of the regular season. Two of his goals were game-winners, including one with 22 seconds left in a 2-1 overtime win against Portland on April 7. Brennan led all Bruin defensemen with 12 goals, and finished fourth among AHL blueliners with eight power play goals. He also tied for second among AHL defensemen with four game-winning goals.

Tickets for Thursday, Friday and Sunday are available at all TicketMaster outlets (401-331-2211 or 508/617-931-2000), as well as the Dunkin' Donuts Center Providence box office. Further information can be obtained by calling the Bruins ticket office at (401) 273-5000.



THIS WEEK
(ALL GAMES EST)

Thursday, April 15 vs. Portland, 7:05 p.m., Dunkin' Donuts Center Providence
Friday, April 16 vs. Portland, 7:05 p.m., Dunkin' Donuts Center Providence
*Sunday, April 18 vs. Portland, 4:05 p.m., Dunkin' Donuts Center Providence
Radio: WDDZ AM 550 * = If Necessary
The Bruins and Pirates split their 10-game season series at 4-4-2-0...The Bruins were 4-1-0-0 on home ice in the series...C Andre Savage led the team with 1-6-7 totals in eight games against the Pirates...C Matt Herr had 3-3-6 totals in eight games against his former team...G Tim Thomas stopped 19 shots in a 4-0 win over Portland on March 21...Portland G Maxime Ouellet finished eighth in the league with a 1.99 GAA and seventh with a .930 save percentage...He also ranked second with 10 shutouts, including two against the Bruins...Partner Rastislav Stana was 14-5-4 with a 1.68 GAA and .941 save percentage...LW Colin Forbes led the team with 1-7-8 totals in eight games against the Bruins...The Pirates ranked third in the AHL with 160 goals against.

Providence Bruins Schedule:
Tuesday 4/13 10:30 AM – Dunkin' Donuts Center
Wednesday 4/14 10:30 AM – Dunkin' Donuts Center
Thursday 4/15 10:00 AM – Dunkin' Donuts Center; Game 1 vs. Portland, 7:05 p.m.
Friday 4/16 10:00 AM – Dunkin' Donuts Center; Game 2 vs. Portland, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday 4/17 TBA
Sunday 4/18 10:00 AM – Dunkin' Donuts Center; Game 3 vs. Portland*, 4:05 p.m.
Monday 4/19 OFF


LAST WEEK
Date Opp. Score B's goal scorers (#, type) Goaltender (saves; record)
4/7 Portland OTW, 2-1 Brennan (11; PPG; GWG); Herr (18) Thomas (16; 19-15-5)
4/9 Springfield W, 3-0 Brennan (12; PPG; GWG); Jurcina (5; PPG); Wilde (1) Thomas (20; 20-15-5)
4/10 @ Worcester T, 0-0 ----- Thomas (38; 20-15-6)
4/11 @ Hartford L, 2-1 VanOene (9) Thomas (30; 20-16-6)


IN THE BOOKS

Records Leaders Goaltenders
Overall Record 36-29-11-4 Brad Boyes 31-41-72 Tim Thomas, 1.84 GAA, 20-16-6, .941%
Home Record 20-13-4-3 Andre Savage 17-30-47 Hannu Toivonen, 2.30 GAA, 15-16-4, .921%
Road Record 16-16-7-1 Matt Herr 18-26-44 Peter Hamerlik, 1.91 GAA, 1-1-1, .939%
Overtime 6-4-11 Ivan Huml 15-16-31
Power Play 58-379, 15.3%, 13th Pat Leahy 14-16-30
Penalty Killing 344-406, 84.7%, 17th Kevin Dallman 6-23-29

Slap Shots: C Andre Savage has 9-12-21 totals in 36 career playoff games with the Bruins, and is the franchise career leader with five game-winning goals...RW Carl Corazzini tied for the regular season league lead with four shorthanded goals...LW Ivan Huml led the team with nine power play goals...C/RW Brendan Walsh led the team and ranked seventh in the AHL with 281 PIM...RW Colton Orr ranked 10th in the league and second among rookies with 257 PIM...D Zdenek Kutlak led all Bruin blueliners with a +10 rating.

Bruins Radio & Media: All 80 Providence Bruins games will be broadcast on WDDZ AM-550. Corey Masse brings you the action. Please contact Adam Alper for all interview requests.

Wednesday, April 14 Fox 64 "Sports Wrap" 10:45 p.m. Matt Herr


TEAM VS. TEAM
PROVIDENCE BRUINS - Portland Pirates 2003-04

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PAST RESULTS
11/14/03 Portland 3 at PROVIDENCE 4
11/28/03 Portland 3 at PROVIDENCE 4
12/20/03 PROVIDENCE 4 at Portland 4
12/27/03 PROVIDENCE 0 at Portland 2
01/18/04 PROVIDENCE 1 at Portland 1
02/07/04 PROVIDENCE 1 at Portland 3
03/07/04 Portland 2 at PROVIDENCE 0
03/21/04 Portland 0 at PROVIDENCE 4
04/03/04 PROVIDENCE 0 at Portland 3
04/07/04 Portland 1 at PROVIDENCE 2

Check out the Providence Bruins Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from April 12, 2004


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