Matt Poitras, meanwhile, tied a franchise record with his seven-game goal streak in the month of December, a mark set by Jamie Tardif in the 2012-13 season. The Brooklin, Ontario, native tallied eight goals and seven assists in 12 games during the calendar month. The forward posted a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the Wolf Pack.
Thomas believes that Poitras style of play sets him up for offensive success.
“For Poitras, it’s about extending possession and getting himself into scoring areas,” said Thomas. “He’s doing a really good job of getting himself into those spots where when he gets a chance, there’s a great opportunity for it to go in. It’s nice to see him getting rewarded through the chemistry with his linemates.”
The goaltending duo of Brandon Bussi and Michael DiPietro backboned the Providence Bruins to victories this weekend, stopping a combined 67 shots in both 4-1 victories.
Bussi, the Sound Beach, New York, native, kicked away 36 shots on Saturday, only allowing a redirection goal late in the third frame. He was awarded the AHL’s Third Star of The Night for his effort.
DiPietro, a native of Windsor, Ontario, stopped 31 attempts in Friday’s contest. He ranks fourth in the league with a 1.99 goals against average and fifth with a .926 save percentage.
Thomas knows that the goaltenders have provided confidence to the team on the ice.
“Your goaltending is a critical piece to your team's success,” said Thomas. “To see our two guys play as well as they did coming out of the break, it shows you what type of professionals they are. When your goalies give you the confidence that they’re going to come up with a big save in any type of game, it allows you to play more with the ability to create offense. They stepped up to make sure the other teams didn’t create any of their own momentum.”
NCAA
- Ty Gallagher netted his fourth goal of the season in No. 8 ranked Colorado College’s final game before the holiday break. The defenseman leads the Tigers with 12 points this season on four goals and eight assists. The Clarkston, Michigan, native was originally selected by Boston in the seventh round (217th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
- Chris Pelosi found the back of the net in a 6-5 win for No. 18 ranked Quinnipiac University over American International College on Sunday. The forward has three goals and three assists in his freshman campaign for the Bobcats. The Sewell, New Jersey, native was originally selected by Boston in the third round (92nd overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Juniors
- Jonathan Morello tallied a goal and an assist in the Dubuque Fighting Saints’ 7-2 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers on December 14. The forward has two goals and eight assists in his first USHL season and is committed to play at Boston University. The Toronto, Ontario, native was originally selected by Boston in the fifth round (154th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
