Prospects Report: P-Bruins Post Three-Win Weekend

BostonBruins.com – Check out how the Boston Bruins’ prospects have performed to start the new season in Providence and around the NCAA.

Providence

Vinni Lettieri played a major role in the Providence Bruins’ weekend sweep over the Bridgeport Islanders and Hartford Wolf Pack. The Excelsior, Minnesota, native posted goals on Friday and Saturday and notched assists on Saturday and Sunday, bringing his season stat line to seven goals and four assists in 12 games played. His tally in Friday’s game came on the power play, igniting the P-Bruins’ special teams unit that notched five power-play goals in the three wins this weekend.

Georgii Merkulov notched a goal and four assists in the three victories over the weekend. The Ryazan, Russia, native’s tally on Saturday was one of the five that came on the man advantage over the three-game win streak. The forward also added an assist on Saturday for his first multi-point contest of the season.

Marc McLaughlin scored his first and second goals of the season on Saturday and Sunday. The North Billerica, Massachusetts, native scored the first of the team’s eight tallies in the victory at Bridgeport on Saturday. The forward netted the game-winning goal in Sunday’s victory over Hartford.

John Farinacci also scored his first and second goals of the season in the 8-4 victory in Bridgeport on Saturday. The Red Bank, New Jersey, native scored the third consecutive goal for Providence in a span of 56 seconds in the third period at Total Mortgage Arena. The forward then tallied another goal 2:03 later.

“I think we finally started playing faster, especially in the neutral zone,” Farinacci said after the offensive explosion in the final frame on Saturday. “We got pucks up right away, made the simple plays into speed, capitalized off the rush, and made a couple of good plays in the zone.”

Head Coach Ryan Mougenel was thrilled with his team’s effort over the weekend.

“I liked our team game,” Mougenel said after the P-Bruins’ won their third consecutive game on Sunday. “I thought a lot of guys stepped up and it showed. It hasn’t been an easy start and I think we’re going to be a better team for it. I really liked the buy in and the dig in, especially from our older guys.”

NCAA

• Andre Gasseau was stellar in the No. 2 ranked Boston College’s weekend sweep over the No. 5 ranked University of Maine. The Garden Grove, California, native scored the team’s first goal in Friday night’s game, igniting a third period comeback after trailing by two in the final frame. The forward then tallied two goals in Sunday’s 3-0 victory over the Black Bears. Gasseau was originally selected by Boston in the seventh round (213th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
• Elliot Groenewold recorded an assist in No. 15 ranked Quinnipiac University’s 4-2 loss to Dartmouth on Friday. The Springfield, Vermont, native posted his first career NCAA goal and added an assist in a 3-0 win at Holy Cross back on November 2. The defenseman was originally selected by Boston in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.