Going into the final weekend before the All-Star Classic break, the Providence Bruins have a huge Eastern Conference tilt against the Cleveland Monsters. They’ve already met back in November, with the Monsters winning both games 4-3 in Providence. This time, the Bruins look to return the favor as they make their way to Northeast Ohio. It will be a two-game set on Friday (Jan. 31) and Saturday (Feb. 1) with both games having 7 p.m. Eastern starts. Who are the three Bruins players to watch this weekend against the Monsters?
3 Bruins to Watch
Michael Dipietro
What a season so far for Windsor, ON native Michael DiPietro. In his third season with the Bruins, the 26-year-old netminder has a 15-5-4-4 record with a 1.91 goals against average (GAA) and a .932% save percentage (SV%). Plus, he does have four shutouts on the season. He has only given up 46 goals in 24 games played.
That is a significant bump from how he finished the 2023-24 season with a 2.51 GAA, .918 SV%, and an 18-9-2-4 record. Also, he gave up 70 goals in 30 games.
While he has had a sub-3.00 GAA and over a .900 SV% since being in the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2019-20, this is his best production season ever. Last weekend, the Bruins played three teams in three days, with DiPietro starting two of those games. He did manage a 29-save shutout against the Rochester Americans. However, he was on the end of an overtime loss in a 3-2 battle against the Laval Rocket. Either way, not a bad weekend for DiPietro.
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With the Monsters winning two of their last five games, there is a great chance for DiPietro to notch his 16th win of the season either on Friday or Saturday.
Georgii Merkulov
It comes as no surprise that Georgii Merkulov is someone to keep an eye on this weekend. The 25-year-old Ryazan, Russia forward is having a stellar season for the Bruins. In 38 games he has 11 goals and 38 points. He is third on the team in goals behind Vinnie Lettieri (14) and Tyler Pitlick (12). He does however lead the team in assists (27) and points.
Merkulov is sixth on the team in shots (72) but with his point-per-game pace, he is making his goal matter more. Plus, his availability to stay on the ice is a boost for the Bruins. He only has 14 penalty minutes (PIMs), which is a .37 penalty minutes per game (PIMPG) clip. Being able to stay on the ice and make his shots count is nothing any coach would be upset about. He is someone who head coach Ryan Mougenel can rely on game in and game out.
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With how the Monsters have won the first two games this season between the two, it’ll be up to Merkulov to lead the way for the Bruins. they hope to take both games to even the regular seasons with two wins each. Compared to last season, when the Bruins had a 3-1-0-0 record against the Monsters, taking two in Cleveland would be huge.
Ian Mitchell
Taking a look at the defense, it would make sense to put Billy Sweezey since he will face his former team. However, it is Ian Mitchell who is someone fans need to watch over Friday and Saturday. The 26-year-old St. Albert, AB, defenseman has a nice mix of offense and defense for the Bruins. Mitchell having that dual skillset will help them overcome the Monsters this weekend.
In 35 games for the 2024-25 season, he has two goals and 20 points. While most of his offensive production comes from assists, he is a defenseman who can set his teammates in high-scoring situations. Furthermore, he has 74 shots on the season, which leads all defensemen for the Bruins, and he is tied for fourth on the team. What also helps him is his ability to stay on the ice for Mougenel, as Mitchell only has 14 PIMs on the season. That is a .40 PIMPG that goes a long way to help him maintain a .57 point-per-game pace.
What he will need to focus on in this two-game slate versus the Monsters is to shut down Trey Fix-Wolansky. Fix-Wolansky leads the Monsters in points with 36 and goals (15). If he can neutralize him and be an effective two-way defenseman, the Bruins will be in a good spot to take at least one win. The goal is always a sweep.
Must Watch Hockey
If there are any AHL games to watch this weekend, Bruins at Monsters is a big one. Two top-three teams in the Atlantic Division and the North are always good measuring stick games. Both teams are within six points for the division leads so any points will be beneficial to gain ground before the stretch run to the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. One thing is for sure, this is a must-watch TV if you’re a fan of either team or a neutral. Don’t want to miss this matchup.
