Monday, April 9, 2012

This Date In Providence Bruins History: April 9

1993: In the regular-season finale of their first campaign, the P-Bruins win their final confrontation with the Capital District Islanders, 5-4, in overtime.

1995: Reacquired forward Tim Sweeney, who had been in Anaheim since the belated start to the NHL season, sets a promising tone for his role in the playoffs with two goals and two assists to help top Springfield, 6-5, in the regular-season finale. Meanwhile, Brett Harkins becomes the second player in team history to dress for all 80 games in a single regular season.

1999: Prior to the game, Peter Laviolette is bestowed with the Louis A.R. Pieri Award as the AHL’s best coach while Randy Robitaille is declared the league’s MVP. Afterwards, both Jeremy Brown and Peter Ferraro score a shorthanded goal as the P-Bruins clinch the regular-season championship with a 5-4 home win over Hartford.

2000: The P-Bruins finish the regular season having dressed a league-record 70 players over the course of 80 games. Jeremy Brown becomes the third player in franchise history to have played each game in a single season. Providence firefighter Rob Gribbin suits up as an emergency backup goaltender, just as he had done for one night during the inaugural season, when he played for eight minutes. This time, though, he watches the whole game from the bench as starter David Brumby backstops a 2-1 overtime win over Hartford. Mark DeSantis’ walkoff goal snaps the team’s eight-game losing streak.

2004: After being named the Team MVP, goaltender Tim Thomas adds to his franchise-record collection of shutouts, holding off the Springfield Falcons, 3-0, in the regular-season home finale.

2006: Ben Walter assists on all three of Tyler Redenbach’s goals as part of a five-goal, second-period outburst en route to a 6-1 home win over Springfield.

2008: With a 6-1 win at Worcester, highlighted by Zach Hamill’s playmaker hat trick, the P-Bruins clinch their second Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as the AHL’s regular-season champions. In addition, head coach Scott Gordon joins Peter Laviolette among P-Bruins bench bosses to receive the Louis A.R. Pieri Award as the AHL’s best coach.

2010: Facing virtually inevitable elimination from playoff contention with a three-game weekend still to come, the P-Bruins send their frustrated fan base to the summer on a high note. They delete two one-goal deficits before topping the Springfield Falcons, 3-2, on Kirk MacDonald’s second overtime goal in as many games.

2011: Kyle MacKinnon, a Providence College senior on an amateur tryout, scores the go-ahead goal with 4:07 remaining in regulation, and only 51 seconds after the Springfield Falcons had ties the game, to finalize a 3-2 win at MassMutual Center.