Cavallin Stops Wolf Pack in Shootout as Bruins Win 10th Straight

Luke Cavallin stood tall as the Providence Bruins edged the Hartford Wolf Pack 2-1 in a shootout, extending Providence’s winning streak to 10 games at PeoplesBank Arena. Cavallin stopped 25 shots and was perfect in the shootout as Georgii Merkulov delivered the lone shootout tally that earned Providence the extra point.

Providence opened the scoring on the power play when Brett Harrison finished a Christian Wolanin feed in the left-wing circle at 10:42 to beat a diving Spencer Martin. That marker was the game’s first goal and, according to Hartford’s game chronology, just the Bruins’ second power play goal this season against the Wolf Pack. After a messy, penalty-laden start that produced 46 combined penalty minutes in the opening stanza, Hartford found an answer late in the middle period.

Connor Mackey snapped a shot from the left-wing side that crept through the five-hole of Luke Cavallin and trickled across the line at 2:11 during a four-on-four sequence to tie the game 1-1. The sequence followed “another flurry of penalty minutes early in the second period,” a stretch that included Hartford’s 30 penalty minutes in the opening stanza, the most in a single period this season for the Wolf Pack.

Hartford pushed in the third period, outshooting Providence 7-6 in the frame, but neither team could break the deadlock in regulation. Overtime produced just one shot apiece and no goal, setting up the decisive skills competition. Spencer Martin denied the first two Providence shooters in the shootout, but Merkulov beat Martin and Luke Cavallin stopped all three Wolf Pack attempts as Hartford went 0-for-3 in the shootout.

The result compounded Hartford’s struggles. The Wolf Pack dropped their sixth straight game and fell to 0-5-0-1 in their last six outings. For the seventh straight game, Hartford surrendered the game’s first goal, a trend that has repeatedly put the Wolf Pack on the back foot. Attendance exceeded 7,100 fans for the Saturday night tilt, underlining that interest for New England AHL hockey remains strong even during a home skid.

From a performance angle, Providence’s depth and clutch goaltending have been decisive. Merkulov’s shootout marker continued the forward’s recent scoring touch after he tallied twice in Providence’s win two nights earlier. Cavallin’s 25 saves and shootout composure are the kind of goaltending that sustains long streaks in the AHL and gives the Bruins margin for error while special teams and discipline remain battle points.

For Hartford, the penalty trouble and inability to convert chances late will be focal points heading into the All-Star break return. The Wolf Pack visit the Charlotte Checkers next Saturday, Feb. 14, with puck drop set for 4:00 p.m. and “Wolf Pack Pregame” beginning at 3:45 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr. Providence will carry momentum and a marketable 10-game streak into its next outings as the organization leans on hot goaltending and timely scoring to drive ticket interest and sustain momentum down the stretch.