Merkulov Scores Twice as Bruins Beat Wolf Pack 3-1, Extend Streak

Georgii Merkulov scored twice and Michael DiPietro turned aside 28 of 29 shots to lift the Providence Bruins to a 3-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Amica Mutual Pavilion, boosting Providence to 34-8-1-0 and stretching a season-best nine-game winning streak.

Providence opened the scoring late in the first period as Frederic Brunet converted at 18:36, and Merkulov followed with his first of the night at 18:50, according to an automated scoring timeline. Trey Fix-Wolansky pulled Hartford within one at 33:59, but Merkulov sealed the win with a 49:37 goal in the third period. In the team’s description of the decisive play, the Providence Bruins release said, "From the corner, Poitras zipped a pass to Merkulov in the slot, where his wrist shot whistled into the upper-right corner to give Providence a 3-1 lead with 10:23 remaining in the third period. Christian Wolanin was credited with a secondary assist." Matthew Poitras collected two assists on the night.

DiPietro’s steady outing provided the backbone for the win. He stopped 28 of 29 shots faced while the Bruins generated 32 shots overall. Providence went 0-for-4 on the power play but killed four of five Hartford opportunities, holding the Wolf Pack off the board until the second period tally by Fix-Wolansky.

The two-goal night brought Merkulov’s season totals into sharper focus. The Providence release listed the goals as his 15th and 16th of the season, and RotoWire tallied him at 16 goals and 19 assists through 41 outings. RotoWire also noted that Merkulov has already surpassed his goal total from a 59-game season a year ago, has had one NHL call-up earlier in the campaign, and "continues to play well enough that he could help the Bruins as a depth forward later in 2025-26." The team release uses the spelling Georgii Merkulov; some wire services use the variant Georgi Merkulov.

Beyond the box score, this game underscores the AHL’s dual role as both a competitive product for local fans and a development engine for the NHL. Providence’s nine-game streak is a marketing and community boon for the Amica Mutual Pavilion and the local hockey economy, while Merkulov’s scoring and DiPietro’s reliability feed the Boston Bruins’ organizational depth chart and fantasy hockey conversations alike.

Providence heads into a back-to-back with Hartford, traveling to PeoplesBank Area for a rematch on Saturday, Feb. 7 with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop local time, per the team release. For fans and scouts, the immediate takeaway is clear: Merkulov is a player trending upward and Providence’s blend of finishing and goaltending is keeping the P-Bruins squarely in contention as the calendar moves toward the playoff stretch.