Bruins Finish Strong in Buffalo, Win Finale in SO

BostonBruins.com- Johnny Beecher and Fabian Lysell are two players both hoping to get the call up to the big club at some pointthis year. And they both started off strong this weekend, each earning a goal in the B's 5-4 win over the Senators to kick things off last Friday.

The two kept up the pace into Saturday's tough loss vs. the Penguins, with Beecher earning himself goal No. 2. To close out the tournament, Beecher made it 3 for 3, scoring early in the game to tie things up in the first, while Lysell finished it off in the shootout to earn the win for the B's.
Providence coach Ryan Mougenel spoke about Beecher's success following the win on Monday morning. "That's how he's got to play," said Mougenel. "We all talk about his feet, his separation. He's got to sometimes lean in on guys and he did that today, he was excellent."
After a successful tournament for both Lysell and Beecher, the two will aim carry to the momentum into main training camp which opens on Wednesday.

More news and notes from Buffalo:

Sticking Together

Mougenel enjoyed the way this Bruins team stood up for one another in the tournament, as gloves were dropped in two of the three games played, including multiple dust-ups in the final contest. Jakub Lauko made it known to not mess with Lysell, who had previously exchanged some words with a member of the Devils in Monday's matchup.
Later in the game, blue liner and 2022 seventh-rounder Jackson Edward dropped his gloves with Jersey's Nikita Okhotiuk as the game neared OT.
"I like the guys sticking up for each other," said Mougenel. "I thought that said a lot. That was really good."

Merkulov Buries A Pair

Georgii Merkulov, the 5-foot-11 winger from Ohio State, tied the game, 2-2, before finishing off another in the shootout with a nifty backhand move. Merkulov played eight games with the Providence Bruins last season, scoring one goal and earning four assists for five points in that time.
"The skill level is there," Bruins Player Development Coordinator Adam McQuaid said during July's Development Camp. "Things that you can't teach. That's what excites us about him."

Bussi Picks Up the Win

Goaltender Brandon Bussi put forth a solid performance right up through the final shots of the tournament, stopping both of the Devils' shootout attempts. The Long Island native, who joked he is "no longer a Rangers guy," spent time with the Providence Bruins last season after signing a one-year, entry-level deal with the Bruins out of Western Michigan University.
Bussi earned CMM/AHL Player of the Week in April following a 28-save showing for his first professional win in a 3-2 overtime victory. He followed that up with a shutout, during which he turned away 26 shots.
The 24-year-old credits his recent success to growing into his body, and letting the little things go.
"Freshman into my sophomore year of high school, I grew 5-7 inches," said Bussi. "Getting used to navigating a new body was a big part of my game."
After overcoming the physical development, Bussi says he learned how to cope with making mistakes.
"When I was younger, I let the little things affect me," said Bussi. "I think I learned how to just let things go."
As far as what the Prospects Challenge showed Bussi, it's all about the positives.
"It showed me what a good team we have," said Bussi. "Training camp will be exciting to see where the cards fall."