PROVIDENCE - If you ask Paul Carey about some of the captains that have stood out to him in his playing career, he'll talk about Brian Lerg, former captain of the Lake Erie Monsters, a team Carey spent four seasons with from 2011-15. He'll mention Tommy Cross, a captain from his time at Boston College, and Ryan McDonagh from the New York Rangers, who Carey played with in 2017-18.  

From college to the AHL to the NHL, Carey has had captains that have made an impact on him and the teams he's played with. For him, that impact stems from their commitment, their work ethic and their ability to connect with younger players. 

BUFFALO - Chris Kelly's family is happy to be back in Boston.

It's been a few years since the Kelly clan last called the city home. But now, after being named the Bruins' new Player Development Coordinator in July, Kelly and his family are able to settle back down in and live in the same place as they did during his Black & Gold playing days.

"Same neighborhood," Kelly said Monday morning as he talked with reporters following the conclusion of the Prospects Challenge. "My wife really enjoyed Boston and so did I, so it just made the most sense, [to] be back in Boston.

"You forget how much you enjoy the city until you're back, and it's a great city. My wife and my three kids are really happy to be back. Two of them were born in Boston."

BUFFALO - Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney didn't have a short list of Bruins players who made an impression at the 2019 Prospects Challenge.

"Well, I think Anders (Bjork) had two strong games, it was pretty close," Sweeney said. "But I think Urho (Vaakanainen) had his best game today, he was moving pucks, doing stuff we asked. It was nice to see Axel (Andersson) get some time, because he was under the weather, but he stepped in and played okay for his first opportunity. I thought (Kyle) Keyser got better as the games went along, Jack (Studnicka) got better - a little slow starting today, but it's the third game."

The GM's thoughts came after the B's played in their final game of the tournament, where the team found themselves up against a New Jersey squad that featured three of the Devils' first-round draft picks - Jack Hughes (first overall in 2019), Ty Smith (17^th overall in 2018) and Michael McLeod (12^th overall in 2016.)

BUFFALO - Both the Bruins and Sabres entered Game 2 of the 2019 Prospects Challenge undefeated after earning wins the night before.

But Saturday night, despite multi-point games for Oskar Steen and Samuel Asselin, the host team managed to just edge out the Bruins, 4-3, to advance to 2-0 in the tournament.

"I thought our shifts early were long, which usually does mean that you're tired," said Providence Bruins head coach Jay Leach. "You're not thinking upbeat pace, that type of thing. So, I think we were a little gassed, then we found our legs a little bit. But you're right, I mean, it's a lot of emotional and also physical wear on a player. Certainly with coming in, practicing, coming here, flying here, pregame skate, playing, pregame skate, playing - it's a lot."

The Bruins still have one more game to go, as the Black & Gold will close out the three-game tournament Monday morning when they face off against the New Jersey Devils.

BUFFALO - With 1.9 seconds left in regulation, Anders Bjork picked up his second point of the night with a game-winning, power play goal that gave the Bruins a 4-3 win over Pittsburgh on Friday at HarborCenter.

"To seal the deal with two seconds to go is something special, even though it's a rookie game," said Providence Bruins head coach Jay Leach. "But that's the kind of play that kid can make, so it's nice to see."

Game 1 of the 2019 Prospects Challenge saw Pittsburgh jump to an early 2-0 lead, only for the Bruins to respond with a three-goal second period and a gritty showing by goaltender Kyle Keyser. 

BOSTON - For the third straight September, Anders Bjork has arrived for training camp with opportunity staring him right in the face. As a winger with a combination of elite skill and blazing speed, he fits the mold as the perfect missing piece to Boston's top-six puzzle.

And because of those assets, the Notre Dame product has earned his way on to the Opening Night roster each of the past two seasons with the hopes that he would emerge as a dependable scorer alongside Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci.

Unfortunately, Bjork's first two professional campaigns have both ended prematurely, with shoulder troubles derailing his efforts to become a staple in Bruce Cassidy's lineup.

But this fall - some eight months removed from a second major surgery on his left shoulder - Bjork is aiming to make the third time a charm.

SPRINGFIELD - The Boston Bruins Fan Fest Tour kept on rolling, stopping in Springfield on Friday for the fifth day of the third annual journey around New England. Prospect Jack Studnicka and Bruin Alumni Andrew Raycroft stopping by to visit with the fans.

Here are some photos from Day 5 of Fan Fest:

BostonBruins.com - At the end of June, John Beecher was drafted into the NHL. To close out July, he represented the USA at the World Junior Summer Showcase in hopes of making the 2019 U20 World Junior Squad. In a few weeks, the smooth skating center will relocate to Ann Arbor for his freshman year at the Unviersity of Michigan.

It's safe to say, the Bruins 2019 1st round selection has had an eventful summer.

"I think just the biggest thing for me is just kind of taking it one step at a time," said the Elmira, New York native. "I mean, my biggest focus right now is Michigan. Obviously heading over there within this month, I'm really looking forward to it. I think the biggest thing is just not getting too far ahead of yourself and just kind of taking what comes and just taking one step at a time with everything and just enjoying the process."

BostonBruins.com - Bruins forward prospect John Beecher had quite the weekend at the 2019 World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Michigan.

The 2019 first-round pick scored three goals across two games for Team USA's blue squad during what equates to an audition for the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championships coming up this winter in the Czech Republic.

Beecher notched Team USA's second goal in their showcase opener - a 4-1 victory - against Sweden on Saturday. The 18-year-old began the play by breaking the puck out of his own end, before surging through the neutral zone where he took a stretch pass from Jon Gruden and broke in all alone on Sweden goalie Jesper Eliasson.

Beecher, who finished with a game-high four shots on goal, took two strides and then fired a wrister by the blocker of Eliasson to give Team USA a 2-0 lead.

BOSTON - The Boston Bruins announced today, July 24, that the team will again participate in the 2019 Prospects Challenge from September 6-9 at HarborCenter in Buffalo (100 Washington St., Buffalo, NY 14203). This marks the fifth consecutive year the Bruins have participated in the challenge. The Bruins defeated Pittsburgh (4-2) and Buffalo (3-1) and fell to New Jersey (6-2) in last year's Prospects Challenge. Current Bruins prospects who participated in last year's tournament and also played in at least one regular season game with Boston in 2018-19 include forwards Anders Bjork, Trent Frederic, Karson Kuhlman, Zach Senyshyn and defensemen Connor Clifton, Jeremy Lauzon, Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril.