In the System: P-Bruins' Goalie Tandem Leading the Way

BostonBruins.com – Take a look through what some of the Bruins prospects have been up to over the last week.

Providence

The Providence Bruins (14-3-0-0) split last weekend with two divisional opponents from Pennsylvania before taking the first game of a four-contest road trip in Canada. The P-Bruins fended off the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-2 last Friday, before falling 1-0 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday. Providence took down Toronto 5-1 on Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Simon Zajicek ranks tied for first in the AHL with a .942 save percentage and first with a 1.70 goals against average. The goaltender stopped 30 of 32 shots faced in Providence’s 3-2 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last Friday. The Frydlant, Czechia, native also boasts a 6-1-0 record through his first seven starts in the AHL. Throughout those seven starts, Zajicek has allowed two goals or less in each game.

His goaltending partner, Michael DiPietro, ranks tied for first in the AHL with a .942 save percentage and fourth with a 1.80 goals against average. The netminder stopped 35 of 36 shots faced in the 5-1 win at Toronto and 34 of 35 shots faced in the 1-0 loss to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last Saturday. The Windsor, Ontario, native has posted an 8-2-0 record through his first ten starts this season. After giving up three goals in each of his first three starts, DiPietro has allowed one goal in five of his last seven games.

Head Coach Ryan Mougenel believes that the goaltending competition brings out their best.

“It pushes our goalies to push each other,” said Mougenel following Friday’s 3-2 win over Lehigh Valley. “[Michael] DiPietro has been great for Simon [Zajicek]. He is a mentor and a really good one in that. It’s really refreshing to have a goalie like Michael show Simon how to be a pro. Simon is already a good pro.”

Captain Patrick Brown has continued his hot start to the season, posting a goal and two assists in the 5-1 victory at Toronto and scoring a power play goal in the 3-2 victory over Lehigh Valley last Friday. The forward leads all active Providence Bruins in goals (8), assists (12), and points (20). The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, native ranks tied for fifth in the AHL with 20 points.

NCAA

• James Hagens scored twice in No. 15 ranked Boston College’s 7-3 victory over No. 10 ranked University of Maine last Friday night. The Hauppauge, New York, native increased the Eagles lead to 2-0 with a power play tally in the first frame, before giving them insurance with a goal early in the final frame. The forward totals six goals and seven assists through 13 games this season. Hagens was originally selected by Boston in the first round (7th overall) of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
• Chris Pelosi netted a hat trick in No. 8 ranked Quinnipiac’s 4-1 victory over Clarkson last Friday. The Sewell, New Jersey, native scored twice in the first period, including once on the power play, before finding the empty net while shorthanded with 59 seconds remaining. The forward ranks first on the team with nine goals and second on the team with 15 points through 14 games this season. Pelosi was originally selected by Boston in the third round (92nd overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
• Ryan Walsh recorded four assists in No. 17 ranked Cornell’s 6-1 victory over RPI. Three of the four helpers stood as primary assists on the tallies. The Rochester, New York, native ranks first on the team with nine points and tied for third on the team with three goals. Walsh was originally selected by Boston in the sixth round (188th overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

Juniors

• Cooper Simpson recorded a goal and an assist in the Youngstown Phantoms’ 4-3 overtime victory over the Dubuque Fighting Saints last Friday, before adding an assist in their 5-3 victory over the Fighting Saints on Saturday. The forward ranks third in the USHL with 27 points through 21 games this season and has 10 goals and 17 assists. The Shakopee, Minnesota, native was originally selected by Boston in the third round (79th overall) of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Europe

• Vashek Blanar has tallied three goals and seven assists through 16 Swedish Junior Hockey League games this season with HV71 Junior. The defenseman has also appeared in three games with HV71 Jonkoping of the Swedish Hockey League. The Vail, Colorado, native was originally selected in the fourth round (100th overall) of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

More stats and information about the Bruins' prospects can be found below: