LoVecchio out, Providence erupts with 14 goals in two games
The Providence Journal reported today that Providence Bruins forward Jeff LoVecchio did not skate at practice on Tuesday after getting hit with a puck in Friday’s 2-0 loss to Manchester and subsequently missing Saturday and Sunday’s games.
LoVecchio, a free agent signee of the B’s in the spring of 2008 out of Western Michigan University, impressed observers at Boston’s rookie and veteran camps last fall after missing all of the previous season with a concussion.
The gritty, high-energy two-way forward is a speedster and intelligent player, but doesn’t project to have the offensive skills to be much more than a fourth-line player at the highest level.
In 44 AHL games with Providence this season, the St. Louis area (Chesterfield, Mo.) native has 12 goals and18 points.
According to the report, coach Rob Murray did not cite a timetable for LoVecchio’s return with a head/facial injury as a result of the puck’s impact.
LoVecchio’s teammates responded after the loss to the Monarchs with a pair of blowout victories against the Springfield Falcons, outscoring their rival (and division cellar dweller) 14-2 (8-2 and 6-0 games), a surprising offensive explosion given that Providence’s scoring woes this season have mirrored their parent club’s.
The Baby B’s have gotten a much -needed boost from the return of winger Brad Marchand, who suffered a freak tendon injury in December which required surgery to fix.
Also encouraging was the play of Jordan Knackstedt, the one-time Moose Jaw Warriors standout in the WHL, who scored a pair of goals in the 8-2 win and is still trying to overcome a poor training camp in which he was singled out by the Boston coaching staff for not being conditioned enough to play a regular role with the rest of the team in attendance. With only four goals on the season, Knackstedt’s production has been as disappointing as many on his team.
Providence is in seventh place in the Atlantic Division with a 23-23-3 record (49 points) but are just eight points out of fourth place, currently occupied by the Portland Pirates.
Tags: knackstedt, lovecchio, marchand, prospects, providence bruins
