Jake Schmaltz Shines as Providence Bruins Outlast Belleville in 6-4 Shootout Win
BELLEVILLE, ON - The Providence Bruins are making themselves right at home on the road this season, and Sunday night in Belleville was no exception. Led by a breakout four-point performance from forward Jake Schmaltz, Providence held off a late push from the Senators to grab a 6-4 victory at CAA Arena - their eighth straight road win to start the season, tying a franchise record.
Schmaltz was everywhere. A goal, three assists, and a steady presence in the offensive zone - the kind of game that makes you take notice.
It wasn’t just the points; it was the timing. Schmaltz played a central role in three of Providence’s five goals before the empty-netter sealed it, showing off his vision, poise, and knack for being in the right spot at the right time.
Let’s break down how this one unfolded.
First Period: Schmaltz Starts the Show
Providence opened the scoring midway through the first period on a gritty, second-chance effort. Defenseman Billy Sweezey let one fly from the point, and after a couple of bounces - including off Joey Abate’s stick and the goalie’s pads - Schmaltz was there to clean it up, tucking it inside the left post.
Belleville answered just a few minutes later when Wyatt Bongiovanni found space in front and buried a one-timer five-hole to even things at 1-1.
Second Period: Bruins Take Control
The second frame belonged to Providence.
It started with Schmaltz again, this time dishing out the helper. He worked the puck from below the goal line and found Victor Soderstrom at the top of the right circle.
Soderstrom didn’t hesitate - a one-timer past the blocker gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead. Riley Duran also picked up an assist on the play.
Just two minutes later, Fabian Lysell jumped on a miscue in the Belleville zone, intercepting a pass in the left circle and rifling a wrister past the glove for a 3-1 edge.
The Bruins kept the pressure on during a power play, and Frederic Brunet made it count. Set up in the slot, he hammered a one-timer into the upper-right corner - a textbook finish that pushed the lead to 4-1. Lysell and Jacob Perreault were credited with the assists.
Then it was Duran’s turn. After a loose puck bounced his way in the low slot, the second-year forward snapped a wrister inside the right post to make it 5-1. Schmaltz and Abate added to their assist totals on the play.
To their credit, Belleville didn’t fold. Xavier Bourgault capitalized on a 2-on-1 rush, snapping a shot inside the far post to cut the deficit to 5-2 before the period ended.
Third Period: Belleville Pushes Back, Providence Holds Firm
The Senators made it interesting in the third. Arthur Kaliyev brought them within two on a power play goal - a quick one-timer from the right circle that beat Simon Zajicek inside the near post.
Then, with under six minutes to play, Olle Lycksell pounced on a rebound and knocked it home from the bottom of the right circle. Just like that, it was 5-4, and the home crowd had new life.
But Providence didn’t blink.
With Belleville pressing and the net empty in the final seconds, Schmaltz capped off his big night with an assist on Matt Poitras’ empty-netter, putting the game on ice and sealing a hard-earned road win.
By the Numbers
- Schmaltz’s four-point night marked a career high and his second multi-point game of the season.
- Soderstrom and Duran both tallied their first goals of the year.
- Joey Abate quietly had a strong night as well, notching three assists.
- Goalie Simon Zajicek turned aside 21 of 25 shots to earn the win.
- Providence went 1-for-2 on the power play and killed off two of three penalties.
- The Bruins outshot Belleville 30-25.
- With the win, Providence improves to 16-3-0-0 on the season and remains perfect on the road at 8-0-0-0 - tying the franchise record for consecutive road wins to start a season.
What’s Next
The P-Bruins head to Quebec for a Tuesday night matchup with the Laval Rocket at Place Bell. Puck drops at 7:00 p.m. as Providence looks to keep the road streak alive and continue their early-season surge.
With a top line clicking and depth players stepping up, this team is showing it can win in a variety of ways. And if Schmaltz keeps playing like this, Providence is going to be a tough out for anyone in the AHL.