Bruins shut out Sound Tigers again

BRIDGEPORT — The Providence Bruins scored three third-period goals to defeat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 3-0 Wednesday afternoon at Webster Bank Arena.

Bruins rookie goalie Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves in his first professional shutout. Providence also shut out the Sound Tigers (2-6-0-0) in Bridgeport on Feb. 19, when Dan Vladar made 24 saves.

“We have to find a way to win. We have to find a way to be smarter with our puck decisions, and that’s just mental focus,” Bridgeport coach Brent Thompson said.

“We played a pretty sound 40-minute game . ... We’re never going to win with 40 minutes out of 60.”

The New York Islanders sent goalie Jakub Skarek to Bridgeport from their taxi squad to make Wednesday’s start. He made 27 saves on 29 shots before the Bruins’ Karson Kuhlman added a short-handed empty-net goal in the last minute.

Bridgeport thought it was on the board in the last minute of the first period when Samuel Bolduc’s right-point shot, with Jeff Kubiak in front of the net, deflected past Swayman. Referee Terry Koharski waved it off for incidental contact with the goaltender.

Matt Filipe opened the scoring for Providence with 16:45 to go, finishing a quick pass play on the right side after a Bridgeport turnover in the defensive zone.

Zach Senyshyn made it 2-0 midway through the third. Bridgeport turned the puck over in the offensive zone, and Cameron Hughes’ pass dribbled through Bode Wilde to give Senyshyn a breakaway.

Veteran forward Andrew Ladd made his season debut for the Sound Tigers. He had not played since the NHL playoffs in the summer. Swayman stopped him on a two-on-one in the last minute of the second period.

The Sound Tigers were 0-for-5 on the power play, including two chances in the first period, but killed four Providence power plays.

Bridgeport is next scheduled to play Monday against the Bruins at Marlborough, Mass.