Confidence. That is what Providence Bruins forward Frank Vatrano believes is behind his blistering start to the 2015-2016 season.

With seven goals and one assist in four games (including four last Sunday against Portland), Vatrano is currently leading the American Hockey League in both goals and points. His sensational play earned him AHL Player of the Week honors and in just a short period of time, Vatrano has gone from an undrafted free agent to one of the first players the Boston Bruins recall in case of an emergency.

“Playing with a lot of good players and gaining more confidence as you move up has really been the key to my success,” Vatrano added, “I just have to take it game by game.”

Coming off a stellar 2014-2015 college campaign in which he scored a team-leading 18 goals for UMass-Amherst, Vatrano has adjusted very well from the college game.

“College is kind of a more run-and-gun type of game, whereas in pro hockey you have the puck a little bit longer and everything is about a half-second quicker,” Vatrano said of the adjustment.

With eight points (seven goals, one assist) in his first four games, Frank Vatrano is off to a red-hot start for the Providence Bruins. (Photo by Angela Spagna/Bruins Daily)

Vatrano is certainly a player Bruins fans can take a liking to very quickly. Though slightly bigger at 5-foot-10 and just over 200 pounds, Vatrano’s game mirrors Brad Marchand in several ways. He’s quick, effective in all areas and is certainly not afraid to get his hands dirty in the corners. He’s not hesitant to mix it up a little after the whistle with opposing players.

During Friday’s tough 5-4 loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Vatrano played a tough hard-nosed game where he constantly threw his body around and engaged in numerous shoving matches against opponents mostly bigger than him.

His hard drives to the net and tenacious playing style led to two Providence goals. One by Vatrano himself on the power-play in which he fired the puck past Sound Tigers goalie Christopher Gibson to tie the game at two with 6:54 remaining in the first period. Then, with the Bruins down 4-2 in the second Vatrano’s strong play in front, in which he tipped a shot from the point, deflected right to an opportunistic Alexander Khokhlachev, who scored his second goal of the game to cut the deficit to 4-3.

The Bruins would eventually tie the game a short time later, but Bridgeport would prevail thanks to a third period goal by Ross Johnston.

To someday be a teammate of Marchand, Vatrano knows that he can still be better, despite the great start.

“I can work on my overall game,” Vatrano says, “work on my skating, protecting the puck.”

With his amazing start to the season, Vatrano has undoubtedly garnered the attention of the big club. For the East Longmeadow, Mass. native that has been something he has dreamed about since he started playing hockey.

“It’s definitely a dream come true. I was never very familiar with the organization, but (being from Mass.) I’ve always been a fan,” Vatrano said. “Playing for a team that’s so close to home where my family and friends can see me play, it has made the transition easier.”