Game Day: Islanders at Crunch
Jan 24, 2025THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (9-26-2-2) face the Syracuse Crunch (17-13-5-4) for the second time in a week, this time visiting the Upstate Medical University Arena for a 7 p.m. faceoff. The Islanders fell to the Crunch, 4-1, at home last Friday. Tonight’s contest is the third of a four-game road trip that ends tomorrow in Allentown, Penn. Bridgeport is 1-1-0-0 on the trip so far following a 7-1 setback to the Utica Comets on Wednesday. Liam Foudy scored a goal for the third straight game, while Sam Bolduc and Tyce Thompson logged assists.
Watch tonight's game live: AHLTV on FloHockey
Listen to tonight's radio broadcast: Mixlr
ISLANDERS VS. CRUNCH
Tonight marks the second of two meetings between the Islanders and Crunch this season, and the only tilt in Central New York. Bridgeport is looking to even up the series following a 4-1 loss at home last Friday, in which Cam Thiesing scored his first professional goal late in the third period. Jakub Skarek (4-11-1) made 32 saves. Syracuse has won each of the last three meetings dating back to Oct. 14, 2023.
VIEW FROM SYRACUSE
The Crunch have lost back-to-back games since their 4-1 win in Bridgeport one week ago. Syracuse enters the weekend with 43 points in 39 contests, holding the final playoff spot in the North Division, eight points ahead of Belleville. Last time out, Logan Brown scored his fifth goal of the season and Matt Tomkins (6-7-3) made 16 saves in a 2-1 setback to Utica on Monday. Derrick Pouliot added his team-leading 26th assist and 31st point. The 31-year-old Pouliot ranks second among all AHL players in assists and leads AHL defensemen in that category. He is tied for first among defensemen in points.
FOUDY FIGHTERS
Liam Foudy has scored a goal in three straight games for the first time in his pro career. He deflected Sam Bolduc’s blue-line slap shot during a 5-on-3 power play for Bridgeport’s lone goal on Wednesday, coming at 7:11 of the third period. Foudy has four goals and seven points in his last three games, and 14 goals on the season - which has already set a new career high. The 24-year-old forward ranks second on the team in goals and third in points (26) behind Chris Terry and Brian Pinho. He enters the weekend with 99 professional points between the AHL (77) and NHL (22).
TERRY TAKES FIFTH PLACE
Chris Terry has five goals in the last seven games, including his ninth of the season in Bridgeport’s 4-3 win at Springfield on Monday. It was his 66th career goal in just 165 games with Bridgeport, passing Travis St. Denis (2016-20) and Otto Koivula (2018-24) for fifth place on the team’s all-time list. He is five goals behind Jeff Tambellini (2005-09) for fourth place, and eight points behind Koivula for second all-time in scoring. The five-time AHL All-Star has a team-leading 32 points, 23 assists, and nine multi-point games in 38 appearances this season. His 23 assists are tied for 11th among all AHL players, and his 11 power-play assists are tied for third.
QUICK HITS
The Islanders are looking for their first win against a North Division opponent... Alex Jefferies is tied for 16th among AHL rookies with 23 points (8g, 15a)... Sam Bolduc has points/assists in three straight games, with five points total during that span (1g, 4a)... Tyce Thompson has assists in back-to-back games, and has five assists in his last eight.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (19-20-7): Last: 3-1 W vs. Columbus, Monday -- Next: Tonight vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (16-17-2-4): Last: 4-3 OTL vs. Wheeling, Sunday -- Next: Tonight at Maine, 7:15 p.m. ET