Game Day: Islanders vs. Wolf Pack
Dec 4, 2024THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (5-12-1-2) host the Hartford Wolf Pack (8-8-2-1) to finish a three-game homestand. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Total Mortgage Arena this evening. The Islanders are looking to bounce back after a pair of losses to the Belleville Senators this past weekend. Liam Foudy and Travis Mitchell both scored on Sunday, while Jakub Skarek (3-7-0) made 33 saves in a 3-2 setback. It was a frustrating loss after a 2-0 shutout defeat to Belleville on Saturday, but the Islanders’ offense has played well against Hartford, scoring four goals in all three meetings so far this season.
Watch tonight's game live: AHLTV on FloHockey
Listen to tonight's radio broadcast: Mixlr
COLLEGE NIGHT
It's College Night, presented by the Pfizer Clinical Research Unit New Haven. Included in the evening are $2 hot dogs, $2 bags of popcorn, and $2 12 oz. beers through the end of the first intermission. More information and the full promotional calendar can be found here.
ISLANDERS VS. WOLF PACK
Tonight marks the fourth of 10 meetings in the “Battle of Connecticut” and the second of five games at Total Mortgage Arena. Bridgeport has earned points in all three matchups so far (2-0-1-0), including back-to-back wins on Oct. 20th (4-0) and Nov. 24th (4-1). A three-goal third period was the difference in their last tilt on Nov. 24th in Hartford, as Marc Gatcomb broke a 1-1 tie early in the frame with his seventh goal of the season. Jakub Skarek earned a 24-save shutout on Oct. 20th in Bridgeport. Hartford’s Benoit-Olivier Groulx leads all players in the series with five points (three goals, two assists).
VIEW FROM HARTFORD
The Wolf Pack have dropped four straight games (0-3-1-0) and fallen back to sixth place in the Atlantic Division, one point ahead of Providence and two points behind Springfield. Last time out, defenseman Brandon Scanlin scored his third goal of the season midway through the first period on Saturday, but Hartford suffered a 4-1 loss to the Thunderbirds on the road. Leading scorer Alex Belize and linemate Benoit-Olivier Groulx both logged one assist to extend their point streaks to three games each. Belzile has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 16 games to pace the Wolf Pack, which shares 27th in the AHL.
OFFENSE FROM DEFENSE
Second-year defenseman Travis Mitchell has scored three goals in the last four games, and has points in six of his last nine contests. His fourth goal of the season came early in the second period on Sunday afternoon. The 25-year-old had just one goal and four points all of last season, but has caught fire in 2024-25. Mitchell leads all Bridgeport blue-liners in goals (4) and ranks third in points (6) in only 13 appearances. His shooting percentage (4-for-15, 26.7%) is second best among all AHL defensemen who have taken at least nine shots.
FOUDY FIGHTERS
Liam Foudy scored his second goal in the last three games, and his fourth goal of the season overall, on Sunday afternoon. The 24-year-old winger has six points in the last nine games (four goals, two assists), climbing into a tie for third among all Islanders’ scorers with 10 points (four goals, six assists) on the season. Foudy’s +5 rating leads all Bridgeport players and his four points against Hartford (one goal, three assists) also pace the Islanders through three meetings. He recorded a season-high three assists against the Wolf Pack on Oct. 19th at XL Center.
QUICK HITS
The Islanders are looking to snap a six-game skid at home (0-4-0-2), which began on Oct. 30th... Two of Brian Pinho’s team-leading 11 goals have come against Hartford... Pinho leads the AHL with three shorthanded goals and his 11 goals on the season share fourth in the league... Chris Terry’s 14 assists are tied for seventh in the AHL... Defensemen Cam McDonald and Christian Krygier were returned on loan to the Worcester Railers (ECHL) yesterday.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (9-10-7): Last: 2-1 OTL at Montreal, last night -- Tomorrow vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (8-10-0-1): Last: 6-2 L at Wichita, Saturday -- Tonight at Adirondack, 7:05 p.m. ET