Islanders and Checkers Clash Twice This Weekend
Feb 11, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (16-19-4-4), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, make their final trip of the season to Charlotte, North Carolina this weekend, facing the fifth-place Checkers (22-17-2-0) in a pair of games on Friday (7 p.m.) and Saturday (6 p.m.). Both games will take place at Bojangles Coliseum, and tonight’s matchup can be viewed online for free via AHLTV.com. The Islanders have rotated wins and losses through their last 10 games (5-3-1-1), including a 4-3 setback to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to begin a three-game road trip last Saturday night. Kyle MacLean, Erik Brown and Paul Thompson each scored.
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ISLANDERS VS. CHECKERS
Tonight’s game is the sixth of eight meetings between the Islanders and Checkers this season, and the third of four in North Carolina. The two teams will meet again tomorrow night in a 6 p.m. rematch. The Islanders are 2-2-0-1 through their first five contests and 1-1-0-0 in those games at Bojangles Coliseum. Bridgeport suffered a 3-2 shootout loss in their last head-to-head tilt on Jan. 9th, while both wins in the series have come by a 5-1 final (largest margins of victory all season). Cole Bardreau leads all players in the season series with four goals and five points in four appearances.
VIEW FROM CHARLOTTE
Geordie Kinnear’s club returns from the All-Star break with six straight home games. The first four will take place over a six-day span, beginning tonight against the Islanders. The Checkers are just 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games following a 3-1 loss at Syracuse last Saturday. Kole Lind scored his 13th goal of the season in the final 17 seconds of regulation to avoid a shutout, while Joey Daccord (8-7-1) made 27 saves. Daccord enters the weekend ranked sixth among all AHL goalies with a 2.41 goals-against-average. Captain Zac Dalpe leads the Checkers with 17 goals.
SALO RETURNS
The New York Islanders have returned defenseman Robin Salo to Bridgeport following his first career NHL stint, which included 18 games. Salo, the Islanders’ second-round draft choice in 2017, made his NHL debut on Nov. 20th at UBS Arena and scored his first NHL goal on Jan. 18th at Philadelphia. He had four points (one goal, three assists) during his call-up after starting the season with Bridgeport, where he collected eight points (two goals, six assists) in 14 AHL games to begin his North American pro career.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU
Erik Brown has scored a goal in back-to-back games for the first time in his pro career. The 26-year-old from Keene, Ont. notched his fifth goal of the season last Friday, deflecting Parker Wotherspoon’s shot from the blue line directly ahead of Penguins goalie Tommy Nappier. He has five points in his last six games (three goals, two assists) and four of Brown’s five goals on the season have come since Jan. 1.
QUICK HITS
Bridgeport has scored at least three goals in seven of its last eight games dating back to Jan. 12... The Islanders did not have a single power-play opportunity for the first time all season last Friday… Jakub Skarek is fourth among all AHL goalies in minutes played (1,500:57), and fifth in saves (707)… Parker Wotherspoon leads all AHL defensemen in penalty minutes (73)… Leading scorer Chris Terry has six points (three goals, three assists) in his last seven games... The Islanders have the fewest games remaining in the Eastern Conference (29).
AFFILIATE UPDATE
New York Islanders (17-17-6); Last: 6-3 W at Vancouver, Wednesday -- Next: Tonight at Edmonton, 9 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (16-19-2-1); Last: 2-1 L vs. Kalamazoo, Sunday -- Next: Tomorrow vs. Adirondack, 7:05 p.m. ET