Islanders Begin Four-Game Road Trip in Utica
Mar 23, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (24-25-6-4, .492) begin a critical four-game road trip this evening that starts with three games in five days through Utica, Toronto, and Rochester. The Islanders close out their season series against the conference-leading Utica Comets (35-13-6-1, .700) at 7 p.m. tonight, looking to sweep the two-game set following a 3-2 overtime victory at home on Dec. 4th. Richard Panik scored the game-winner just 43 seconds into overtime that night, while he and Seth Helgeson both had two points (one goal, one assist). It was only Utica’s second loss of the season at the time. Bridgeport’s last trip to the Adirondack Bank Center resulted in a 4-3 win on Dec. 13, 2019.
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LAST TIME OUT
Austin Czarnik earned a career-high four assists and Richard Panik scored twice and added one assist, as the Islanders posted seven goals for the second straight weekend in a 7-4 win against the Syracuse Crunch at Total Mortgage Arena on Saturday. Simon Holmstrom tied a career high with three points (one goal, two assists) and Jakub Skarek (15-11-5) stopped a career-high 42 shots to help Bridgeport sweep its two-game season series against Tampa’s affiliate. Otto Koivula also had two assists.
VIEW FROM UTICA
Kevin Dineen’s club has dropped each of its last two games (0-1-0-1), but continues to lead the Eastern Conference by a wide margin, 77 points in 55 games (.700). The Comets collected one point in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Cleveland Monsters on Monday, which saw former Bridgeport forward A.J. Greer and Frederik Gauthier each score. Greer was recalled by the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday and won’t be available for Utica tonight. The Comets continue a three-game homestand this evening.
CZARNIK’S BIG NIGHT
Austin Czarnik’s four-assist game on Saturday was the 10th such instance in Bridgeport history, and the first since Josh Ho-Sang did it on Nov. 4, 2018. It was also Bridgeport’s first four-point performance since Ho-Sang had five on Feb. 17, 2019. For Czarnik, it was a new single-game career high in points and assists. The 29-year-old winger has 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in his last 10 AHL games, dating back to Nov. 24th. He has recorded at least three points in four of his last eight appearances.
SCHNEIDER SAVES
Cory Schneider is 4-1-1 over his last six starts and has made at least 32 saves in six of his last seven. The veteran goaltender, who played his 600th professional game last Wednesday and celebrated his 36th birthday on Friday, has played in six of Bridgeport’s last nine games. He has a 1.44 GAA and .958 save percentage in his last four appearances combined.
COSGROVE SIGNS ATO
Bridgeport welcomed a new defenseman to its family this past weekend, signing Trevor Cosgrove to an amateur tryout agreement (ATO). The 24-year-old posted career highs in goals (nine), assists (19) and points (28) in 37 games with Northern Michigan University earlier this season. It was his fifth and final colligate campaign, which began with four seasons at Colgate University from 2017-21. The Exeter, N.H. native recorded 43 points (13 goals, 30 assists) in 131 games with the Raiders. He also attended New York Islanders’ development camp in June of 2019.
OFFENSE COMES TO LIFE
The Islanders have scored seven goals in two of their last four games, and at least four goals in five of their last nine. Chris Terry and Arnaud Durandeau each have five goals during that span, helping the Islanders to a 6-3-1-0 record since Feb. 27th. Bridgeport is 9-0-0-0 when recording at least five goals this season and 17-1-1-0 when scoring at least four.
AFFILIATE UPDATE
New York Islanders (27-25-9); Last: 3-0 W vs. Ottawa, last night -- Next: Tomorrow vs. Detroit, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (27-24-4-2); Last: 6-3 L at Reading, last night -- Next: Tonight at Reading, 7 p.m. ET