Islanders Face Penguins, Phantoms This Weekend
Apr 2, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (27-25-6-4, .516), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, face the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (29-27-4-4, .516) and Lehigh Valley Phantoms (23-27-7-4, .467) with major playoff implications on the line this weekend. The Islanders close out a four-game road trip and begin a stretch of six games in nine days when they face the Penguins at 6:05 p.m. tonight inside Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. The Islanders have won four straight games and are 6-0-1-0 in their last seven contests, moving into a tie for the Atlantic Division’s sixth and final playoff spot with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Lehigh Valley sits eighth. Bridgeport currently holds the tie breaker (percentage of games won in regulation, 33.9%).
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LAST TIME OUT
Chris Terry’s 600th career point in the American Hockey League was the overtime-winning goal in a 6-5 victory against the Rochester Americans at Blue Cross Arena on Sunday. The Islanders scored at least five goals for the third time in four games and bounced back from two different two-goal deficits to earn the win. Terry was one of four Bridgeport players to record at least two points in the contest, joining Austin Czarnik (1g, 2a), Robin Salo (1g, 2a) and Arnaud Durandeau (1g, 1a). The Islanders also fired a season-high 46 shots-on-goal against Buffalo Sabres prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
VIEW FROM WILKES-BARRE
Tonight’s game is the fifth of six matchups between the Islanders and Penguins this season, and the second of three in Pennsylvania. Bridgeport is 2-2-0-0 in the previous four meetings and 0-1-0-0 in those contests on the road, a 4-3 regulation loss on Feb. 4th. The Penguins suffered a 4-2 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center last night, receiving goals from Michael Chaput and Kyle Olson, and 26 saves from Tommy Nappier (9-8-2). Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is 6-4-0-0 in its last 10 games and on a two-game winning streak at home. It has also won four of its last five games at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
VIEW FROM LEHIGH VALLEY
Sunday’s 3 p.m. tilt at Total Mortgage Arena is the fourth of six meetings between the Islanders and Phantoms this season, and the second of three in Bridgeport. The Islanders are 2-0-1-0 against Philadelphia’s affiliate this season and 1-0-0-0 at home, a 4-1 win on Feb. 2nd. The Phantoms, which host Utica tonight, are on a two-game point streak (1-0-0-1) and 5-4-0-1 in their last 10 games. Ryan MacKinnon, Tanner Laczynski, Wade Allison and Max Willman each scored, while Felix Sandstrom (13-16-3) made 29 saves.
STREAKING INTO APRIL
Simon Holmstrom and Arnaud Durandeau each carry a four-game point streak into the final month of the regular season. Holmstrom, who has seven points in his last four games (2g, 5a), is up to fifth on the club in scoring (career-high 34 points) and is second on the Islanders with 25 assists. Meanwhile, Durandeau is third on the team with a career-high 15 goals and fourth in points (37). Durandeau has scored in back-to-back games, and has three goals and three assists in his last four outings.
MR. 600
Chris Terry became the 48th player in AHL history to record 600 career points when he registered the overtime-winning goal on Sunday. It was 255th career goal and his team-leading 22nd goal this season. Terry has eight goals and 15 points in his last 13 games and continues to lead Bridgeport in many offensive categories: goals (22), points (48), power-play goals (6), power-play points (17), multi-point games (13), shots on goal (174), and is tied for first in game-winning goals (4).
QUICK HITS
The Islanders are on their first four-game winning streak since Nov. 23-29, 2019 (four games)... The Islanders went 8-2-1-0 in March, outscoring opponents 45-30 in those games... Bridgeport has scored 34 goals in its seven games since Mar. 12th... Seventeen different players have lit the lamp during that span, led by Arnaud Durandeau’s four tallies... The Islanders are 11-0-0-0 when recording at least five goals this season and 20-1-1-0 when scoring at least four... Cory Schneider, who was recalled by New York on an emergency basis Tuesday, is 6-1-1 over its last eight AHL starts and has a 1.28 GAA and .963 save percentage over its last six appearances.
New York Islanders (31-27-9); Last: 3-0 W at New York Rangers, last night -- Next: Tomorrow at New Jersey, 4 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (29-27-4-2); Last: 4-0 L at Newfoundland, last night -- Next: Tonight vs. Newfoundland, 5:30 p.m. ET