Islanders Face Phantoms at 10:30 a.m. This Morning
Feb 2, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (15-18-4-4), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, face the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (14-14-6-2) this morning in their first of two School Day games at Webster Bank Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. The Islanders have rotated wins and losses over their last eight games, most recently falling to the Hershey Bears in overtime, 2-1, on Saturday. Jakub Skarek (12-8-4) made 33 saves and was perfect for more than 47 minutes to begin the game, while Thomas Hickey broke a scoreless tie midway through the third period. Hershey responded with back-to-back power-play goals, including Mike Vecchione’s winner at 2:47 of OT.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
Today’s tilt is the third of six meetings between the Islanders and Phantoms this season, and the first of three at Webster Bank Arena. Bridgeport is 1-0-1-0 in the series so far, earning a 4-1 win on Nov. 27th and recording one point in a 2-1 overtime loss on Jan. 1st. Each of the first two meetings occurred at the PPL Center in Allentown, Penn.
VIEW FROM ALLENTOWN
The sixth-place Phantoms started the season 0-5-2-0 and were 3-11-4-1 through their first 19 games, but enter today’s contest on a two-game winning streak and are 11-3-2-1 since Dec. 11th. Last time out, captain Cal O’Reilly scored twice and Linus Sandin notched the game-winning goal at 14:26 of the third period in a 3-2 victory against the Hershey Bears on Sunday. Sandin has points in three straight games (one goal, three assists) and O’Reilly has scored three times in his last four.
HOCKEY WITH YOUR HOTCAKES
Three of Bridgeport’s games this season will begin prior to 11 a.m., including today’s tilt. The Islanders will also host the Hershey Bears at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 5th, and will travel to Springfield, Mass. for a 10:35 a.m. matchup against the Thunderbirds on Wednesday, Mar. 16th. Bridgeport’s most recent morning game was a 3-2 setback to the Syracuse Crunch on Feb. 5, 2020 at home.
HICKEY HEATS UP
Thomas Hickey has a goal in each of his last two games and is on a three-game point streak dating back to Jan. 16th (two goals, two assists). It’s his longest point streak within the same AHL season since Feb. 3, 2012 - Feb. 7, 2012 (Manchester). Hickey ranks second among Bridgeport defensemen in goals (three) and is fourth in points (six) in 22 games this season. He’s tied for second on the team overall with a plus-8 rating, and is a team-best plus-8 since the calendar flipped to 2022.
SKAREK NAMED GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
Jakub Skarek has been named AHL Goaltender of the Month for January, going 5-0-2 in eight games (seven starts) and recording a 1.98 goals-against average and .935 save percentage over that span. He won a career-best five straight decisions from Jan. 5th through Jan. 23rd. A native of Jihlava, Czech Republic, Skarek currently ranks fourth among all AHL goaltenders in minutes played (1,500:57), and is third in shots faced (776) and saves (707).
QUICK HITS
Aside from Hickey, Jeff Kubiak also has points (assists) in three straight games... Kubiak has points in five of his last six games... Bridgeport has gone past regulation in back-to-back games, four times in its last seven, and 13 times this season (tied for the league lead)... The Islanders will play 10 games in February (six at home)... Leading scorer Chris Terry has three goals and five points in his last five games... Bridgeport is 4-3-1-1 in games that are not part of a back-to-back or three-in-three this season.
AFFILIATE REPORT
New York Islanders (16-16-6); Last: 4-1 W vs. Ottawa, last night -- Next: Tonight vs. Seattle, 7 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (15-18-1-1); Last: 6-4 L vs. Fort Wayne, Sunday -- Next: Friday vs. Kalamazoo, 7:05 p.m. ET