Islanders Face Thunderbirds at 10:35 a.m.
Nov 6, 2024THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (2-5-1-1) must come ready to play early as they continue a three-game road trip with a 10:35 a.m. puck drop against the Springfield Thunderbirds (3-7-0-0) at MassMutual Center. It’s the first of three morning games this season and the first of two in less than a week. The Islanders will host the Hershey Bears at 10:30 a.m. next Tuesday. Bridgeport is looking for its first winning streak of the season after a 4-1 victory in Springfield last Friday. Brian Pinho scored for the fifth straight contest and Fredrik Karlstrom notched his fifth goal in six games, while Jakub Skarek (2-2-0) was steady in net with 23 saves. Chris Terry and Alex Jefferies added two assists each in Bridgeport’s first win on the road.
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ISLANDERS VS. THUNDERBIRDS
Today’s game is the second of 10 meetings between the Islanders and Thunderbirds this season, and the second of five at MassMutual Center. The Atlantic Division rivals won’t faceoff again until Dec. 6th. Each of the first four meetings will take place in Springfield before the series shifts to Total Mortgage Arena on Jan. 15th. Bridgeport has points in 17 of its last 19 contests against Springfield (13-2-4-0) dating back to Jan. 6, 2023.
VIEW FROM SPRINGFIELD
Head coach Steve Konowalchuk’s club has lost back-to-back games and five of its last six, going 3-7-0-0 at the 10-game mark. The Thunderbirds are tied for sixth in the Atlantic Division with Bridgeport and Providence. Last time out, Springfield allowed each of the first three goals and suffered a 5-2 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at home on Saturday. Drew Callin and Dalibor Dvorsky scored power-play goals in a chaotic game that featured five fights and 88 combined penalty minutes. Colton Ellis (2-4-0) made 38 saves. Dvorsky, a 19-year-old rookie, has scored a goal in three straight games and currently ranks second among all AHL rookies with five goals this season.
PINHO’S POWERFUL STRETCH
Brian Pinho has scored a goal in five straight games, the longest active and overall streak in the AHL this season. He has also scored a goal in three straight road games. Pinho recorded one goal and one assist on Friday night for his second straight multi-point game. His current five-game goal streak ties a career-high after he did the same as a member of the Utica Comets from Nov. 2, 2022 - Nov. 19, 2022. Three of his team-high six goals this season have come shorthanded, which also leads all AHL players.
AN APPLE A DAY
Chris Terry had two assists in Springfield last Friday and now boasts a seven-game assist streak dating back to Oct. 16th. It’s the longest active and overall assist streak in the AHL. Terry’s seven-game point streak is tied for the second-longest this season behind Milwaukee’s Vinnie Hinostroza (eight). The veteran winger ranks 23rd on the AHL’s all-time list with 438 assists and is 19th in points (750). He will play his 825th career AHL game this morning, passing Tim Tookey (1980-95) for 34th all-time.
QUICK HITS
Fredrik Karlstrom has scored a goal in three straight games… Isaiah George was recalled by the New York Islanders on Tuesday and made his NHL debut last night in a 4-3 shootout win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at UBS Arena... He played 15:41 after scoring his first professional goal in Springfield on Friday... George became the first Bridgeport player to make his NHL debut this season... Alex Jefferies notched two assists on Friday and now shares fifth among AHL rookies in scoring (three goals, five assists).
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (5-6-2): Last: 4-3 SOW vs. Pittsburgh, last night -- Next: Tomorrow at Ottawa, 7 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (3-4-0-0): Last: 4-2 L at Norfolk, Sunday -- Next: Saturday vs. Maine, 6:05 p.m. ET