Islanders Host Hershey at 10:30 A.M.
Apr 4, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (27-27-6-4, .500) look to snap a two-game slide as they host the Hershey Bears (30-26-5-4, .531) at 10:30 a.m. in their second and final early tilt this season. The Islanders earned a 4-1 win against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in their first morning game on Feb. 2nd. Last time out, Bridgeport bounced back from three different one-goal deficits but dropped a 4-3 final to the Phantoms at Total Mortgage Arena on Sunday. Chris Terry scored his team-leading 24th goal of the season and hit the 50-point mark for the ninth time in his career, while Collin Adams and Mitch Vande Sompel also beat veteran goaltender Pat Nagle. Parker Wotherspoon added two assists and Jakub Skarek (16-13-4) made 31 saves to open a three-game homestand.
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ISLANDERS VS. BEARS
Today’s game is the sixth and final meeting between the Islanders and Bears this season, and the third of three at Total Mortgage Arena. Hershey has earned at least one point in each of the previous five matchups (4-0-0-1), including a 2-1 regulation win in their last meeting on Mar. 11th in Bridgeport. The Islanders defeated Washington’s AHL affiliate on Jan. 12th, a 4-3 shootout victory. All five games have been separated by two goals or less and four of the five have been separated by just one goal. The Islanders and Bears have taken each other to overtime on three occasions this season.
VIEW FROM HERSHEY
The Bears are in fourth place in the Atlantic Division standings, currently in a playoff position just .031 percentage points ahead of the seventh-place Islanders. However, Hershey enters today’s contest on a four-game losing streak (0-3-0-1), their second four-game slide since Feb. 27th. The Bears lost both of their games against the Charlotte Checkers this past weekend, including a 3-1 setback on Saturday. Brett Leason scored Hershey’s only goal and Pheonix Copley (15-9-5), who shares seventh place among all AHL goalies with a 2.36 GAA, made 37 saves. Hershey’s next win will be #3,000 in franchise history.
HARDLY ON A SCHNEID
Cory Schneider made his New York Islanders debut on Sunday - also his first NHL game in more than two calendar years - and made 27 saves against the New Jersey Devils to backstop a 4-3 victory at the Prudential Center. It was first NHL game and win since Mar. 6, 2020, when he played with New Jersey and beat St. Louis. In the AHL, Schneider is 6-1-1 in his last eight starts dating back to Feb. 11th and boasts a 1.28 GAA and .963 save percentage in his last six appearances specifically. He is 17th among all AHL goaltenders with a 2.63 GAA on the season.
FOUR SCORE
Chris Terry, who became the 48th player in AHL history to record 600 career points on Mar. 27th, will look to score a goal for the fourth straight game this morning. That would tie Arnaud Durandeau (Feb. 26th - Mar. 5th) for the longest streak on the team this season. Terry has four points (3g, 1a) in his last three games and leads Bridgeport in many offensive categories: goals (24), points (50), power-play goals (7), power-play points (18), multi-point games (13), shots on goal (181), and is tied for first in game-winning goals (4). He is six tallies shy of becoming a 30-goal scorer for the fourth time in his career.
QUICK HITS
Austin Czarnik is on a three-game point streak (2g, 3a)... He has 15 points (4g, 11a) in his 10 games since being reclaimed off waivers from the Seattle Kraken... Mitch Vande Sompel is two games shy of his 200th AHL/professional appearance... The Islanders have eight games remaining in their regular season, all against Atlantic Division teams... Bridgeport is 19-25-4-4 within its division this season.
AFFILIATE UPDATE
New York Islanders (32-27-9); Last: 4-3 W at New Jersey, Sunday -- Next: Tonight at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (29-29-4-2); Last: 3-1 L at Newfoundland, Sunday -- Next: Tomorrow vs. Maine, 7:05 p.m. ET