Islanders Play League-Leading 30th Game Tonight
Dec 29, 2021The Bridgeport Islanders (10-15-1-3), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, play their final game of 2021 and their league-leading 30th contest of the season tonight at 7 p.m. against the Hartford Wolf Pack (13-6-2-2). It also wraps up a brief two-game homestand at Webster Bank Arena. Last night, Chris Terry scored a power-play goal just 46 seconds into the game, but the Islanders’ offense stalled out in a 5-1 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds. Jakub Skarek (7-8-2) made 33 saves in his fourth straight start.
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** Tickets for kids 11 and younger are just $10 at the Yale New Haven Health Box Office tonight!
SERIES AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game is the seventh of 10 meetings between the Islanders and Wolf Pack this season, and the third of six in Bridgeport. Hartford leads the series 4-1-0-1, but each team has won in regulation at Webster Bank Arena (1-1-0-0). The Islanders earned a 6-5 shootout win in their last tilt one week ago at the XL Center, when Grant Hutton scored twice and 13 different skaters recorded at least one point for Bridgeport. Three of the final four meetings in the series will take place at Webster Bank Arena, including the regular-season finale on Apr. 23rd.
VIEW FROM HARTFORD
The Wolf Pack have points in two straight games (1-0-0-1) as they return from their holiday break tonight. Hartford is second in the Atlantic Division with 30 points in 23 games and is 13-6-2-2 against divisional opponents. Last time out, five different players scored and captain Jonny Brodzinski had three points (one goal, two assists) in a 6-5 shootout loss to Bridgeport at home. However, Brodzinski and many other players were recalled by the New York Rangers this week and will not be available for tonight’s game. Forwards Tim Gettinger and Morgan Barron, defensemen Zac Jones and Matthew Robertson, and goaltender Keith Kinkaid are also among those currently with the Rangers.
TERRY SCORES ANOTHER
Chris Terry’s team-leading 10th goal and 24th point of the season came just 46 seconds into last night’s contest, the quickest goal that the Islanders have scored all season. Springfield’s Tommy Cross was called for delay of game just 12 seconds in, and Bridgeport capitalized with its only power-play goal of the night (1-for-5). Terry has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in his last 12 games and co-leads the club with three power-play tallies. The Islanders have now scored first in five straight games but are 4-5-0-1 when doing so.
CULLEN, OLSSON MAKE AHL DEBUTS
Forward Ross Olsson and defenseman Will Cullen each made their AHL debut in last night’s setback to the Thunderbirds. Olsson, who signed a professional tryout (PTO) yesterday morning, was second on the Worcester Railers in goals (six) and had four assists for 10 points in 14 games. The Endicott College product played 85 career ECHL contests with Worcester, Indy and Kansas City prior to his AHL debut. Cullen was recalled from Worcester on Sunday after recording two points (one goal, one assist) in five ECHL games this season. He signed an AHL deal with Bridgeport on Nov. 26th.
QUICK HITS
Jakub Skarek has played each of the last four games in net, the longest streak for any Bridgeport goaltender this season… Skarek is fifth in the AHL in minutes played (1045:28) and fourth in saves (490)… Chris Terry is tied for eighth among all AHL scorers (24 points) and ranks third in shots (90), three behind Hartford’s Anthony Greco who leads the league with 93… Liam Coughlin signed a PTO yesterday morning and made his Islanders debut last night… Bridgeport is 10-3-1-1 when scoring three goals or more, but 0-12-0-2 when scoring two or fewer this season… The Islanders have dropped three straight games at home for the first time this season (0-2-0-1).
AFFILIATE REPORT
New York Islanders (8-12-6); Last: 4-3 SOL vs. VGK, Dec. 19 -- Next: Tomorrow vs. BUF, 7:30 p.m.
Worcester Railers (8-11-0-1); Last: 5-0 L vs. ADK, Sunday -- Next: Today at ME, 3 p.m.