Islanders Visit T-Birds For Wednesday Night Hockey
Mar 16, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (23-25-5-4, .482) look to sweep a three-game road trip as they travel to the MassMutual Center for a 7:05 p.m. tilt against the division-leading Springfield Thunderbirds tonight. Bridgeport knocked the Providence Bruins out of the Atlantic Division’s top spot this past weekend with back-to-back wins at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. The New York Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate outscored the Bruins 10-4 in two games, including a season-high seven goals in a 7-4 win on Saturday. Less than 24 hours later, Cole Bardreau scored twice and Cory Schneider (8-10-2) earned his 13th career AHL shutout in a 3-0 victory on Sunday.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game is the 11th of 12 meetings between the Islanders and Thunderbirds this season, and the final matchup in Massachusetts. Bridgeport is 2-7-0-1 against Springfield and 0-4-0-1 in those games on the road following a 5-3 loss on Feb. 23rd. Chris Terry leads the Islanders with four goals and nine points in 10 games against the T-Birds. He has six points (two goals, four assists) in the last four.
VIEW FROM SPRINGFIELD
The Thunderbirds are 6-3-0-1 in their last 10 games and have re-claimed the Atlantic Division’s top spot with 69 points in 55 contests (31-17-5-2, .627). The T-Birds are coming off a two-game split in Charlotte last weekend, including a 4-3 overtime win on Saturday. Tommy Cross scored the winner at 3:46 of OT, while Sam Anas had one goal and one assist in regulation. Anas is second on the team and 20th in the AHL in scoring (46 points), one point behind teammate Matthew Peca (team-high 18 goals). Springfield opens a three-game homestand tonight that continues this weekend against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
NOT MISSING A BEAT
Austin Czarnik has three different three-point performances in his last six AHL games, which spans 109 days. He was re-claimed off waivers from Seattle and assigned to Bridgeport on March 6th and went on to record two goals and one assist in his second game back (Saturday’s 7-4 win). Czarnik has 11 points (six goals, five assists) in his last eight AHL games dating back to Nov. 24th. He also registered five points (two goals, three assists) in 11 games with the New York Islanders and two helpers in six games with the Seattle Kraken this season.
TWENTY-GOAL TERRY
Chris Terry scored his team-leading 20th goal of the season on Sunday, giving him at least 20 goals for the eighth time in his AHL career. He’s scored 30 or more goals on three occasions. Terry also leads Bridgeport with 44 points this season and has 596 career AHL points, ranking 50th in League history.
THREE GOALS, THREE SHUTOUTS
Cory Schneider made 33 saves on Sunday to record his first shutout with Bridgeport and the 13th of his AHL career, exactly 14 years and six days since his first one on March 7, 2008 (Manitoba at Hamilton). It was also the 39th of his professional career. The Islanders have now posted three shutouts as a team this season, one from each of their three goaltenders (Jakub Skarek on Oct. 24th vs. Laval; Ken Appleby on Feb. 24th vs. Hartford). Schneider turns 36 years old on Friday.
QUICK HITS
Arnaud Durandeau has scored five goals in his last eight games and is tied for third on the team with a career-high 12 goals this season, matching Cole Bardreau... Bardreau has recorded back-to-back two-point games and has six points (four goals, two assists) in his last five... Bardreau’s team-leading three shorthanded goals on the season are the 10th such instance in team history... Tonight is expected to be Bardreau’s 100th game with Bridgeport... The Islanders sport the fourth-best penalty kill on the road (84.7%)... Bridgeport’s current shutout streak enters tonight’s game at 66:02.
AFFILIATE REPORT
New York Islanders (24-24-9); Last: 4-3 SOL at Washington, last night -- Next: Tomorrow at New York Rangers, 7 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (24-22-4-2); Last: 5-4 W vs. Adirondack, Friday -- Next: Tonight at Trois Rivieres, 7 p.m. ET