Preview: Islanders at Bruins
Jan 14, 2024THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (10-20-4-0) face the Providence Bruins (20-12-3-2) in the second game of a three-in-three series this weekend. Puck drop is set for 3:05 p.m. at Amica Mutual Pavilion this afternoon. The Islanders travel to Providence looking to get back into the win column after a 4-3 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at home last night – their 11th consecutive game decided by just one goal. In fact, 20 of the Islanders’ 34 games this season have been decided by a single goal (59%), most in the AHL.
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ABOUT LAST NIGHT
The Islanders erased a three-goal deficit with a dramatic comeback effort last night but allowed the game-winning goal in the final two minutes and suffered a 4-3 loss to the Penguins. William Dufour (PP) scored for the third straight game, while Reece Newkirk got his first goal in the AHL this season and Trevor Cosgrove collected his first AHL goal overall. Ruslan Iskhakov, Robin Salo and Jeff Kubiak all contributed two assists each.
GAME AT A GLANCE
Today’s game is the seventh of 12 meetings between the Islanders and Bruins this season, and the third of six in Rhode Island. Bridgeport is 1-5-0-0 against Boston’s affiliate and has dropped four straight including a 5-4 loss on Dec. 27th at home. The Islanders are 0-2-0-0 at Amica Mutual Pavilion this season. Bruins forward Anthony Richard leads all players in the series with eight points (five goals, three assists) in five appearances, while Kyle MacLean has six points (three goals, three assists) in six games for Bridgeport.
VIEW FROM PROVIDENCE
The Bruins used a six-game winning streak to move into second place in the Atlantic Division prior to a 3-2 overtime loss in Hartford last night. Jayson Megna and Alec Regula each scored to give Providence a pair of one-goal leads, while Kyle Keyser (0-1-2) made 21 saves to help the Bruins earn a point for the seventh straight contest (6-0-1-0). Providence is led by its All-Star forward Georgii Merkulov, who currently shares sixth in the AHL’s scoring race with 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 33 games.
DOUBLE DIGITS FOR ISKHAKOV
Ruslan Iskhakov secured his team-leading 10th multi-point game of the season with two assists last night, extending his point streak to a career-long 10 games. It is tied for the longest active scoring streak in the AHL with Rochester’s Lukas Rousek. The 23-year-old Iskhakov is headed to San Jose, California on Feb. 4-5 as part of the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Tech CU, the League announced on Wednesday. It’s his second straight All-Star selection. Iskhakov leads the Islanders in goals (12), assists (19), points (31), shots (82), multi-point games (10), and game-winning goals (4).
HELPING HAND
Robin Salo recorded two more assists last night and now has points/assists in four straight games. Salo has seven assists in his last four games and eight points total during that span. Salo is up to second on the Islanders in helpers (15) and third in points (20) behind Iskhakov and Otto Koivula.
QUICK HITS
William Dufour has scored a goal in three straight games for the first time in his pro career… Each of his last three goals have come on the power play, and Dufour leads the Islanders with six power-play goals this season… The Islanders have scored at least once on the power play in six of their last seven games… Sam Asselin is expected to play his 200th AHL game today against the team he played 166 games for over the last four seasons.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (19-13-10): Last: 3-1 L at Nashville, last night -- Next: Tomorrow at Minnesota, 6 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (16-13-3-2): Last: 4-2 W vs. Norfolk, last night -- Next: Today vs. Norfolk, 3:05 p.m. ET