Preview: Islanders at Phantoms
Apr 13, 2024THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (24-37-6-2) play their 36th and final road game of the season tonight, visiting Allentown, Penn. for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (29-30-6-3). Bridgeport will face Lehigh Valley again next Friday at Total Mortgage Arena. The Islanders have won three of their last four road games, but suffered a 5-2 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza last night. Brian Pinho and Ruslan Iskhakov each scored a rebound goal at even strength, while Jack Randl made his professional debut. Jakub Skarek (7-22-5) made 15 saves.
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GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game is the fifth of six meetings between the Islanders and Phantoms this season, and the last of three at PPL Center. Bridgeport is 2-1-0-1 against Lehigh Valley this season, with the road team winning each of the first four tilts. All four games have been decided by a single goal. The Islanders earned a 2-1 regulation victory in Allentown on Mar. 2nd and again on Mar. 23rd. Lehigh Valley’s Rhett Gardner leads all players in the series with four points (2g, 2a) in four games, while Ruslan Iskhakov (1g, 2a) and Dennis Cholowski (3a) both have three points against the Phantoms.
VIEW FROM ALLENTOWN
The Phantoms have lost three straight games in regulation and five of their last six overall (1-4-1-0), but continue to hold a playoff spot with four games left. Lehigh Valley is the only team in an Atlantic Division playoff spot that hasn’t already clinched, sitting four points ahead of the Springfield Thunderbirds with the same number of games played. Last night, Lehigh Valley suffered a 4-1 loss to the Hershey Bears in Chocolatetown, receiving its only goal from Garrett Wilson midway through the second period. Cal Petersen (9-15-3) made 25 saves. Wilson also had two minor penalties on the evening and leads the league with 210 penalty minutes in 56 games.
CAREER HIGH FOR ISKHAKOV
Ruslan Iskhakov scored his team-leading 18th goal of the season last night, surpassing his total from his rookie campaign in 2022-23. He also extended his point streak to four games (1g, 3a). Bridgeport’s top offensive threat is up to 31 assists and 49 points in 68 games, moving to within two points of his AHL career high. In addition, last night’s goal was the 100th point of Iskhakov’s AHL career.
RANDL MAKES PRO DEBUT
Jack Randl became the fourth player to make his professional debut with Bridgeport this season when he drew into the lineup last night in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He had a clean stat sheet. Randl, a 23-year-old forward out of the University of Nebraska-Omaha, joined the team last Thursday, Apr. 4th, on an ATO and signed an AHL contract for the 2024-25 season. He played four seasons at Nebraska-Omaha, where he recorded 26 points (13g, 13a) in 39 games this season. He led the Mavericks with a career-high 18 goals and 34 points in 2022-23, while serving as an alternate captain.
QUICK HITS
The Islanders outshot the Penguins 37-20 last night and have now outshot opponents in 38 of their 69 games... Dennis Cholowski and Alex Jefferies have points in back-to-back games (1g, 1a)... Jefferies recorded a career-high five shots-on-goal last night... Bridgeport’s final three games are against just two teams: Lehigh Valley and Providence.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (37-27-15): Last: 3-2 OTW vs. Montreal, Thursday -- Next: Today at New York Rangers, 12:30 p.m.
Worcester Railers (32-30-5-3): Last: 3-2 W at Trois Rivières, last night -- Next: Today at Trois Rivières, 3 p.m.