Preview: Islanders at Thunderbirds
Dec 30, 2022THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (14-10-5-1) play their final game of 2022 with a 7:05 p.m. matchup against the Springfield Thunderbirds (12-13-1-4) at MassMutual Center tonight. The Islanders remain third in the Atlantic Division with 34 points in 30 games, but have dropped six games in a row (0-4-1-1) and four straight on the road after a 6-5 shootout loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday. Andy Andreoff (1g, 2a), Chris Terry (1g, 1a) and Ruslan Iskhakov (2a) each had multiple points, while Ken Appleby made 22 saves in his AHL season debut. Sam Bolduc, William Dufour and Erik Brown also scored.
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GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game is the sixth of 12 meetings between the Islanders and Thunderbirds this season, and the third of six in Massachusetts. Bridgeport earned points in each of the first three meetings and four of the first five (2-1-1-1), but the Islanders have lost two in a row including a 2-1 overtime loss on Dec. 14th at home. Vincent Sevigny scored Bridgeport’s lone goal at 8:02 of the third period.
VIEW FROM SPRINGFIELD
Drew Bannister’s group opens a back-to-back set of games tonight to close out 2022. Springfield ranks seventh in the Atlantic Division and tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference following a 7-4 win against Hartford on Wednesday, the most goals the T-Birds have scored since a 7-6 overtime victory against Bridgeport in October. Jake Neighbours and Martin Frk each scored twice and Will Bitten had three points (1g, 2a), while Joel Hofer made 21 saves. Hofer is second in the AHL in minutes played (1268) and saves (595), eighth in save percentage (.920) and ninth in goals-against-average (2.46).
ANDY LAND
Andy Andreoff has scored a goal in each of the last four games and enters tonight’s contest with a team-leading 17 goals on the season, tied for most among all active players in the AHL. It’s one shy of his grand total from last season and one behind Laval’s Anthony Richard, who is currently on call-up with Montreal. Andreoff has eight points (4g, 4a) in his last four games and now shares the team lead with Chris Terry (29 points). Eight of Andreoff’s 17 goals have come on the power play, tied for third in the AHL.
TERRY’S TAKEOVER
Chris Terry is on a four-game point streak with two goals and four assists during that span. He co-leads the Islanders in scoring and paces the club with 21 assists, which is tied for ninth in the AHL. Terry has multiple points in three of his last seven outings and leads Bridgeport with nine multi-point efforts this season. The Islanders are 6-1-1-1 when he has at least two points. Terry passed Ab DeMarco (1938-52) and Michel Picard (1989-04) for 35th place on the AHL’s all-time scoring list with his 639th career point last Friday.
SAM’S CLUB
Sam Bolduc scored for the second straight game - his sixth goal of the season - in Wednesday’s loss. Bolduc is third on the team in points and leads all Bridgeport defensemen with 22 points (6g, 16a) in 30 games. He shares fifth place among AHL blue-liners in scoring, is tied for fourth in power-play assists (10), and ranks fourth in shots (76).
QUICK HITS
The Islanders have allowed the first goal in four straight games for the first time this season... Bridgeport’s power play has scored in three of its last four games and remains fourth in the AHL (25.5%).
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (21-14-2): Last: 2-1 W vs. Columbus, last night -- Next: Sunday at Seattle, 10:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (18-10-1-0): Last: 9-3 L at Maine, Wednesday -- Next: Tonight at Adirondack, 7 p.m. ET