Preview: Islanders at Wolf Pack
Apr 6, 2023THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (32-27-7-1) face the Hartford Wolf Pack (32-25-4-7) at 7 p.m. tonight with massive playoff implications on the line. It’s the Islanders’ penultimate road game of the season, which takes place at XL Center. Bridgeport is three points behind Hartford for the Atlantic Division’s final playoff spot with one game in hand. The Islanders have five games left in the regular season and tonight’s contest is the last head-to-head tilt between the in-state rivals. Bridgeport’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 12.
LISTEN: https://bit.ly/BridgeportIslanders
WATCH: AHLTV.com
LAST TIME OUT
The Islanders look for their second straight win tonight after a remarkable, come-from-behind 4-3 overtime win against the Springfield Thunderbirds on Tuesday afternoon. Andy Andreoff’s team-leading 33rd goal of the season, and team-best fifth game winner, came at 3:41 of overtime after Chris Terry, Jeff Kubiak and Paul Thompson each scored in regulation. Terry tied the game with a clutch tally in the final six minutes, his third straight game with a goal. Jakub Skarek (14-14-3) backstopped the victory at Total Mortgage Arena with 28 saves, pushing his personal win streak to three games.
ISLANDERS VS. WOLF PACK
Tonight’s game is the 12th and final meeting between the Islanders and Wolf Pack this season, and the sixth matchup in Hartford. Bridgeport is 5-6-0-0 in the series and 2-3-0-0 in those games on the road. All 11 meetings have finished in regulation. The Wolf Pack have won each of the last four games by a 23-8 differential, including a 4-1 victory in their last contest on Mar. 29th. Paul Thompson, who has four goals in his last four games, scored Bridgeport’s lone tally that night.
VIEW FROM HARTFORD
Kris Knoblauch’s club is on a five-game win streak, the longest active streak in the Eastern Conference. Hartford has used that run to jump ahead of the Islanders and lower its magic number to eight. The Wolf Pack defeated the Toronto Marlies in overtime on Wednesday, when Jake Leschyshyn scored his fifth goal of the season at 1:42 of OT. Louis Domingue (20-12-8) made 30 saves at XL Center. Hartford is led in scoring by its captain Jonny Brodzinski (46 points), while Will Cuylle has a team-high 24 goals. Cuylle ranks fifth among all AHL rookies in goals, fourth in shots (167), and shares 11th in points (43).
TERRY TAKING OFF
Chris Terry (pictured), who turns 34 years old today, has scored a goal in three straight games for the second time this season. He has four goals and five points (4g, 1a) in his last three games and at least one point in eight of his last 10. Terry leads the Islanders with 67 points (23g, 44a) in 62 games, just four points shy of his career high. He enters the weekend tied for fifth in the AHL’s scoring race.
ANDY LAND
Andy Andreoff has nine goals in his last 10 games. He is second in the AHL with a career-high 33 goals this season, one behind Calgary’s Matthew Phillips. Andreoff is also tied for sixth in the league with 12 power-play goals. Tonight is Andreoff’s 399th career AHL game between Manchester, Syracuse, Lehigh Valley and Bridgeport.
QUICK HITS
Arnaud Durandeau (5a) and Grant Hutton (1g, 2a) are also on three-game point streaks... Durandeau earned his 100th AHL point with an assist on Tuesday... Hutton had just one point in his first 20 games of the season, but has nine points in his last 18 (3g, 6a)... Cole Bardreau has set new career highs in goals (15) and points (31) this season.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (39-30-9): Last: 6-1 W vs. Tampa Bay, last night -- Next: Tomorrow vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (33-32-4-0): Last: 4-2 L vs. Maine, Wednesday -- Next: Tomorrow vs. Adirondack, 7:05 p.m. ET