Preview: Islanders vs. Bears
Apr 14, 2023THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (33-29-7-1) face the Hershey Bears (43-18-5-4) in their final home game of the season tonight. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at Total Mortgage Arena. The Islanders enter “Fan Appreciation Night” looking for their second straight win following a 6-4 victory against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday. Chris Terry scored his second career AHL hat trick, earned four points (3g, 1a) for the second time this season, and set a new career high in scoring (72 points), while Andy Andreoff lit the lamp twice. He is tied with Calgary’s Matthew Phillips for the AHL lead with 36 goals. Arnaud Durandeau also hit 20 goals on the season and extended his career-best point streak to six games (1g, 7a).
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GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game is the sixth and final meeting between the Islanders and Bears this season, and the last of three in Connecticut. Bridgeport has earned points in three of its five matchups this season (1-2-2-0), but is 0-2-0-0 in those games at home. Jakub Skarek made 39 saves for his first shutout of the year on Jan. 29th, while Hershey skated to a 4-1 win in their last tilt on Feb. 3rd. Chris Terry’s shorthanded goal was Bridgeport’s only tally that night. Terry, who scored his team-leading third shorthanded goal of the season on Wednesday, leads all Islanders’ players in the series (1g, 3a). Ethan Frank has a series-best eight points (3g, 5a) in five games for the Bears.
VIEW FROM HERSHEY
The first-place Bears have not only clinched a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs, but also a first-round bye with 95 points in 70 games. However, Hershey remains in a dog fight for the Atlantic Division title with the Providence Bruins, who are only one point back with two games remaining. Last time out, the Bears suffered a 4-3 loss to the Charlotte Checkers at home on Tuesday. Mike Vecchione and Garrett Pilon each scored once and added an assist, while Hunter Shepard (19-8-5) made 20 saves. Tonight is Hershey’s final road game of the regular season.
CHASING WILLIE MARSHALL
Andy Andreoff has 12 goals in his last 13 games and a career-high 36 on the season, tied with Matthew Phillips (Calgary) for most in the AHL. Bridgeport and Calgary both have two games left to decide which player will take home the prestigious Willie Marshall Award, given annually to the AHL’s top goal scorer for the regular season. Former Bridgeport forward Jeff Hamilton won the first ever Willie Marshall Award with 43 goals in 2003-04. No one has had more than that in a single season with the organization. Jeff Tambellini had 38 goals with Bridgeport in 2007-08.
TERRY CONTINUES HIS TEAR
Chris Terry scored three goals and added an assist on Wednesday to set a new career high in points (72). It’s just the second time he’s eclipsed the 70-point mark in his illustrious AHL career. Terry is fifth in the AHL’s scoring race and has overtaken Phil Hergesheimer (1937-51) for 25th on the League’s all-time goals list (289). In addition, Terry is second on Bridgeport’s all-time list for most points and assists in a single season. He is two assists behind Rob Collins (2003-06) and four points from Jeff Tambellini (2007-08). Terry has at least one point in five of his last six games and seven of his last nine.
QUICK HITS
Matthew Maggio, Aidan Fulp (pictured) and Christian Krygier all made their professional debuts on Wednesday... Fulp (two assists) and Maggio (one assist) logged their first pro points... Along with Durandeau’s six-game scoring streak, William Dufour is on a four-game point streak (1g, 4a)... This season is the first time Bridgeport has seen four 20-goal scorers in 14 years (Andreoff, Terry, Dufour, Durandeau).
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (42-31-9): Last: 4-2 W vs. Montreal, Wednesday
Worcester Railers (34-32-4-0): Last: 6-2 W vs. Adirondack, Saturday -- Next: Tomorrow at Adirondack, 7 p.m. ET