Preview: Islanders vs. Bears
Jan 15, 2024THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (10-21-4-0) host the Hershey Bears (29-7-0-1) on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to complete a three-in-three series. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. at Total Mortgage Arena. The Islanders look for their first win of the weekend following a pair of narrow losses to the third-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday and second-place Providence Bruins yesterday. Jakub Skarek (3-14-3) made a season-high 38 saves at Amica Mutual Pavilion yesterday afternoon, but Providence scored twice in the third period, including once into an empty net, in a 2-0 final. Today’s game marks the official halfway point of the Islanders’ 2023-24 regular season.
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GAME AT A GLANCE
Today’s game is the fifth of six meetings between the Islanders and Bears this season, and the third of three at Total Mortgage Arena. Bridgeport is seeking its first win against Hershey after starting 0-3-1-0 through four matchups. The Bears handed the Islanders a 4-0 shutout loss in their last head-to-head tilt on Nov. 18th. Bears forward Mike Sgarbossa leads all players in the season series with six points (one goal, five assists) in four games, while Sam Asselin and Ruslan Iskhakov each have one goal and two assists against Hershey.
VIEW FROM HERSHEY
Todd Nelson’s team leads the AHL with 29 wins and 59 points through 37 games. They lead the Atlantic Division by 12 points over second-place Providence, and pace the Eastern Conference by 11 points ahead of Cleveland. The Bears are 12-3-0-1 on the road, but are coming off a 4-3 shootout loss in Lehigh Valley on Saturday. Henrik Rybinski, Ethen Frank and Garrett Roe all scored that night, while Hunter Shepard made 20 saves in 65 minutes and went 3-for-4 in a brief shootout. Mike Sgarbossa had one assist, and leads the Bears with 34 points and 27 helpers this season. He is fifth in the AHL’s scoring race and tied for second among all players in assists. Pierrick Dube is fourth in the AHL in goals (19).
RIP-ROARING RUSLAN
Ruslan Iskhakov secured his team-leading 10th multi-point game of the season with two assists on Saturday night, which extended his point streak to a career-long 10 games. It was tied for the longest active streak in the AHL until he was kept quiet in yesterday’s 2-0 loss in Providence. 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).
ONE-GOAL WONDERS
Yesterday’s final in Providence was the Islanders’ first since Dec. 15th that wasn’t decided by a single goal. Bridgeport had played 11 straight one-goal games and currently has 20 on the season, which is the most in the AHL. The Islanders are 8-8-4-0 in one-goal games and all but seven of their contests this year have been decided by two goals or fewer.
QUICK HITS
The Islanders were outshot 40-21 yesterday in Providence... It was the fewest shots that the Islanders have had in a game this season and tied for the most allowed... Bridgeport is 3-1-0-0 in the next game after getting shutout this season... Sam Asselin played his 200th AHL game yesterday.... Dennis Cholowski is expected to play his 200th AHL game today... Bridgeport is seeking its first regulation win since Dec. 22nd at Hartford and first at home since Nov. 26th against Belleville.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (19-13-10): Last: 3-1 L at Nashville, Saturday -- Next: Tonight at Minnesota, 6 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (16-14-3-2): Last: 3-0 L vs. Norfolk, yesterday -- Next: Friday at Fort Wayne, 8 p.m. ET