Preview: Islanders vs. Bruins
Nov 25, 2023THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (5-10-1-0) return from their Thanksgiving holiday to battle the Providence Bruins (7-8-1-2) at Total Mortgage Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight. The two Atlantic Division rivals are about to become very familiar with one another, meeting three times over the next week. The Islanders will host the Bruins again next Saturday, Dec. 2nd, with a trip to Rhode Island set for Friday. Dec. 1st. Bridgeport has two games this weekend, including a 3 p.m. matinee against the Belleville Senators tomorrow.
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LAST TIME OUT
Otto Koivula and Jeff Kubiak each scored in the second period on Wednesday night, but the Islanders saw their road winless streak reach seven games in a 4-2 setback to the Springfield Thunderbirds at MassMutual Center. Jakub Skarek (3-7-1) made 29 saves and saw a season-high 33 shots against. Arnaud Durandeau, Dennis Cholowski and Paul LaDue all had assists.
GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game is the third of 12 meetings between the Isles and Bruins this season, and the second of six in Connecticut. The series is knotted at 1-1-0-0 following Bridgeport’s 3-1 win at home last Sunday. Providence skated to a 4-2 victory at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Oct. 18th. Bruins rookie John Farinacci leads all players in the series with three points (1g, 2a) in two games, but Kyle MacLean (2g), Dennis Cholowski (2a), Tanner Fritz (2a) and Grant Hutton (2a) all have multiple points against Providence.
VIEW FROM PROVIDENCE
Head coach Ryan Mougenel’s team hasn’t won in regulation since Nov. 11th, but snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 overtime victory against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on the road last night. The Bruins are seventh in the Atlantic Division, six points ahead of the Islanders. Fabian Lysell’s fifth goal of the season ended last night’s game at 2:25 of overtime, while Jayson Megna started the scoring at 19:02 of the first period. Brandon Bussi (5-4-2) made a season-high 41 saves. Providence is led
offensively by rookie John Farinacci with 14 points and nine assists. His +9 rating leads all AHL rookies. Luke Toporowski has a club-best six goals.
BIRTHDAY BOYS
A pair of Islanders rookies celebrate birthdays today, as Matthew Maggio turns 21 and Travis Mitchell turns 24. Maggio has five points (3g, 2a) in 15 games to start his first full season in the AHL, while Mitchell, who finished a four-year career at Cornell University this past March, has one assist in 10 games.
THE KUBIAK ATTACK
Jeff Kubiak has scored a goal in three of his last five games. His three goals this season share third on the team behind Ruslan Iskhakov (5) and former Bruin Samuel Asselin (4). Kubiak, who was named an alternate captain for the first time in his pro career, has played 286 games with Bridgeport dating back to 2017. He is four games from tying Aaron Ness for sixth on the team’s all-time games played list.
QUICK HITS
Dennis Cholowski, who played his 300th professional game on Wednesday, has assists in back-to-back contests... Bridgeport’s penalty kill is 9-for-9 in its last four games, and ranks second in the AHL overall at 89.1%... Parker Wotherspoon, who signed with the Boston Bruins in July after playing 293 games with Bridgeport since his pro debut on Apr. 3, 2016, makes his return to Total Mortgage Arena tonight.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (8-6-5): Last: 5-3 W at Ottawa, last night -- Next: Tonight vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (6-6-2-1): Last: 4-3 OTW at Adirondack, last night -- Next: Tonight at Adirondack, 7 p.m. ET