Preview: Islanders vs. Penguins
Apr 6, 2024THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (24-35-6-1) host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (34-22-8-1) tonight in a 5 p.m. matchup at Total Mortgage Arena. The Islanders, who have just six games left in the regular season, will remain at home tomorrow afternoon for a 3 p.m. faceoff against the Rochester Americans. Bridgeport is 12 points out of a playoff spot, but the New York Islanders’ affiliate has won four of its last five games including a 4-1 victory in Hartford on Wednesday. Aidan Fulp’s first professional goal early in the second period proved to be the game winner, and Ken Appleby (10-9-0) made 28 saves for his third straight win. Brian Pinho (2a) and Carsen Twarynski (1g, 1a) had two points each in the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ finale.
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ISLANDERS VS. PENGUINS
Tonight’s game is the third of four meetings between the Islanders and Penguins this season, and the second of two in Connecticut. Bridgeport is still searching for its first win in the series following a 4-3 loss at home on Jan. 13th and a 4-1 setback in Wilkes-Barre, PA on Feb. 24th. Ruslan Iskhakov, Robin Salo and Jeff Kubiak lead the Islanders in the season series with two points (two assists) each.
VIEW FROM WILKES-BARRE
Radim Zohorna scored the game-winning goal 35 seconds into overtime to solidify a 3-2 victory against the Cleveland Monsters at home last night. Evan Vierling (first AHL goal) and Avery Hayes also scored, as the Penguins clinched a playoff berth and remain third in the Atlantic Division standings, tied with the Charlotte Checkers. Joel Blomqvist (23-10-6) made 28 saves for his third straight victory. Blomqvist is third among all AHL goaltenders with a 2.15 goals-against-average in 41 games. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goes for its fourth straight win tonight as they continue a ‘3-in-3’ weekend series.
YOUNG GUNS A-BLAZIN’
Three of the Islanders’ four goals on Wednesday came from highly-touted prospects. 2020 fourth-round draft pick Alex Jefferies, who notched his first pro goal on Tuesday, scored again to make it 1-0 in the first period. Jefferies has two goals in six pro games. Defenseman Aidan Fulp followed that up with his first pro goal just 1:57 into the second, which stood as the game winner. 2020 fifth-round pick William Dufour added his 14th goal of the season on a brilliant feed from Ruslan Iskhakov later in the frame. Iskhakov is up to a team-leading 29 assists and 46 points, along with a team-high 17 goals, during his second AHL season.
PINHO KEEPS PRODUCING
Brian Pinho has been Bridgeport’s most consistent player over the last month and recorded his fourth multi-point game of the season with two assists on Wednesday. The 28-year-old has 11 points in his last 13 games (2g, 9a) and is now tied for second on the team in scoring (30 points) alongside Otto Koivula, who hasn’t played since Mar. 10th. Pinho has surpassed his point total from last season and has already set a new career high for assists (24). Pinho, a sixth-year pro, had 37 points (20g, 17a) in 62 games with Hershey in 2019-20, the year he made his NHL debut with the Washington Capitals.
QUICK HITS
Jeff Kubiak is two games shy of his 400th professional contest... The Islanders have played 33 games that have resulted in a one-goal differential, most in the AHL... Bridgeport announced on Thursday that forward Jack Randl has signed an AHL contract for next season and has joined the club on an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) for the remainder of 2023-24... Randl played four seasons at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where he recorded 26 points (13g, 13a) in 39 games this season... He led the Mavericks with a career-high 18 goals and 34 points in 2022-23, while serving as an alternate captain.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (34-27-15): Last: 4-2 W at Columbus, Thursday -- Next: Tonight vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (29-30-5-3): Last: 6-2 L at Maine, last night -- Tonight vs. Maine, 7 p.m. ET