Preview: Islanders vs. Phantoms
Apr 19, 2024THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (24-37-7-2) begin their final homestand of the season with a 7 p.m. puck drop against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (30-30-6-3) at Total Mortgage Arena. The Islanders wrap up their 23rd AHL season against the Providence Bruins on Fan Appreciation Night tomorrow. Bridgeport is coming off a 5-4 overtime loss to the Phantoms last Saturday in Allentown, Penn. - a tight game that both teams led but was never separated by more than a goal. Karson Kuhlman and Brian Pinho each scored twice, including Pinho’s penalty-shot tally at 5:10 of the second period. Jakub Skarek (7-22-6) made 35 saves and tied his season high for shots faced (40). The Islanders went 2-for-2 on both the power play and penalty kill.
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ISLANDERS VS. PHANTOMS
Tonight’s game is the sixth and final meeting between the Islanders and Phantoms this season, and the third of three in Connecticut. Bridgeport has recorded points in four of the first five matchups (2-1-1-1) but is still looking for its first win in the series at home (0-1-0-1). All five meetings have been decided by a single goal and two of the five games have gone to overtime. Karson Kuhlman leads all players in the series with three goals. Kuhlman has 12 points (6g, 6a) in 12 career games against the Phantoms.
VIEW FROM ALLENTOWN
The Phantoms snapped a three-game slide with a 5-4 overtime win against the Islanders last Saturday. However, Lehigh Valley has lost four straight games on the road (0-3-1-0) and has scored one goal or fewer in each of the last three. The sixth-place Phantoms can become the Atlantic Division’s final team to clinch a playoff spot with just one point tonight, or a Springfield loss of any kind against Providence. Tanner Laczynski had a team-high three points (2g, 1a) against Bridgeport last weekend, while the Phantoms received leading-scorer Olle Lycksell (19g, 19a), Bobby Brink, Ronnie Attard, and Adam Ginning from Philadelphia this past week, after the Flyers were eliminated from playoff contention.
ISLANDERS FAN BECOMES ISLANDERS PROSPECT
The New York Islanders signed Laurel Hollow, N.Y., Long Island native Marshall Warren to a two-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday, which begins next season. The 22-year-old defenseman, who grew up a big Islanders fan, also signed an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) with Bridgeport and has joined the team for the remainder of 2023-24. Warren (#47 with Bridgeport) had 18 points (4g, 14a) in 41 games at the University of Michigan this season while serving as an alternate captain. He played four years at Boston College from 2019-23 and captained the Eagles as a senior in 2022-23.
HOT HANDS HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
Brian Pinho carries a two-game goal streak into the final weekend of the season, with three goals total during that span. Alex Jefferies has points in three straight games (1g, 2a) and has opened his pro career with six points (3g, 3a) in his first 10 games. In addition, Karson Kuhlman has points in back-to-back games (2g, 2a) after recording an AHL career-high three points on Saturday in Lehigh Valley. Ruslan Iskhakov, who was recalled by the New York Islanders this week and made his NHL debut on Wednesday against the Penguins, had points in each of his last five games with Bridgeport (1g, 4a).
QUICK HITS
Bridgeport received six players from its ECHL affiliate, the Worcester Railers, this past week as the Railers’ season came to an end on Sunday: Forwards Ashton Calder, Matt Kopperud (ATO), Reece Newkirk and Jake Pivonka, defenseman Trevor Cosgrove, and goaltender Henrik Tikkanen... Calder led Worcester with 58 points (23g, 35a) in 61 games this season and also played two games with the Islanders, making his AHL debut on Jan. 21st at Providence.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (39-27-16): Last: 5-4 W vs. Pittsburgh, Wednesday -- Next: Game 1 at Carolina, tomorrow night at 5 p.m.
Worcester Railers (32-32-5-3): Last: 4-0 L at Trois Rivières, Sunday -- Finished 5th in North (Missed playoffs)