Recap: Bears 3, Islanders 2
Oct 16, 2024Alex Jefferies scored the team’s first power-play goal of the season, and he and Chris Terry both secured a multi-point performance, but the Bridgeport Islanders (0-3-0-0), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, suffered a 3-2 loss to the Hershey Bears (2-1-0-0) at Total Mortgage Arena on Wednesday.
The Bears scored twice in a span of 1:05 during the third period, including Ivan Miroshnichenko’s game-winning goal. It was his fourth goal of the season after recording a hat trick against Cleveland on Sunday.
Despite outshooting Hershey 31-25, the Islanders had little answers for goaltender Hunter Shepard, who stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced. Marcus Hogberg (0-2-0) made 22 saves in his second start with Bridgeport.
Following a scoreless first period that saw Bridgeport outshoot Hershey 13-12, the Bears struck first with Bogdan Trineyev’s second goal of the season at 10:22 of the middle frame. The Bears forward fired a wrister from the right circle that got past Hogberg at even strength, giving Hershey a 1-0 lead.
The advantage was short-lived as Mike Vecchione was assessed a tripping penalty less than two minutes later and Jefferies went to work on the power play. He buried a wrister past Shepard at 12:24, before the Islanders added another goal at 16:39 when Brian Pinho fed Chris Terry near the left circle for his first tally of the season. Terry sent the puck past Shepard's right pad giving the Islanders a 2-1 advantage.
The defending Calder Cup champs would not be denied and recovered with two goals on just five shots in third period to steal the win. At the 8:10 mark, Pierre Engvall was called for slashing and Hershey capitalized on the man advantage, as Mike Sgarbossa converted a shot past Hogberg tying the game at 2-2. Hershey jumped in front moments later when Miroshnichenko scored at even strength, assisted by Trineyev and Vincent Iorio.
The Islanders went 1-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill to conclude their season-opening, three-game homestand.