Recap: Bruins 3, Islanders 2
Apr 19, 2025
The Bridgeport Islanders (15-50-4-3), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, saw their 2024-25 season come to an end on Saturday with a 3-2 loss to the Providence Bruins (41-23-5-3) at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
Gemel Smith and Cam Berg each scored, while Liam Foudy assisted on both goals. Tristan Lennox (0-5-0) made 32 saves in his sixth career AHL start.
BOX SCORE
The Islanders controlled a good amount of the first period and outshot the Bruins 17-11, but found themselves down 2-1 after 20 minutes. Vinni Lettieri opened the scoring just 3:11 into the game, driving the net and burying Dans Ločmelis’ brilliant centering feed from between his legs at the side of the crease. Frederic Brunet found Ločmelis from the left half wall before Ločmelis, who has 12 points in just six pro games, made the highlight-reel connection in tight. It was Lettieri’s 21st goal of the season.
Smith and the Islanders responded at the 11:57 mark. Foudy sprung Smith on a two-on-one rush down the left side, and Smith snuck a sharp wrist between the pads of goaltender Michael DiPietro (26-8-5). It was Smith’s sixth goal of the season and first since Jan. 31. DiPietro, who got most of the puck but not all of it, ended the night with 33 saves. He finished the regular season with 26 wins, two behind Milwaukee’s Matt Murray for the league lead.
Matt Poitras put the Bruins back ahead in the final 24 seconds of the period. Ločmelis orchestrated his second straight Providence goal with a centering pass from the left circle, and Poitras outmuscled an Islander near the crease to force home his 17th goal of the season.
Following a scoreless second period, John Farinacci made it 3-1 Bruins at 7:00 of the third. Max Wanner carried the puck down the right side and appeared to load up for a shot, which draw Lennox to the top corner of the crease. Wanner made an adjustment and fed a backdoor pass to Farinacci for a tap-in goal at even strength.
Bridgeport did not go way. With less than six minutes remaining, Berg accepted Foudy’s stretch pass in the neutral zone and raced down the right side, beating DiPietro low blocker for his second goal in three professional games. Brian Pinho earned the secondary assist to finish the season with 49 points (25g, 24a), second on the team behind Chris Terry. Pinho’s 25 goals led the club, while Terry paced the Islanders with 66 points and 47 assists in 68 appearances.
Bridgeport went 0-for-6 on the power play, but 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. A tightly contested, physical matchup featured 72 total penalty minutes and a pair of tights between Wanner and Gleb Veremyev, and Travis Mitchell and Daniil Misyul.