Recap: Checkers 3, Islanders 2 (SO)
Jan 9, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (12-16-3-4), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, rallied back from a two-goal deficit in the second period to force overtime and an eight-round shootout on Sunday, but it wasn’t enough in a 3-2 loss to the Charlotte Checkers (15-12-2-0) at Webster Bank Arena.
Parker Wotherspoon and Michael Dal Colle scored for Bridgeport, while Cory Schneider (3-6-2) made 31 saves to extend his unbeaten in regulation streak to five games (3-0-2).
Despite the loss, the Islanders have recorded points in all five games in 2022 (2-0-2-1) and are 2-2-0-1 against the Checkers this season.
Charlotte took the lead at 15:43 of the opening frame through Luke Henman, whose wrist shot through traffic was deflected by Scott Wilson and past a screened Schneider.
The Checkers scored again to make it 2-0 early in the second frame when a shot from Kole Lind squeaked through Schneider’s pads and trickled over the line.
Wotherspoon pulled one back for the Islanders at 15:10 of the middle period, entering the zone on the rush shortly following a successful penalty kill, and he scored his second of the season with a wrist shot low on the glove side. Despite two separate 5-on-3 opportunities, this would prove to be the only Islanders goal of the period, and they went to the locker room trailing 2-1.
Dal Colle eventually tied the game at 4:46 of the third period, coming up from behind the net to chip a rebound behind Daccord after he had denied Koivula’s initial effort. This was Dal Colle’s seventh goal of the season, tying him with Koivula for second on the team, and he extended his point streak to six games since returning from injury.
Neither team was able to score for the remainder of regulation, and the teams went to overtime tied at 2-2 with Bridgeport holding a 38-31 shot advantage.
Charlotte had the two best chances of the 3-on-3 period, first on a 2-on-1 where Mitchell Vande Sompel blocked a shot to prevent a nearly certain goal, and then in the dying moments when Wilson had a breakaway and was denied by Schneider on his initial attempt before missing the net on the rebound.
In the shootout, Simon Holmstrom had the only goal for Bridgeport, while Grigori Denisenko had the winner for the Checkers.
Both teams finished the game 0-for-5 on the power play, while Bridgeport outshot Charlotte 42-34. It tied a season high in shots on goal.
Next Time Out: The Islanders open a three-game road trip with a 7 p.m. matchup against the Hershey Bears on Wednesday, Jan. 12th at Giant Center. Fans can follow the action all season long via the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network and AHLTV.