Recap: Checkers 4, Islanders 1
Mar 29, 2024Matt Maggio scored his 14th goal of the season and fourth on the power play, but the Bridgeport Islanders (22-34-6-1), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, suffered a 4-1 loss to the Charlotte Checkers (35-23-6-0) at Total Mortgage Arena on Friday.
Brian Pinho and William Dufour each recorded an assist, and Alex Jefferies made his home debut with the Islanders. Jakub Skarek (7-20-5) made 30 saves.
The result snapped Bridgeport’s two-game winning streak.
The Checkers broke the ice with a five-on-three power-play goal from Michael Benning just 6:20 into the contest. The Charlotte defenseman sniped a shot from the left circle, going up and over Skarek’s shoulder for his ninth goal of the season. Gerry Mayhew and Brendan Perlini recorded the assists.
Just 82 seconds later, Casey Fitzgerald doubled the Checkers’ lead with a shot above the right circle. The 27-year-old caught Skarek sliding out of position in the crease, exposing an open net to shoot at. Former Bridgeport defenseman Mitch Vande Sompel and Justin Sourdif helped create the opportunity.
The Checkers made it 3-0 at 13:30 of the second period with Wilmer Skoog’s third goal in as many games. Newtown native Mackie Samoskevich fed a centering pass to Skoog in the slot, where he beat Skarek with a hard wrister for his 18th goal of the season. Rasmus Asplund recorded the secondary assist.
The Islanders broke up Magnus Hellberg’s shutout bid 13:48 into the third period with a power-play goal from Maggio. After Benning was called for delay of game, Pinho fed a pass over to Maggio above the left circle, where he ripped a one-timer that bounced off Hellberg’s leg pad, then banked off the end-boards and across the goal line. Dufour received the secondary assist.
Will Lockwood notched an empty-net exclamation mark 17:40 into the third period for the 4-1 final.
Bridgeport finished the game 1-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.
Next Time Out: The Islanders and Checkers square off in a 7 p.m. rematch tomorrow night at Total Mortgage Arena. All of the action can be seen live via AHLTV.com or heard for free through the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network, beginning with the Connecticut Lottery Pregame Countdown at 6:45 p.m.