Recap: Checkers 6, Islanders 2
Dec 22, 2024Tyce Thompson and Gemel Smith each found the back of the net, and William Dufour had two assists on Saturday, but the Bridgeport Islanders (5-18-2-2), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, dropped a 6-2 loss to the Charlotte Checkers (16-6-1-2) at Bojangles Coliseum.
John Leonard scored a hat trick for Charlotte, while Henrik Tikkanen and Jakub Skarek both saw action in net.
Oliver Okuliar put the Checkers out front 1-0 with his eighth goal of the season just 5:04 into the first period. It was quickly cancelled out by Thompson, who leveled the score 92 seconds later with his second goal of the season. Dufour slipped past a hit in the neutral zone before circling behind the Checkers’ net and centering a pass for Thompson, who buried a shot glove side on former teammate Ken Appleby (8-2-1).
The game remained tied through the first four minutes of the second before the Checkers rattled off four goals on eight shots in the middle stanza. Tobias Bjornfot, Wilmer Skoog, and Leonard (two goals) each lit the lamp, including a shorthanded tally from Leonard at the 15:23 mark.
Leonard completed his hat trick just 17 seconds into the third period, helping the Checkers win their fifth straight game. Smith recorded his first goal as an Islander in just his third contest at 3:24.
It was Bridgeport’s ninth straight loss (0-8-1-0). Both teams went 0-for-1 on the power play.