Recap: Islanders 3, Checkers 2
May 14, 2022Simon Holmstrom scored twice in the third period, just 3:40 apart, to propel the Bridgeport Islanders to a 3-2 victory in Game 3 of the Atlantic Division Semifinal at Bojangles Coliseum on Saturday.
Chris Terry also found the back of the net, while Cory Schneider (3-2) made 32 saves in a must-win game for Bridgeport. Holmstrom (two goals), Terry (one goal, one assist) and Austin Czarnik (two assists) each had a multi-point performance to help extend the Islanders’ season and force a Game 4 on Monday night (7 p.m. ET on AHLTV, Bit.ly/IslesRadio).
Charlotte leads the best-of-five second round series 2-1.
Schneider and Checkers’ goaltender Joey Daccord combined to make 17 saves in a scoreless first period. In the second, Aleksi Heponiemi put Charlotte ahead with a wrist shot from the left circle that sailed through a screen and past Schneider at 10:08. Henry Bowlby drove to the net and got tied up in front, allowing the airborne shot to find an opening.
Terry answered just 1:54 later when he tied the game with his second goal of the playoffs. Czarnik stretched a long pass ahead to Terry, filtering it through several players in the neutral zone, to create a breakaway for the team’s leading scorer during the regular season. Terry moved in straight at Daccord and beat him with a low shot, blocker side.
Holmstrom gave the Islanders their first lead of the night 15:23 into the third period, creating a turnover in the neutral zone before starting ahead on a 2-on-1 rush that Terry returned to Holmstrom. The 20-year-old Holmstrom added an empty-netter at 19:03, which turned out to be the difference as Connor Carrick got the Checkers back to within one with a shot off the post and in at 19:22.
Bridgeport finished the game 0-for-3 on the power play, but 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. Charlotte led in shots, 34-23.