Recap: Islanders 3, Checkers 2
Mar 8, 2023The Bridgeport Islanders (26-22-7-1), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, scored three times in the first period, all on special teams, to edge the Charlotte Checkers (32-20-3-2) for a 3-2 regulation win at Bojangles Coliseum on Wednesday.
Arnaud Durandeau and Andy Andreoff each scored on the power play, while Grant Hutton recorded the Islanders’ ninth shorthanded tally of the season. The Checkers outshot Bridgeport 22-4 in the second period and 15-6 in the third, but a monster performance from Cory Schneider (16-7-3) solidified the win. Schneider ended the night with 40 saves on 42 shots.
The Islanders pulled ahead early with three goals in the first period including Durandeau’s ninth power-play tally just 6:11 in. Dennis Cesana was called for slashing nearly 90 seconds prior. Ruslan Iskhakov settled Durandeau’s rink-wide pass above the left circle, dragged, and rifled a shot off Jean-Francois Berube that bounced back to the slot for Durandeau’s 15th goal of the season.
Durandeau has eight goals in his last 10 AHL games and the Islanders have scored seven power-play goals in their last seven.
Gerry Mathew knotted the game with his own power-play goal just over a minute later, redirecting Lucas Carlsson’s long shot past Schneider at the 7:18 mark.
Bridgeport bounced back with a shorthanded tally and another goal on the man advantage to take a 3-1 lead at the first intermission. A Checkers’ turnover in the neutral zone near the halfway mark led to a shorthanded 2-on-0 rush between Hutton and Kyle MacLean, which led to Hutton’s third goal of the season at 11:54. Andreoff added his team-leading 10th power-play goal at the 17:24 mark, assisted by Chris Terry and Dennis Cholowski.
Charlotte collected the final goal of the game, which came in the final five seconds of the second period, to close within one. Anthony Bitetto ripped a long try from the blue line that funneled its way through bodies and past Schneider at 19:55.
Next Time Out: The Islanders face the Checkers again this Friday with a 7 p.m. rematch at Bojangles Coliseum. The game can be seen via AHLTV.