Recap: Islanders 5, Bears 1
Apr 14, 2023Cory Schneider made 35 saves and Chris Terry recorded four points for the second straight game, lifting the Bridgeport Islanders (34-29-7-1), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, to a 5-1 win against the first-place Hershey Bears (43-19-5-4) in their home finale on Friday.
Terry set Bridgeport’s franchise record for most assists in a single season (47) and matched the team record for most points (76), tying Jeff Tambellini (2007-08). It is just the second time that a Bridgeport player has recorded at least four points in back-to-back games. Terry improved to fourth in the AHL’s scoring race.
Arnaud Durandeau (two goals, one assist) and Kyle MacLean (one goal, one assist) also notched a multi-point night, while Paul Thompson had the Islanders’ other score. Bridgeport went 1-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
The Islanders finished their 2022-23 home schedule with consecutive wins and a 17-18-1-0 record at Total Mortgage Arena.
MacLean set a new career high with his 11th goal of the season just 4:29 into the contest, converting on a two-on-one rush alongside William Dufour. Dufour slipped a cross-ice pass to MacLean, who drove the net and finished on the backhand past goaltender Zach Fucale. Durandeau had the secondary assist.
The Bears knotted the score at 1-1 with a power-play goal from Mason Morelli that deflected off Schneider (19-11-3) and into the net at 4:33 of the second.
The Islanders regained the lead and never looked back with a power-play goal of their own at 11:24 of the second. Durandeau cashed in from the doorstep on a rebound chance with only four seconds left on the man advantage. Terry and Dennis Cholowski had the assists.
Thompson redirected Terry’s centering feed following a Hershey turnover for his 13th goal of the season at the 15:41 mark to make it 3-1. MacLean was credited with the secondary assist, stealing the puck along the right half-wall before guiding a cross-ice pass to Terry.
Bridgeport’s lead grew to 4-1 at 2:30 of the third period when Terry intercepted Julian Napravnik’s pass near the blue line and darted straight at Fucale, sending a shot off the right post and in on the breakaway. Terry capped his third four-point night of the season with an assist on Durandeau’s empty-net tally with 1:25 remaining.
The Islanders finished their season series against the Bears 2-2-2-0.
Next Time Out: The Islanders complete their 2022-23 season on the road tomorrow night with a 7:05 p.m. matchup against the Providence Bruins at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Watch all of the live action via AHLTV or listen to the broadcast through the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network, starting with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m.