Recap: Islanders 5, Penguins 4
Mar 4, 2022Chris Terry scored twice, Andy Andreoff had a career-high three assists, and Arnaud Durandeau recorded one goal and one assist in his 100th pro game to boost the Bridgeport Islanders (20-23-5-4), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, to a 5-4 win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (23-22-2-4) at Webster Bank Arena on Friday.
Simon Holmstrom and Kyle MacLean also scored and Cory Schneider (7-9-2) stopped 38 shots in the critical regulation victory. Schneider has made 36 or more saves in three of his last four starts. He has won four of his last five.
With the win, the Islanders moved into seventh place in the Atlantic Division standings (.471), jumping ahead of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (.460) who lost to Charlotte tonight. They have narrowed the gap behind the sixth-place Penguins (.510) for the final playoff spot.
Bridgeport’s line of Terry, Andreoff and Simon Holmstrom combined for three goals and six points on Friday, as Bridgeport scored five times on just 20 shots. Terry opened the scoring at 10:09 of the first period when Samuel Bolduc’s pass went through the crease to the left circle and Terry walked into a one-time shot that beat Tommy Nappier’s shoulder. Bolduc had gathered the rebound on Andreoff’s lengthy shot that narrowly missed and hit the end boards.
With an assist, Andreoff extended his point streak to seven games overall (five goals, five assists) and eight games at home. Terry also has points in five straight overall (five goals, four assists).
The Penguins outshot the Islanders 9-8 in the first period and scored each of the next two goals, including Felix Robert’s first of two in the game at the 12:52 mark. He received Michael Chaput’s pass and skated to the right circle before snapping a shot past Schneider’s glove to make it 1-1. Chris Ortiz put the Penguins ahead with 1:04 left in the period, dancing through traffic following Chaput’s face-off win and slipping a shot five-hole. It was his first AHL goal.
Holmstrom leveled the score for a second time just over a minute into the second period when he and Andreoff hustled into the Penguins’ zone on a 2-on-1 rush. Andreoff led the charge down the left wing before sending a cross-ice pass to Holmstrom for his one-time finish.
Terry’s second goal of the night and team-leading 19th of the season restored Bridgeport’s lead at 17:46 of the middle frame. Andreoff ripped a shot on target that Terry turned in from close range at even strength. Schneider also earned the secondary assist to go along with his heroics in net.
Bridgeport’s fourth tally of the game was also Durandeau’s third goal in as many contests, giving the Isles their largest lead of the night at 4:25 of the third. Grant Hutton held the blue line and slapped a long shot towards the net that Nappier knocked down, but it fell at Durandeau’s feet and he tapped home the rebound for his 10th goal of the season in his 100th pro game.
However, Robert kept the Penguins within striking distance less than two minutes later when he tipped Mitch Reinke’s shot on the power play to cut the Islanders’ lead to one. It was Robert’s 12th goal of the season, which came at 6:19 following a tripping penalty against Thomas Hickey.
Kyle MacLean restored the Islanders’ two-goal advantage with a critical insurance marker at 15:32 that ended up making the difference. Durandeau moved in slowly just as Michael Dal Colle was touching up to keep the play onside, and a diagonal stretch pass was right on the mark for MacLean, who deked ahead of Nappier and scored his sixth goal of the season.
Radim Zohorna gave the Penguins some late hope with a 6-on-4, power-play goal in the final minute, but despite furious comeback bid, the Penguins could not tie the game at the end of regulation.
The penalty-filled contest saw 12 combined power plays, in which the Islanders finished 0-for-4 on the man advantage and 6-for-8 on the kill. It was the most power-play opportunities allowed by Bridgeport in a single game all season.
Next Time Out: The Islanders conclude a four-game homestand with a rematch against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7 p.m. tomorrow night. Join us in honoring and supporting those who are battling, or have previously fought, all forms of cancer. The 50/50 and Chuck-A-Puck programs will benefit the Danni Kemp Cancer Support Fund. Doors open at 6 p.m. The game can be heard online through the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network, or seen via AHLTV.