Recap: Islanders 6, Thunderbirds 4
Nov 27, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (11-3-4-0), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, used a four-goal second period and a late power-play tally from Andy Andreoff to post a 6-4 victory against the Springfield Thunderbirds (7-8-0-4) at Total Mortgage Arena on Sunday.
Thirteen different players collected at least one point for the Islanders, including Cole Bardreau who scored two goals. Cory Schneider (8-1-1) made 30 saves for his third straight win.
It was Bridgeport’s third straight win at home and extended their unbeaten in regulation streak to five games (4-0-1-0) overall. The Islanders are 2-0-1-0 against Springfield this season.
The Islanders tied a season high with four scores in the second period, with goals coming from Paul Thompson, Hudson Fasching, Aatu Raty and Bardreau after being shutout in the first.
However, Springfield’s Steven Santini notched the opening tally after sending a loose puck past Schneider just 2:25 in. Matthew Highmore and Steven Jandric were credited with the assists.
The first period ended with the Thunderbirds ahead 1-0, with Bridgeport holding an 11-9 advantage in shots. For the first time this season, the Islanders did not face a power play or penalty kill opportunity in the opening frame.
Thompson answered just 31 seconds into the second period, redirecting Samuel Bolduc’s slap shot past goaltender Vadim Zherenko. Erik Brown had the secondary assist, his fifth point in as many appearances this year. It was the second goal of the season for the former Thunderbird, Thompson.
Springfield fired back quickly as Martin Frk netted a backhanded shot around Schneider 5:35 into the second frame. Both Jandric and Highmore had the assists, their second points of the night.
Fasching buried the equalizer less than two minutes later, deking out Zherenko after Arnaud Durandeau sprung Fasching on a breakaway. Vincent Sevigny was also credited with an assist, his third in his last four appearances.
Bridgeport converted on its first power play when Aatu Raty sent home a second-chance opportunity with 18 seconds left on the man advantage. Dennis Cholowski sent a hard wrist shot off Zherenko, which dropped at the crease for Raty. Robin Salo notched the secondary assist after he was loaned from the New York Islanders this morning.
Bardreau’s fourth goal of the season came just over a minute later, giving Bridgeport a 4-2 lead. Jeff Kubiak and Chris Terry had the helpers, feeding a streaking Bardreau down the weak side who redirected Kubiak’s centering pass.
The Thunderbirds made it 4-3 at the 15:39 mark when Will Bitten scored on the power play for his eighth goal of the season. Brady Lyle and Anthony Angello were credited with the assists on the sixth goal of the second period.
Springfield knotted the game again at the 5:37 mark of the final period when Angello redirected a cross-crease pass from Greg Printz past Schneider.
Andreoff buried his AHL-leading seventh power-play goal of the year in the final four minutes of regulation, also his fourth tally in his last two games. Durandeau and Cholowski had the assists, their second points of the game.
Bridgeport was forced to play at a 6-to-4 disadvantage for the last two minutes of the game after Cholowski took a tripping penalty and Springfield pulled their goaltender, but Bardreau guided the puck into an open net on a full-ice clearing attempt for the 6-4 final.
Bridgeport finished the game 2-for-2 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill.