Recap: Phantoms 2, Islanders 1
Jan 25, 2025The Bridgeport Islanders (10-27-2-2), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, went toe-to-toe with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (20-16-5-1) on Saturday, but came up short in a 2-1 regulation loss at PPL Center.
Olle Lycksell scored twice for the Phantoms, while Chris Terry earned his 12th goal of the season and team-leading sixth on the power play. Terry has five goals in his last five games. Sam Bolduc and Tyce Thompson each recorded a power-play assist to extend their point streaks to five games and four games respectively.
The Islanders finished their four-game road trip 2-2-0-0 and fell to 1-1-0-0 against the Phantoms this season. The Atlantic Division rivals will rematch this Wednesday night at 7 p.m. inside Total Mortgage Arena.
Lycksell put the Phantoms ahead at 6:13 of the first period, placing a sharp wrist shot from the left circle above Hunter Miska’s (0-2-0) shoulder and inside the top-left corner. His power-play goal came 25 seconds after Cam Thiesing was called for cross-checking.
Both teams traded chances over the next 36 minutes, but the tightly-contested matchup remained 1-0 into the early stages of the third. Tempers boiled over in the meantime, culminating into a second-period fight between Riley Piercey and Louie Belpedio.
Lehigh Valley defenseman Emil Andrae was called for holding just 1:30 into the third period and the Islanders broke through on the ensuring power play to make it 1-1. Bolduc served up Terry on a cross-ice pass from left to right, and Terry hammered home a one-time shot from the circle for his 12th goal and team-leading 36th point. Bolduc has eight points in his last five games (1g, 7a) and Thompson, who registered the secondary helper, has five assists in his last four.
The Phantoms stunned Bridgeport in the final 1:13, converting the game-winning goal on Lycksell’s redirection at the doorstep. Adam Ginning sent a shot to the crease from the left point that Lycksell deflected past Miska, who was nudged by Phantoms’ forward Jacob Gaucher in the process. The play was reviewed for goaltender interference, but the call on the ice was upheld.
Bridgeport went 1-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill. Lehigh Valley led in shots, 23-22. Phantoms goalie Parker Gahagen (6-1-1) made 21 saves for his fourth straight win.
Next Time Out: The Islanders and Phantoms square off in a 7 p.m. rematch at Total Mortgage Arena next Wednesday night. The game can be heard for free via the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network or seen live on AHLTV on FloHockey, beginning with the Connecticut Lottery Pregame Countdown at 6:45 p.m.