Recap: Phantoms 3, Islanders 0
Feb 11, 2023The Bridgeport Islanders (19-19-7-1), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, suffered a 3-0 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (24-17-3-2) at PPL Center on Saturday.
Lehigh Valley’s Samuel Ersson turned aside 15 shots for his first career AHL shutout. The Islanders totaled just five shots on goal in the second and third periods combined, as Bridgeport produced a season-low 15 overall.
Elliot Desnoyers scored twice for the Phantoms including a 4-on-4 goal just 1:45 into the middle frame to make it 1-0. The rookie forward dragged above the left circle and snapped a shot past Cory Schneider’s (13-5-3) glove to break the deadlock after a scoreless first. Desnoyers added his second of the period and 17th goal of the season at the 11:35 mark when he maneuvered down the right wing and converted Kieffer Bellows’ centering pass through traffic from the left side.
Artem Anisimov swept home a power-play goal at 8:04 of the third to cap the 3-0 final. Tyson Foerster, who had two assists for the Phantoms, sent a cross-ice pass to Bobby Brink in the left circle, where the latter stepped and fired a shot off Schneider that fell for Anisimov at the doorstep. It was Anisimov’s 13th goal of the season and the lone power-play tally of the night.
Schneider made a remarkable glove save later in the period to keep the deficit at three, diving to his left and gloving down Brink’s chance during a 2-on-1 rush.
Schneider ended the game with 30 saves on 33 shots. The Islanders went 0-for-2 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the kill. Bridgeport fell to 2-2-0-1 against the Phantoms this season.
Next Time Out: The Islanders will regroup over the next five days and prepare for their final three-game weekend series of 2022-23, which begins Friday, Feb. 17th at 7 p.m. against the Hartford Wolf Pack on the road. The game can be seen via AHLTV.com or heard on the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network starting with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m.