Recap: Phantoms 5, Islanders 2
Feb 28, 2025The Bridgeport Islanders (12-35-3-3), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, suffered a 5-2 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (27-20-5-2) at PPL Center on Friday.
Isaiah George scored for the second straight contest and pushed his point streak to three games, while Eetu Liukas also converted for the third time in his last five.
Henrik Tikkanen (4-15-2) made 27 saves during his fourth consecutive start, but was beaten twice on the power play and twice by forward Jacob Gaucher. The Islanders dropped to 1-3-0-0 against Lehigh Valley this season, leading into tomorrow’s 7:05 p.m. rematch in Allentown.
The Phantoms outshot Bridgeport 16-5 in the first period and capitalized twice, jumping out to an early two-goal advantage. Brendan Furry polished off a 3-on-1 rush exactly 10 minutes into the contest, beating Tikkanen low, glove side, from the left circle. It was his eighth goal of the season and occurred at even strength, two seconds after Ethan Samson exited the box for tripping.
Gaucher made it 2-0 nearly eight minutes later with his first of two tallies on the night. He took Zayde Wisdom’s pass on the left side, cut through the circle, and filtered another wrist shot past Tikkanen’s blocker at the 17:59 mark.
While the Phantoms outplayed the Islanders in the first period, the second was quite different. Bridgeport led in shots, 10-5, during the middle frame and cut the deficit in half thanks to George’s third goal in 10 games since returning from the New York Islanders. Jack Randl found George at the left point, where George floated a fadeaway wrist shot through Cole Bardreau’s screen and past backup goaltender Keith Petruzzelli (3-2-0). Petruzzelli took over for starter Parker Gahagen (no decision) to begin the second period as Gahagen pulled himself due to a lower-body injury.
Olle Lycksell registered a power-play goal from the right circle at 2:17 of the third period to make it 3-1, converting on George’s delay of game penalty just 1:13 in. However, Eetu Liukas, cruising through the low slot, altered Wyatt Newpower’s lengthy wrister near the blue line to beat Petruzzelli’s glove at 15:46. Liukas’ sixth goal of the year was also assisted by Marshall Warren, which kept the Islanders close.
Gaucher and the Phantoms kept pushing, with Lehigh Valley’s leading goal scorer earning his second of the night just 28 seconds later to make it 4-2. Lycksell took Wisdom’s pass in the trapezoid and centered for an oncoming Gaucher, who pocketed his 18th goal in 53 games.
Alexis Gendron ended the 5-2 final with 1:38 to play, bouncing a shot off Sam Bolduc’s skate from below the goal line for his 16th strike.
The Islanders went 0-for-2 on the power play and 2-for-4 on the penalty kill. Lehigh Valley led in shots, 32-25.
Next Time Out: The Islanders and Phantoms face-off in a 7:05 p.m. rematch tomorrow night at PPL Center. 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.