Recap: Phantoms 9, Islanders 2
Jan 29, 2025Chris Terry scored for the third straight game, his team-leading seventh on the power play, but the Bridgeport Islanders (10-28-2-2), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, fell to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (21-17-5-1), 9-2, at Total Mortgage Arena on Wednesday.
Zayde Wisdom recorded his first career hat trick for the Phantoms, while Samu Tuomaala added two goals and Louie Belpedio chipped in a four-point performance (1g, 3a).
It was Terry's 70th career goal with Bridgeport, putting him one behind Jeff Tambellini for fourth on the team’s all-time list. Terry has six goals in the last six games. So does Liam Foudy who also extended his point streak to six contests with a second-period tally. He’s registered 10 points total during that streak (6g, 4a).
The Phantoms got off to a quick start, tallying three goals in the opening frame. At 3:12, Belpedio launched a shot from the blue line that deflected off Tuomaala's stick in the slot and past starter Hunter Miska (0-3-0).
At 12:11, Miska attempted to pass the puck away from his crease, however it was intercepted by Jacob Gaucher, who quickly found Belpedio in the middle of the Islanders’ zone. Belpedio sniped a quick shot into the top shelf. Just 3:23 later, despite Helge Grans in the box due to a hooking penalty, Wisdom stripped the puck from Justin Gill and flipped a shot behind Miska to secure the shorthanded goal. The Phantoms’ seven shorthanded goals this season are tied for second most in the AHL.
Lehigh Valley started the second period right where it left off, finding the back of the net twice in the first five minutes. At 2:27, Massimo Rizzo found Tuomaala with a pass, who brought the puck into the right circle. Tuomaala unleashed a wrist shot that found the left corner of the net. At 4:34, Jon-Randall Avon corralled the puck behind the cage and passed it out to Rizzo, who skated into the slot. Rizzo increased Lehigh Valley's advantage to 5-0, and ultimately chased Miska from the game.
Head coach Rick Kowalsky replaced Miska with Henrik Tikkanen (no decision).
At 8:46, the Islanders responded with their first of two goals. After receiving a pass from Gemel Smith, Foudy carried the puck up the ice, cut through the right side, and skated around a Lehigh Valley defender to the doorstep. Foudy backhanded the puck behind Alexei Kolosov (2-5-1), cutting the deficit to 5-1.
The Phantoms weren’t deterred. At 10:36, Gendron slung a wrister past Tikkanen for his 12th goal of the season. Twenty-three seconds later, Wisdom raced into the zone and snuck his second of the game through Tikkanen's five-hole.
At 11:34, Garrett Wilson was given a tripping penalty, putting Bridgeport back on the man advantage. They capitalized 1:27 later when Grant Hutton sent the puck to William Dufour in the left circle, who immediately one-touched a pass to Terry on the right side. Terry completed the tic-tac-toe, unleashing a one-timer into the back of the net. The Islanders have scored a power-play goal in a season-high six straight games.
Lehigh Valley racked up two more goals in a 1:26 span during the third period. Brendan Furry tipped Emil Andrae’s shot for a power-play goal at the 12:12 mark, before Wisdom clinched the hat trick at 13:37 for the 9-2 final.
Bridgeport's power play went 1-for-5, while the penalty kill went 1-for-2. Both sides recorded 28 shots.