Recap: Thunderbirds 5, Islanders 3
Nov 6, 2024Brian Pinho scored twice before the clock struck noon to extend his goal-scoring streak to a career-high six games on Wednesday, but it wasn’t enough as the Bridgeport Islanders (2-6-1-1), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, suffered a 5-3 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds (4-7-0-0) at MassMutual Center.
Pinho’s six-game goal streak is the longest in the AHL this season. He has three straight multi-point performances (four goals, two assists), while Chris Terry added two assists to extend his assist streak to an AHL-leading eight games.
Travis Mitchell (pictured) chipped in his first goal of the season with a remarkable end-to-end highlight midway through the first period. Jakub Skarek (2-3-0) stopped 25 shots in his second consecutive start.
Despite the early 10:35 a.m. puck drop, Bridgeport woke up on time and raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Pinho got the scoring started with a power-play goal just 5:17 in, only six seconds after Tanner Dickinson went to the box for hooking. Terry, Alex Jefferies and Samuel Bolduc completed a dynamic sequence of passes directly off the faceoff, which resulted in Jefferies finding Pinho at the doorstep from the left circle for a tap-in goal, and a 1-0 lead. Jefferies earned his ninth point (three goals, six assists) in nine games with the primary assist.
Mitchell made it 2-0 with his second pro goal at the 12:29 mark. He did all the work himself, poking the puck from Hugh McGing near the right point of the Islanders’ zone and darting ahead for a breakaway. As he closed in on goaltender Colten Ellis, Mitchell looked low, blocker side, and buried a forehand shot there.
Pinho padded Bridgeport’s lead even more at the 15:23 mark with a forehand rip between the circles. Terry took charge over the blue line and sent a cross-ice pass to Wyatt Newpower, who immediately left it for Pinho’s one-timer from the slot. It was Pinho’s eighth goal of the season, which ranks third among all AHL players – one off the league lead.
Although the Islanders scored three goals on 16 shots in the first period, Springfield did exactly that in the second to tie the contest at 3-3. Nikita Alexandrov and Hunter Skinner both found daylight at even strength, while Alek Kaskimaki buried a shorthanded goal on a delayed penalty for his first AHL goal at 13:43.
Matthew Peca, who returned from a three-game absence on Wednesday, sent home the go-ahead goal exactly 10 minutes into the third period to help Springfield capture the win. Samuel Johannesson saw his shot from the blue line get blocked wide, but Alexandrov twisted the rebound to the slot for Peca’s one-time finish.
Dalibor Dvorsky sealed the 5-3 final with an empty-net tally.
The Islanders went 1-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. The 10-game series is currently knotted at 1-1-0-0.
Next Time Out: The Islanders finish a three-game road trip on Friday with a 7:05 p.m. puck drop against the Providence Bruins at Amica Mutual Pavilion. 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.