Recap: Wolf Pack 7, Islanders 3
Dec 27, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (14-10-5-0), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, returned from their holiday break with a 7-3 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack (11-12-1-4) at Total Mortgage Arena on Tuesday.
Sam Bolduc, Chris Terry and Andy Andreoff each scored, while Jakub Skarek (4-7-3) made 32 saves on 39 shots in his third consecutive start. Ryan Carpenter had a hat trick for Hartford. Both teams went 1-for-4 on the power play and Hartford outshot Bridgeport 39-23.
The Wolf Pack led 2-0 after the first period and jumped out to a three-goal advantage early in the second. Cristiano DiGiacinto started the scoring 11:55 into the first period when he notched his second goal of the season and second in as many games against Bridgeport, corralling a rebound that flew in the opposite direction of Skarek after Gustav Rydahl’s chance.
Carpenter extended Hartford’s lead less than two minutes later with his first of three goals on the night, converting an odd-man rush that was finished between the circles off Austin Rueschhoff’s feed from the right side.
The New York Rangers’ affiliate struck for a third time just 2:46 into the second period thanks to a power-play goal from Carpenter. It was his second straight game scoring at least two goals against the Islanders.
Bridgeport got on the board when Bolduc sent a long wrist shot from the left point past a screened Dylan Garand on the power play, making it 3-1 at 14:07 of the second. A diving Will Dufour and Otto Koivula had the assists on the defenseman’s second power-play goal of the season and his fifth overall. However, Hartford regained its three-goal lead just six seconds later when Lauri Pajuniemi won the ensuing faceoff, raced to the right circle, and sniped a wrist shot over Skarek’s shoulder to make it 4-1.
Bridgeport pulled within two yet again on Terry’s seventh goal of the season at 16:04 of the middle stanza. After multiple backhand jabs near the top of the crease, it finally paid off as Terry forced the puck under Garand. Andreoff had the lone helper, his 10th of the campaign.
The Wolf Pack answered quickly for a second time and extended their lead to 5-2 when Bobby Trivigno rifled a one-time shot into the net 25 seconds later. Carpenter completed his hat trick 13:11 into the third following a turnover by Skarek, whose clearing attempt went to Turner Elson for Carpenter’s exclamation point.
Andreoff scored a goal for the third straight game and his team-leading 16th of the season at 14:56 of the third after streaking to the net and burying a pass from Arnaud Durandeau.
Karl Henriksson netted his first career AHL goal in the final three minutes to solidify Hartford’s 7-3 victory. It was Bridgeport’s fifth straight loss and its second in a row against the Wolf Pack. The Islanders remain third in the Atlantic Division standings.
Next Time Out: The Islanders face the Lehigh Valley Phantoms tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at PPL Center in Allentown, Penn. Fans can watch all of the action online via AHLTV.