The Bridgeport Report: Week 1
Oct 20, 2021The Bridgeport Islanders began their 72-game regular-season schedule with three games in as many days this past weekend, collecting two points against Atlantic Division rivals.
Veteran center Andy Andreoff led the New York Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate with three points (one goal, two assists), while another experienced forward, Chris Terry, scored twice in two appearances. Jakub Skarek and Ken Appleby split time in the crease.
The Islanders opened the season on Friday with a 2-1 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack at the XL Center. Terry’s goal at 9:00 of the first period not only kicked off the scoring for Bridgeport, but it also became the first goal scored of the AHL season. The Islanders outshot Hartford 31-18 in the contest, but goaltender Keith Kinkaid kept the Wolf Pack in it and ultimately backstopped their victory. Skarek ended the night with 16 saves.
Twenty-four hours later, the Islanders earned their first standings point in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Rhode Island. Andreoff, who logged an assist on Friday and another on Sunday, recorded his first goal with Bridgeport and Ken Appleby was remarkable with 42 saves including 19 stops in the second period alone.
New York Islanders prospect and former fourth-round draft pick (2016) Anatolii Golyshev made his highly anticipated North American debut on Saturday and returned to the lineup on Sunday, scoring his first goal to eventually force overtime. Bridgeport battled back from three one-goal deficits but fell in a four-round shootout to the Springfield Thunderbirds at MassMutual Center (4-3 final).
Terry and Michael Dal Colle also found the back of the net on Sunday, while Austin Czarnik notched his first two points with Bridgeport (two assists). Both of his helpers came on the power play as the Islanders went 2-for-3 on the man advantage. Skarek had 29 saves.
The Islanders return to action this weekend with another three-in-three, beginning on the road Friday night against the Thunderbirds (2-0-0-0). Bridgeport hosts Springfield in its 2021-22 home opener this Saturday at 7 p.m. before concluding the weekend at Webster Bank Arena against the Laval Rocket (1-1-0-0) on Sunday at 3 p.m. Fans can follow all of the live action via the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network and AHLTV.
The Week Ahead
Friday, Oct. 22 at Springfield (7:05 p.m.) - The Islanders return to MassMutual Center for the second time in six days to rematch the Thunderbirds and cap a four-game road trip to open the season. It marks the second of 12 meetings between the two teams and second of six matchups in Massachusetts.
Saturday, Oct. 23 vs. Springfield (7 p.m.) - The Islanders welcome fans back to Webster Bank Arena this Saturday night for their 2021-22 home opener. The party gets started with a pre-game fan fest from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring food trucks, live music and street hockey, and magnet schedules will also be handed out at the door. Tickets are on sale now!
Sunday, Oct. 24 vs. Laval (3 p.m.) - Bridgeport completes the weekend on Sunday afternoon with its first of two matchups against the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate. Sunday is Kid’s Day, featuring $10 tickets for kids 12 and younger. Tickets for Sunday’s weekend finale are on sale now!
Ice Chips
Andreoff Starts Strong: Veteran forward Andy Andreoff recorded a point in all three games this past weekend, Bridgeport’s only player to do so. He notched an assist in his Islanders debut on Friday and scored his first goal with the team to eventually force overtime on Saturday. In addition, Andreoff dropped the gloves with Springfield’s Tyler Tucker on Sunday and currently leads Bridgeport in penalty minutes (five). He has 150 points (70 goals, 80 assists) in 277 AHL games and another 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 179 NHL games with Los Angles and Philadelphia. The New York Islanders agreed to terms with Andreoff in September on a one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) deal.
Terry Scores Two: Five-time AHL All-Star Chris Terry has two goals in two games with the Islanders, including the first tally of the season on Friday. He had a multi-point game on Sunday (one goal, one assist) and currently co-leads the team in scoring with three points (tied with Andreoff). A veteran of 12 professional seasons, Terry has played 628 AHL games with Grand Rapids, Laval, St. John’s, Charlotte and Albany, recording 235 goals and 555 points. He won the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the AHL scoring champion (71 points) in 2017-18 with Laval.
Newkirk, the New Kid: Twenty-year-old forward Reece Newkirk made his professional debut on Friday in Hartford, Bridgeport’s only player to do so. He ended the weekend with one shot and a minus-one rating in three games. Newkirk was selected by New York in the fifth round (#147 overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft and spent each of the last four seasons with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He collected 162 points (69 goals, 93 assists) in 205 career WHL games.
Komarov Comes to Bridgeport: The New York Islanders assigned forward Leo Komarov to Bridgeport on Tuesday as Matt Martin was activated from injured reserve. Komarov, who has spent parts of nine seasons in the NHL with New York and Toronto, hasn’t appeared in the AHL since the 2012-13 season with the Toronto Marlies. The Narva, Estonia native has nine points (six goals, three assists) in 14 career AHL games and 170 points (63 goals, 107 assists) in 491 NHL contests.
Quick Hits: Cole Bardreau played his 300th professional game last Saturday… Chris Terry has played 799 professional games… This Saturday’s home opener is Game 1,500 in team history… Bridgeport agreed to terms with veteran forward Paul Thompson this week and loaned him to the Worcester Railers (ECHL).
Team Leaders
Goals: Chris Terry (2)
Assists: Andy Andreoff, Austin Czarnik, Arnaud Durandeau (2)
Points: Chris Terry, Andy Andreoff (3)
Plus/Minus: Four Tied (+1)
Penalty Minutes: Andy Andreoff (5)
Shots: Austin Czarnik (12)
Games Played: Many Tied (3)
Across the Sound: The New York Islanders (1-2-0) earned their first win of the season on Tuesday, spoiling the Chicago Blackhawks’ home opener with a 4-1 victory at the United Center. Former Bridgeport forward Oliver Wahlstrom scored twice as New York continued a 13-game road trip to open the season. Wahlstrom has a team-best three goals in three games. The Islanders also face Columbus, Arizona and Vegas on the road later this week.