The Bridgeport Report: Week 5
Nov 16, 2021The Bridgeport Islanders (5-6-1-2) began a five-game road trip with three points in three games this past week, including stops north of the border during their first trek to Canada.
Chris Terry had two goals and a team-high six points to lead the way for the New York Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate, while Robin Salo was strong with a goal and two assists. Arnaud Durandeau also scored twice to continue his impressive start.
The Islanders went 1-1-1-0 to open the road trip, beginning with a 3-1 victory against the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday. Jakub Skarek (5-1-2) made 35 saves on his 22nd birthday and Terry had two points (one goal, one assist) to help Bridgeport capture its first win on the road this season, and first in Syracuse since April, 2015. Grant Hutton and Kyle MacLean also beat Syracuse goaltender Amir Miftakhov, who entered the week ranked second in the AHL in goals-against-average and third in save percentage.
The journey continued in Canada on Friday, where Terry scored once and added two assists in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Laval Rocket at Place Bell. Salo added a goal and an assist, while Durandeau (in his home providence of Quebec) and Paul LaDue also scored for the Islanders. Bridgeport led by counts of 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3 throughout the night, but Laurent Dauphin helped Laval to its second straight win at 1:20 of overtime.
Despite the setback in Laval, the Islanders pushed their point streak to three games (2-0-1-0) for the second time this season. However, they came up short in extending it on Saturday following a 3-2 regulation loss to the Belleville Senators at CAA Arena. Durandeau capitalized on a rebound for the second straight game and Austin Czarnik scored his second goal of the season, while Cory Schneider (0-4-0) made 24 saves.
Bridgeport continues its road trip tomorrow night with a 7 p.m. matchup against the Hartford Wolf Pack (9-3-1-0) at the XL Center. The Islanders move on to Springfield this Saturday for a 7:05 p.m. tilt against the first-place Thunderbirds (9-2-2-0) before returning to Webster Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon for a 3 p.m. rematch against the T-Birds. Fans can follow all of the live action via the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network and AHLTV.
The Week Ahead
Wednesday, Nov. 17 at Hartford Wolf Pack (7 p.m.) - Bridgeport’s second straight mid-week matchup features another installment of the Nutmeg State rivalry between the Islanders and Wolf Pack. It’s the fifth of 10 meetings this season and the fourth in an 18-day span. Bridgeport is 1-3-0-0 against Hartford this season, with its win coming Nov. 7th at Webster Bank Arena.
Saturday, Nov. 20 at Springfield Thunderbirds (7:05 p.m.) - As the New York Islanders celebrate their home opener at UBS Arena in Elmont, the Bridgeport Islanders complete their season-long, five-game road trip in Springfield, Massachusetts. It’s the fifth of 12 games between the division rivals and the third of six at MassMutual Center. Bridgeport is 1-2-0-1 against Springfield so far following a 4-1 setback at home on Nov. 6th.
Sunday, Nov. 21 at Springfield Thunderbirds (3 p.m.) – The Islanders return to Webster Bank Arena this Sunday for a rematch against the St. Louis Blues’ top affiliate. Sunday is Kid’s Day all season long, featuring $10 tickets for kids 11 and younger! Tickets for Sunday’s weekend finale are on sale now!
Ice Chips
A Terry Tale: Chris Terry had six points (two goals, four assists) in three games last week and is on a three-game scoring run for the first time this season. His three-point performance on Friday in Laval was his first with Bridgeport and first since Jan. 11, 2020 with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Terry leads the Islanders with six goals (one ahead of Anatolii Golyshev) and is tied for second on the team in scoring with 11 points in 11 games. He is currently the only point-per-game player with Bridgeport. Terry now has 563 career points (239 goals, 324 assists) in 637 AHL games, which is 68th on the league’s all-time scoring list.
Otto-Bahn: Otto Koivula had two assists last week and boosted his scoring total to a team-high 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) through the first month of the season. Koivula has earned at least one point in 10 of the last 12 games, but saw his five-game point streak come to an end on Saturday in Belleville, despite four shots-on-goal. He is tied for 16th in the AHL’s scoring race and tied for sixth in assists (10).
Skarek Stays Sharp: Jakub Skarek held down the crease in two games last week, going 1-0-1 including a 35-save victory in Syracuse on Wednesday. Skarek improved to 5-1-1 in nine appearances this season and is unbeaten in regulation in each of his last seven decisions (5-0-2). Skarek has been Bridgeport’s workhorse in the blue paint and ranks fifth among all AHL goaltenders in minutes played (509) and saves (244).
Quick Hits: The Islanders are tied for fourth in the Atlantic Division with 13 points, but rank seventh in points percentage (.464)… Robin Salo is tied for 10th among all AHL defensemen with eight points (two goals, six assists)… Arnaud Durandeau has three goals and five points in his last four games… He is third on the team in goals (four) and shots (36), and tied for second in points (11)… Bridgeport is 2-1-1-0 against North Division opponents and 3-5-0-2 against the Atlantic… Each of the next eight games will be within the Atlantic Division.
Team Leaders
Goals: Chris Terry (6)
Assists: Otto Koivula (10)
Points: Otto Koivula (12)
Plus/Minus: Otto Koivula (+4)
Penalty Minutes: Seth Helgeson (28)
Shots: Andy Andreoff (43)
Games Played: Seven Tied (14)
Across the Sound: The New York Islanders (5-5-2) dropped a 4-1 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday in their first meeting since Game 7 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals. Mat Barzal scored his fourth goal of the season, but Tampa got each of the next four at Amalie Arena. The Islanders also suffered a 4-0 loss to New Jersey last week and will look to quickly bounce back in a 7 p.m. matchup tonight against the Florida Panthers to end their 13-game road trip. The Isles play the first game at their new home, UBS Arena, this Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Calgary Flames.