The Bridgeport Report: Week 19
Feb 22, 2022Ken Appleby’s 30-save shutout in the “Battle for Connecticut” on Sunday afternoon headlined a busy weekend at home for the Bridgeport Islanders (18-21-5-4). The team collected two points in two games against a pair of tough Atlantic Division opponents.
Appleby (1-3-3) backstopped a 2-0 victory against the third-place Hartford Wolf Pack to close out a three-game homestand - his first win in the AHL this season and his sixth career shutout. Chris Terry scored twice to extend his lead in Bridgeport’s goal-scoring race (16), while Otto Koivula notched his team-best 23rd and 24th assists. Collin Adams and Andy Andreoff also logged helpers for the New York Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate.
Less than 24 hours prior, Bridgeport fired a season-high 44 shots on goal but converted only twice in a 4-2 setback against the Hershey Bears on Saturday. Andreoff and Felix Bibeau each scored in the third period, but it was too little too late after falling behind by four. Parker Wotherspoon added two assists for his first multi-point effort of the season, while Jakub Skarek (12-9-4) made 24 saves.
This week, the Islanders continue a stretch in which seven of eight games will take place at Webster Bank Arena. The only road game during that span is tomorrow in Springfield, Mass., when Bridgeport faces the first-place Thunderbirds (26-14-5-5) at 7:05 p.m. The Islanders return home this weekend for a back-to-back set of games against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (20-21-2-3) on Saturday night (7 p.m.) and Charlotte Checkers (26-18-3-0) on Sunday afternoon (3 p.m.).
Every game this season can be heard live on the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network, or seen online via AHLTV. The pre-game show begins 15 minutes prior to puck drop.
The Week Ahead
Wednesday, Feb. 23 at Springfield Thunderbirds (7:05 p.m.) – The Islanders make their fifth trip of the season to Springfield, Mass. for a mid-week tilt against the St. Louis Blues’ affiliate. Bridgeport is 2-6-0-1 against Springfield this season and 0-3-0-1 in those games at MassMutual Center. Both wins have come in overtime including a 4-3 result in their last meeting on Jan. 23rd at Webster Bank Arena, when Chris Terry scored at 1:15 of the extra session. The Islanders haven’t traveled to Springfield since prior to Thanksgiving (Nov. 24th).
Saturday, Feb. 26 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (7 p.m.) – The Islanders host Pittsburgh’s affiliate this Saturday for Star Wars Night. It’s the second of six matchups this season and the first of three at Webster Bank Arena. The Penguins recorded a 4-3 win on Feb. 4th to open the series. Doors open at 6 p.m. and great seats are available!
Sunday, Feb. 27 vs. Charlotte Checkers (3 p.m.) – The Islanders and Checkers wrap up their eight-game season series on Sunday afternoon at Webster Bank Arena. Doors open at 2 p.m. and kid’s tickets (for those 11 and younger) are just $10 at the Yale New Haven Health Box Office. Great seats can also be purchased online here! Each of the last three meetings have been decided by two goals or less and Bridgeport is 3-3-0-1 against Charlotte so far.
Ice Chips
Mr. 500: Islanders captain Seth Helgeson is one game shy of his 500th in the AHL. The 31-year-old defenseman is in his fifth season with Bridgeport and his 10th in the League overall, having spent the first five seasons in Albany. Helgeson has 83 points (13 goals, 70 assists) and 732 penalty minutes in 499 regular-season games since his AHL debut on Apr. 13, 2013. He also has one goal and four points in 50 NHL games with the New Jersey Devils. Helgeson will become the third player on Bridgeport’s active roster to hit 500 AHL games, joining Chris Terry (665) and Paul Thompson (628).
Eating Good in the Neighborhood: The Islanders only scored twice on Sunday, but it’s all Ken Appleby needed to earn his first victory in the AHL this season. He stopped 30 shots to record his sixth career shutout, and his second with Bridgeport. Appleby has now posted at least one shutout in five of his six AHL seasons. His 1.97 goals-against-average and .938 save percentage lead all AHL goalies who have made at least seven appearances this season.
Terry Nets Two: Chris Terry was responsible for both goals in Sunday’s win, marking the first time he’s scored twice in the same game this season. His first goal came on the Islanders’ opening power play and his second was at even strength just 3:59 later. The veteran forward has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in his last 11 games and continues to lead Bridgeport in several offensive categories: goals (16), points (35), power-play goal (5), power-play points (14), multi-point games (9) and shots-on-goal (136). He is one point shy of tying T.J. Hensick (588) for 53rd place on the AHL’s all-time scoring list.
Koivula’s Helping Hand: Otto Koivula assisted on both of Bridgeport’s goals Sunday, marking the fourth time this season he’s recorded a multi-assist game. It was his eighth multi-point performance. Koivula has earned an assist in half of his appearances this season (20 / 40) and shares 18th place among all AHL players in helpers (24).
Quick Hits: Andy Andreoff is on a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist)… The Islanders haven’t allowed a goal in their last 80:16, since 19:42 of the second period on Saturday… Appleby’s shutout on Sunday was Bridgeport’s second as a team this season (Skarek, 37 saves on Oct. 24 vs. Laval)… Three players have participated in all 18 of the Islanders’ wins this season: Seth Helgeson, Simon Holmstrom and Arnaud Durandeau…. There are 24 games remaining in the regular season, which enters its final two months tomorrow night in Springfield (AHL standings).
Team Leaders
Goals: Chris Terry (16)
Assists: Otto Koivula (24)
Points: Chris Terry (35)
Plus/Minus: Jeff Kubiak (+11)
Penalty Minutes: Parker Wotherspoon (94)
Shots: Chris Terry (136)
Power-Play Goals: Chris Terry (5)
Shorthanded Goals: Cole Bardreau (1)
Games Played: Arnaud Durandeau (46)
Wins: Jakub Skarek (12)
Across the Sound: The New York Islanders (18-20-7) begin a five-game, eight-day road trip with a 10 p.m. ET matchup against the Seattle Kraken this evening. From there, the journey progresses through San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim and ends in Colorado next Tuesday. New York is coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to Montreal on Sunday, in which Bridgeport grad Brock Nelson scored his team-leading 17th goal of the season, assisted by Kieffer Bellows and Sebastian Aho. Former Bridgeport forward Josh Bailey also logged an assist, but the Islanders couldn’t make it two wins in a row following their 4-1 victory over Boston last Thursday.