The Bridgeport Report: Week 22
Mar 17, 2022For the second straight weekend, the Bridgeport Islanders (23-25-6-4, .483) won two of their three games, and then added another standings point on Wednesday, to remain in playoff contention. Bridgeport has 14 games left in the regular season, fewest of any team in the American Hockey League. Click here for the detailed “playoff primer.”
The Islanders earned points in all three games during their recent road trip (2-0-1-0), which began Saturday and featured matchups against the top two teams in the Atlantic Division: the first-place Springfield Thunderbirds (32-17-5-2, .634) and second-place Providence Bruins (28-17-3-3, .608).
Bridgeport also faced fifth-place Hershey (29-21-4-3, .570) this past week, skating to a 2-1 setback at the newly renamed Total Mortgage Arena on Friday. Jeff Kubiak scored his sixth goal of the season and Cory Schneider (8-10-3) made 21 saves, but the Islanders fell to 1-2-2-0 against Washington’s affiliate this season. Four of the five matchups have been separated by one goal.
From just one tally on Friday to a season-high seven on Saturday, the Islanders’ offense came to life in a 7-4 win against the Bruins at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Austin Czarnik scored twice and added an assist against his former team, helping Bridgeport record seven goals for the first time since Feb. 17, 2019. Andy Andreoff, Simon Holmstrom and Cole Bardreau contributed two assists each, while Jakub Skarek (14-11-4) made 21 saves in his team-leading 31st appearance of the season.
Less than 24 hours later, Bardreau scored two goals and Schneider earned his 39th professional shutout (33 saves) to lead Bridgeport to another victory in its rematch against the Bruins on Sunday afternoon. Chris Terry added his team-leading 20th goal of the season and Kubiak recorded two assists in the 3-0 final. The Islanders outscored Providence 10-4 in two games over the weekend and are now 5-3-0-2 against Boston’s affiliate this season.
In Bridgeport’s most recent performance, Schneider picked up right where he left off and made 42 saves on Wednesday in a 3-2 overtime loss to the division-leading Thunderbirds at MassMutual Center. Schneider was terrific from start to finish, making 19 first-period saves and stopping another 14 in the third to help the Islanders earn one standings point. Terry forced overtime with a power-play goal in the final minute of regulation, while Kyle MacLean also beat Springfield’s Charlie Lindgren, who entered the contest ranked fifth in the AHL in GAA (2.28).
The Islanders return to Total Mortgage Arena on Saturday for a 7 p.m. matchup against the Syracuse Crunch, AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s Bridgeport’s only game this weekend and its final home game this month. It can be heard online through the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network, or seen via AHLTV. The pre-game show begins at 6:45 p.m.
The Weekend Ahead
Saturday, Mar. 19 vs. Syracuse Crunch (7 p.m.) – The Islanders look to sweep their two-game series against Tampa’s affiliate following a 3-1 victory in Syracuse on Nov. 10th. The Crunch have not visited the Park City since Nov. 1, 2019 and will not return during the 2021-22 regular season. Tickets are on sale now.
Ice Chips
Twenty-Goal Terry: Chris Terry eclipsed the 20-goal mark for the eighth time in his career on Sunday, and then added his team-leading 21st goal of the season in Wednesday’s overtime loss in Springfield. It was also his team-best sixth power-play goal and team-leading 45th point in 47 games. Terry has scored in back-to-back appearances on seven occasions this season and his goal on Sunday was also his 596th career AHL point, moving him into sole possession of 50th place in League history. The 15th-year pro has scored 30 or more goals on three occasions.
Czarnik Returns: Austin Czarnik was re-claimed off waivers by the New York Islanders on March 6th and immediately assigned to Bridgeport, where he returned to the lineup on Friday. Not missing a beat, Czarnik was a key part of Bridgeport’s offense in his first weekend back in the AHL since December. He has three different three-point performances in his last seven AHL games, which spans more than 100 days. Czarnik has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in his last nine games with Bridgeport.
Schneider Saves: Cory Schneider is 4-1-1 over his last six starts and has made at least 32 saves in six of his last seven. The veteran goaltender, who celebrates his 36th birthday on Friday, has started three of Bridgeport’s last four games and has played four times in the last week. He has a 1.44 GAA and .958 save percentage in those four games.
Quick Hits: Arnaud Durandeau has scored five goals in his last nine games and is tied for third on the team with a career-high 12 goals this season, matching Cole Bardreau... Bardreau, who played his 100th game with Bridgeport on Wednesday, has six points (four goals, two assists) in his last six games... Bardreau’s team-leading three shorthanded goals on the season are the 10th such instance in team history... The Islanders’ penalty kill went 3-for-3 on Wednesday and now ranks third in the AHL on the road (85.1%).
Team Leaders
Goals: Chris Terry (21)
Assists: Otto Koivula (27)
Points: Chris Terry (44)
Plus/Minus: Thomas Hickey (+14)
Penalty Minutes: Parker Wotherspoon (101)
Shots: Chris Terry (161)
Power-Play Goals: Chris Terry (6)
Shorthanded Goals: Cole Bardreau (3)
Games Played: Arnaud Durandeau (56)
Wins: Jakub Skarek (14)
Across the Sound: The New York Islanders (24-24-9) defeated Columbus, Winnipeg and Anaheim over the last week, and then earned one point in a 4-3 shootout loss to Washington in their last outing on Tuesday. Bridgeport grad (turned Islanders captain) Anders Lee earned his first career hat trick in a 6-0 win against the Blue Jackets last Thursday, one day before former Bridgeport forward Josh Bailey scored twice in a 5-2 win against the Jets. Friday’s result was also NHL win #900 for head coach Barry Trotz. The Islanders finish a brief two-game road trip at Madison Square Garden tonight, facing the New York Rangers at 7 p.m.