The Bridgeport Report: Week 23
Mar 22, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (24-25-6-4, .492) are heating up at the right time, extending their unbeaten in regulation streak to four games (3-0-1-0) with a victory in their only contest last weekend.
Austin Czarnik tied a franchise record and set a new career high with four assists on Saturday, while Richard Panik scored twice and added one assist in a 7-4 win against the Syracuse Crunch at Total Mortgage Arena. It was the second time Bridgeport has scored seven goals in a game this season, both coming on consecutive Saturdays.
New York Islanders prospects Simon Holmstrom and Jakub Skarek (15-11-5) also played a key role in the win, as Bridgeport improved to 5-2-1-0 during the month of March. Holmstrom matched a career high with three points (one goal, two assists) and Skarek set new North American career highs in saves (42) and shots faced (46). Otto Koivula also had two assists to help the Islanders sweep their two-game season series against Tampa’s affiliate.
The seventh-place Islanders are .023 percentage points outside of a playoff spot with 13 games left in the regular season. They trail the sixth-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (26-24-4-4, .517) in the Atlantic Division, but still have two head-to-head tilts against the Penguins in April. The 2022 Calder Cup Playoff Primer can be found here.
In fact, the Islanders will complete a four-game road trip in Wilkes-Barre, Penn. on Apr. 2nd, which is also their next game within the Atlantic Division following three more against the North. Bridgeport kicks off its road swing in Utica, N.Y. this Wednesday with a 7 p.m. matchup against the top team in the Eastern Conference, the Utica Comets (35-13-6-0, .704). From there, the Islanders travel over the border and back to face the Toronto Marlies (28-21-3-1, .566) on Saturday and Rochester Americans (30-23-4-2, .559) Sunday afternoon.
Each game during the playoff push can be heard online through the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network, or seen via AHLTV. The pre-game show begins 15 minutes prior to each listed start time.
The Week Ahead
Wednesday, Mar. 23 at Utica Comets (7 p.m.) – The Islanders finish their two-game series against the New Jersey Devils’ affiliate with their only trip to Utica, N.Y. this season. Richard Panik lifted the Islanders to victory in a rescheduled game on Dec. 4th, scoring just 43 seconds into overtime in a 3-2 win at home. Simon Holmstrom and Seth Helgeson also scored. Bridgeport’s last trip to Utica resulted in a 4-3 win on Dec. 13, 2019.
Saturday, Mar. 26 at Toronto Marlies (4 p.m.) – The Islanders cross the border for the final time this season to complete their two-game season series with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ affiliate on Saturday. Bridgeport surged to a 5-4 win in their first meeting on Dec. 11th at home, led by Otto Koivula’s two goals and Austin Czarnik’s second three-point effort of the season (one goal, two assists). This weekend will mark Bridgeport’s first visit to Toronto in more than three seasons – a 3-2 shootout win on March 10, 2019.
Sunday, Mar. 27 at Rochester Americans (3:05 p.m.) – Bridgeport and Rochester will square off for the second and final time this season on Sunday, featuring a 3:05 p.m. matchup at Blue Cross Arena. The Islanders earned one standings point against Buffalo’s affiliate on Feb. 15th at Total Mortgage Arena, but J.J. Peterka ended the night at 3:01 of overtime in a 3-2 Rochester win. Andy Andreoff and Paul Thompson each scored for Bridgeport. The Islanders last journey to Rochester, N.Y. was also more than three seasons ago - March 8, 2019.
Ice Chips
Czarnik’s Big Night: Austin Czarnik’s four-assist game on Saturday was the 10th such instance in Bridgeport history, and the first since Josh Ho-Sang did it on Nov. 4, 2018. It was also Bridgeport’s first four-point performance since Ho-Sang had five on Feb. 17, 2019. For Czarnik, it was a new single-game career high in points and assists. The 29-year-old winger has 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in his last 10 AHL games dating back to Nov. 24th, recording at least three points in four of his last eight appearances.
Firing on All Cylinders: The Islanders have scored seven goals in two of their last four games, and at least four goals in five of their last nine. Chris Terry and Arnaud Durandeau each have five goals during that span, helping the Islanders to a 6-3-1-0 record since Feb. 27th. Bridgeport is 9-0-0-0 when recording at least five goals this season and 17-1-1-0 when scoring at least four.
Hickey Heads to Ontario: The New York Islanders reassigned defenseman Thomas Hickey to the Ontario Reign (AHL) on Saturday. The 33-year-old veteran played 29 games with Bridgeport this season, recording 12 points (four goals, eight assists) and a plus-14 rating, in addition to two games with New York. Hickey, who remains under contract with the New York Islanders, will play for the AHL affiliate of the team he was drafted by in 2007 (Los Angeles).
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 celebrated his 36th birthday last Friday, has started three of Bridgeport’s last five games. He has a 1.44 GAA and .958 save percentage in those four games.
ATO Season Underway: With college programs wrapping up their seasons across the country, many seniors are signing amateur tryout agreements (ATO) to begin their pro careers. Defenseman Trevor Cosgrove is the first to join Bridgeport on an ATO this season, agreeing to terms with the team over the weekend. Cosgrove, 24, posted career highs in goals (nine), assists (19) and points (28) in 37 games with Northern Michigan University earlier this season. It was his fifth and final colligate campaign, which began with four seasons at Colgate University from 2017-21. The Exeter, N.H. native recorded 43 points (13 goals, 30 assists) in 131 games with the Raiders.
Quick Hits: Richard Panik earned his team-leading fourth game-winning goal of the season on Saturday… Four of his six goals on the season have been the difference… Twelve of Bridgeport’s 18 skaters earned a point on Saturday… Cole Bardreau fired a career-high six shots-on-goal on Saturday… The Islanders have allowed at least 45 shots-on-goal in their last two games and 408 shots in their last 11 overall (37 per game)… Arnaud Durandeau has six goals in his last 10 games and is third on the team with a career-high 13 goals this season… The Islanders are in a stretch of four straight games against the North Division, currently 5-2-2-0 against those teams.
Team Leaders
Goals: Chris Terry (21)
Assists: Otto Koivula (29)
Points: Chris Terry (45)
Plus/Minus: Thomas Hickey-X (+14)
Penalty Minutes: Parker Wotherspoon (101)
Shots: Chris Terry (164)
Power-Play Goals: Chris Terry (6)
Shorthanded Goals: Cole Bardreau (3)
Games Played: Arnaud Durandeau (57)
Wins: Jakub Skarek (15)
Across the Sound: Former Bridgeport star Brock Nelson scored a hat trick against the Dallas Stars on Saturday afternoon to push the New York Islanders (26-25-9) points streak to six games (5-0-1), but the Philadelphia Flyers got the better of New York the following day in a 2-1 loss. Another Bridgeport grad, Casey Cizikas, scored the Isles’ lone goal on Sunday, while Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves. The Islanders look to get back into the win column with a 7 p.m. matchup against the Ottawa Senators tonight, opening a brief two-game homestand at UBS Arena.