The Bridgeport Report: Week 24
Mar 30, 2022The Bridgeport Islanders (27-25-6-4, .516) have powered their way into a playoff spot with 10 games left in the regular season, winning each of their last four contests including three straight on the road. The Islanders are tied with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (28-26-4-4, .516) for sixth place in the Atlantic Division (points percentage), but currently hold the tie breaker with a better percentage of wins in regulation.
The hottest team in the division, Bridgeport is 6-0-1-0 over its last seven games and carries a four-game winning streak into April, which begins with two games against the only teams trailing the Islanders in the standings: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (22-27-7-4, .458).
The Islanders swept their three contests last week as the club visited Utica, Toronto, and Rochester to begin a four-game road trip. Arnaud Durandeau (two goals, three assists) and Austin Czarnik (one goal, four assists) led the way with five points each, while Simon Holmstrom (one goal, three assists) also flexed some muscle. Bridgeport is on its first four-game winning streak of the season and first since Nov. 23-29, 2019.
Paul LaDue matched a career high with two goals and Holmstrom notched two assists last Wednesday, helping Bridgeport earn a 4-1 win against the conference-leading Utica Comets at the Adirondack Bank Center. All four Islanders’ goals were tallied by defensemen, as Grant Hutton also capitalized on the power play and Mitch Vande Sompel scored for the first time this season. Cory Schneider (10-10-3) made 30 saves on 31 shots.
From four goals total on Wednesday to four in the first period on Saturday, the Islanders rolled to a 5-1 win against the Toronto Marlies in Canada. Durandeau and Hutton each scored once and added an assist, while Schneider was nearly perfect on 40 shots faced. Cole Bardreau had a game-high two assists. Bridgeport pushed its overall record above AHL .500 for the first time since Oct. 30th.
The Islanders capped the week on Sunday with perhaps their biggest statement of the season, a 6-5 overtime win against the Rochester Americans at Blue Cross Arena. Michael Dal Colle scored the game-tying goal with 6.2 seconds remaining and Chris Terry netted the winner for his 600th career AHL point, helping the Islanders jump into a playoff spot and respond from two different two-goal deficits.
Terry was one of four Bridgeport players to record at least two points in the contest, joining Czarnik (one goal, two assists), Robin Salo (one goal, two assists) and Durandeau (one goal, one assist). Salo (seven) and LaDue (nine) each produced a career high in shots-on-goal, as the Islanders fired a season-high 46 against Buffalo Sabres prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
The Islanders have outscored opponents 34-18 during their current seven-game unbeaten in regulation streak and have averaged nearly six goals per game during that span.
The Week Ahead
Saturday, Apr. 2 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (6:05 p.m.) – The Islanders make their second of three visits to Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, going head-to-head against the team they’re currently tied with for the sixth and final playoff spot. Bridgeport is 2-2-0-0 against Pittsburgh’s affiliate this season, but fell in regulation, 4-3, in their first trip to Wilkes-Barre on Feb. 4th.
Sunday, Apr. 3 vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms (3 p.m.) – Bridgeport returns home this Sunday to host Philadelphia’s affiliate for its first game at Total Mortgage Arena since Mar. 19th. The Islanders are 2-0-1-0 against Lehigh Valley this season including a 4-1 win at home on Feb. 2nd. Bridgeport has won four of its last five home games overall and is three games above AHL .500 inside Total Mortgage Arena (15-12-1-2). Lehigh Valley is eighth in the Atlantic Division (22-27-7-4, .458).
Tuesday, Apr. 5 vs. Hershey Bears (10:30 a.m.) – The Islanders face Washington’s affiliate for the sixth and final time this season in their second of two contests that will begin prior to 11 a.m. Bridgeport has earned points in three of its five meetings against the Bears this season (1-2-2-0) and four of the five matchups have been separated by just one goal. Three of those tilts have gone to overtime. Hershey is fifth in the Atlantic Division standings (30-24-5-4, .548).
Ice Chips
Ridin’ Salo: Robin Salo, the New York Islanders’ 46th overall draft choice in 2017, is coming off his best performance in North America last Sunday. The 23-year-old defenseman recorded a career-high three points (one goal, two assists) and produced a career-best seven shots on goal. Salo was also responsible in his own end, matching a career high in plus-minus (+3 rating). He wasn’t on the ice for any of Rochester’s five goals. Salo ranks second among Bridgeport defensemen with 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 33 games and is +9 over its last four games.
Offensive Explosion: Bridgeport has scored 34 goals in its seven games since Mar. 12th, the most it’s had in any seven-game span this season. Seventeen different players have lit the lamp during that span, led by Arnaud Durandeau’s four tallies. The Islanders are 9-2-1-0 since Feb. 27th and 11-0-0-0 when recording at least five goals this season. They are 20-1-1-0 when scoring at least four.
Terry Hits #600: Chris Terry became the 48th player in AHL history to record 600 career points when he scored the overtime-winning goal on Sunday afternoon in Rochester. It was 255th career goal and his team-leading 22nd goal with Bridgeport this season. Terry has eight goals and 15 points in his last 13 games and continues to lead Bridgeport in many offensive categories: goals (22), points (48), power-play goals (6), power-play points (17), multi-point games (13), shots on goal (174), and is tied for first in game-winning goals (4).
Streaking into April: Simon Holmstrom and Arnaud Durandeau each carry a four-game point streak into the final month of the regular season. Holmstrom, who has seven points in his last four games (two goals, five assists), is up to fifth on the club in scoring (career-high 34 points) and is second on the Islanders with 25 assists. Meanwhile, Durandeau is third on the team with a career-high 15 goals and fourth in points (37). Durandeau has three goals and three assists in his last four games.
Panik Reassigned to AHL Chicago: The New York Islanders reassigned forward Richard Panik to the Chicago Wolves (AHL) on Monday. The 31-year-old veteran played 28 games with Bridgeport this season, recording 12 points (seven goals, five assists), in addition to four games with New York. Panik, who remains under contract with the New York Islanders, will play for the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Quick Hits: Cory Schneider, who was recalled by the New York Islanders on an emergency basis yesterday, is 6-1-1 over its last eight AHL starts and has a 1.28 GAA and .963 save percentage over its last six appearances… Schneider shares 15th place among AHL goaltenders with a 2.68 GAA… Fellow netminder Jakub Skarek is on a three-game winning streak… Sunday’s win at Rochester was Bridgeport’s third when trailing after two periods this season and its 16th when trailing at some point in the game… The Islanders finished the season 8-2-2-0 in their 12 games against the North Division and now look ahead to 10 straight games in the Atlantic to complete the year, where they are 19-23-4-4.
Team Leaders
Goals: Chris Terry (22)
Assists: Otto Koivula (31)
Points: Chris Terry (48)
Plus/Minus: Jeff Kubiak, Thomas Hickey-X (+14)
Penalty Minutes: Parker Wotherspoon (101)
Shots: Chris Terry (174)
Power-Play Goals: Chris Terry (6)
Shorthanded Goals: Cole Bardreau (3)
Games Played: Arnaud Durandeau (60)
Wins: Jakub Skarek (16)
Across the Sound: Former Bridgeport forwards Brock Nelson, Anders Lee, and Anthony Beauvillier - all playing together on the same line - stayed red hot on Tuesday and helped the New York Islanders (29-27-9) to a 4-3 road win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nelson buried his 200th career NHL goal and has now scored in four straight games. He’s got 13 goals in his last 14 games and leads New York with a career-high 32 on the season. The Islanders, currently sixth in the Metropolitan Division, rematch Columbus tomorrow night at UBS Arena to wrap up their busiest month in franchise history (17 games). The club then begins a five-game road trip against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Friday.