The Bridgeport Report: Week 5
Nov 16, 2022By Dalton Rice | Bridgeport Islanders
The Bridgeport Islanders (7-2-3-0), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, earned points in back-to-back road games against the Hershey Bears last weekend and now have points in 10 of their last 11.
The Islanders are third in the Atlantic Division with 17 points through their first 12 games of the season.
Hudson Fasching (two goals) and Vincent Sevigny (one goal, one assist) led Bridgeport’s offense with multiple points over the weekend. Jakub Skarek (2-1-2) and Cory Schneider (5-1-1) each logged an appearance, and both made at least 30 saves.
Fasching scored twice and Skarek made 32 saves to open the weekend on Friday, but the Islanders lost in overtime, 4-3, to the Bears at Giant Center. Kyle MacLean tied the game late with his second goal of the season to help the Islanders earn one point.
Saturday’s rematch was similar, with both teams tied at the end of regulation. Sevigny (pictured) broke a scoreless deadlock with his second professional goal more than 43 minutes into the contest, while Quinnipiac product Sam Anas ended the game with a power-play strike at 2:46 of overtime. Schneider was strong with 30 stops in the crease, including a miraculous glove save on Anas in the final 14 minutes of regulation.
The Islanders return to action on Friday to begin a busy, three-game stretch against three different divisional opponents. Bridgeport hosts the Charlotte Checkers (6-4-1-1) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (6-4-1-0) at Total Mortgage Arena on Friday and Saturday (7 p.m.), then battles the Providence Bruins (9-1-1-1) at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Sunday (3:05 p.m.).
The Week Ahead
Friday, Nov. 18th vs. Charlotte (7 p.m.): The Islanders face the Florida Panthers’ affiliate for the second time this month. Bridgeport is 1-0-0-0 against Charlotte this season after recording a 4-3 shootout win on Nov. 1st at home. The Islanders scored twice on the power play, Cory Schneider made 32 saves, and William Dufour ended the contest with a goal on his first professional shootout attempt that afternoon. Friday’s game is the second of six meetings between the Islanders and Checkers. Tickets are on sale now!
Saturday, Nov. 19th vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (7 p.m.): Saturday’s game is the first of six meetings between the Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins’ affiliate. It’s the first of two “Hockey and Hops” Nights at Total Mortgage Arena, featuring a pre-game beer tasting event from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Packages are on sale now that include access to the tasting event, a ticket to the game, a Bridgeport Islanders tasting glass and koozie.
Sunday, Nov. 20th at Providence (3:05 p.m.): The Islanders travel to Rhode Island for the third time this season to face the first-place Providence Bruins on Sunday afternoon. Bridgeport is 1-2-0-0 against Boston’s affiliate this season, including a 5-4 overtime win in their last trip to Amica Mutual Pavilion.
Ice Chips
First-Goal Frenzy: The Islanders have scored the first goal in nine of their 12 games this season. In fact, Bridgeport is tied with Hershey for the most “first goals” in the AHL this season. The Islanders have recorded points in all nine games in which they have scored the opening goal (7-0-2-0).
Bolduc’s Breakout Start: In his third season with Bridgeport, Samuel Bolduc has recorded 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 12 games. He has already set a career high in assists and is just two points from a career best. Bolduc’s high mark in points came in 2020-21 when he finished with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 24 games. Bolduc is tied for third among all AHL defensemen in points, assists, and shares the league lead overall with seven power-play assists.
Century Mark: Parker Wotherspoon notched his 100th professional point (all with Bridgeport) with an assist on Hudson Fasching’s second goal last Friday. The 25-year-old defenseman has collected 21 goals and 79 assists through 278 games on the Bridgeport blue line. He is seventh on the team’s all-time games played list, just two appearances behind Aaron Ness (2010-15).
Quick Hits: Cory Schneider is 10th among all AHL goalies in goals-against-average (2.38), 12th in save percentage (.921) and tied for fifth in wins (5)… Ruslan Iskhakov is tied for 10th in the league’s scoring race (14 points) and remains first among AHL rookies in assists (10) and points (tied with Cleveland’s Kirill Marchenko)… Iskhakov, Bolduc and Andy Andreoff (six goals, six assists) remain at or above a point-per-game pace through 12 contests… The Islanders have scored 17 second-period goals, tied with Syracuse for most in the Eastern Conference.
Team Leaders
Goals: Andy Andreoff (6)
Assists: Ruslan Iskhakov, Samuel Bolduc (10)
Points: Ruslan Iskhakov (14)
Plus/Minus: Dennis Cholowski (+6)
Penalty Minutes: Seth Helgeson (18)
Power-play Goals: Andy Andreoff (5)
Shots: Andy Andreoff (32)
Wins: Cory Schneider (5)
Across the Sound
The New York Islanders (11-6-0) rank second in the Metropolitan Division following back-to-back wins against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators. After a 2-0 setback to the Arizona Coyotes last Thursday, the Isles secured a 4-3 overtime victory against Columbus on Saturday and a 4-2 win over Ottawa to close out the first half of November on Monday. Mathew Barzal (18 assists) and Brock Nelson (nine goals, nine assists) have kept their point-per-game pace through 17 games this season. Nelson, a former Bridgeport forward, leads the team with nine goals. The Islanders return to action tomorrow night with an 8 p.m. ET puck drop against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.