Weekend Preview: Isles Face Wolf Pack, T-Birds
Nov 5, 2021The Bridgeport Islanders (3-3-0-2) face their two closest rivals in a trio of games this weekend, beginning Friday night against the Hartford Wolf Pack (5-2-1-0) at the XL Center. The Islanders return to Webster Bank Arena on Saturday for a 7 p.m. matchup against the Springfield Thunderbirds (5-0-2-0) before rounding out the weekend against Hartford on Sunday (3 p.m.). Bridgeport has won three of its last four games, but suffered a 5-1 loss to the Wolf Pack in its most recent outing on Halloween. Austin Czarnik scored his first goal with the Islanders late in the second period and Cory Schneider made 30 saves in his season debut. Bridgeport is still looking for its first road win of 2021-22.
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ISLES VS. WOLF PACK
Friday's game is the third of 10 meetings between the Islanders and Wolf Pack this season, and the second of six matchups at XL Center. Hartford has won each of the first two meetings, including a 2-1 decision in the season opener on Oct. 15th. Chris Terry scored Bridgeport’s lone goal that night. Both Jakub Skarek and Cory Schneider have spent time in the crease versus Hartford, while Keith Kinkaid has played each game for the Wolf Pack (2-0-0 record, 1.01 GAA, .973 save percentage).
VIEW FROM HARTFORD
The Wolf Pack have won three of their last four games and have points in five of their last six (4-1-1-0). The New York Rangers’ affiliate is tied for third in the Atlantic Division after Sunday’s win at Bridgeport, led by Tanner Fritz, Tim Gettinger and Anthony Greco, who each had one goal and an assist. Hartford’s defense is third in the AHL (1.88 goals against/game), allowing three goals or fewer in every contest. Goaltender Keith Kinkaid is tied for second in the AHL in wins (4), ranks fourth in saves (150) and 13th in GAA (1.73).
ISLES VS. T-BIRDS
Saturday’s game is the fourth of 12 meetings between the Islanders and Thunderbirds this season, and the second of six at Webster Bank Arena. Bridgeport is 1-1-0-1 in the series, earning a 4-3 overtime victory in its home opener on Oct. 23rd. Michael Dal Colle and Chris Terry each have a team-leading two goals in three games against Springfield.
VIEW FROM SPRINGFIELD
The first-place Thunderbirds are unbeaten in regulation through their first seven games (5-0-2-0) and currently lead the Atlantic Division by two points over Hershey. Last time out, Springfield’s high-powered offense scored a season-high five goals to earn a 5-3 win against Charlotte on Sunday, in which all but five players had a point. Rookie Scott Perunovich leads the club with 10 points (two goals, eight assists) and ranks second among all AHL defensemen in scoring.
SKAREK’S STREAK
Jakub Skarek has won each of his last three starts and is unbeaten in regulation in seven of his last eight games dating back to April (5-1-2). He has a 2.28 goals-against-average and .929 saves rate over his last three starts including a 37-save shutout against Laval on Oct. 24th. He currently ranks eighth among AHL goaltenders in minutes played (307:33) and is tied for third in wins (3).
EL DURANDEAU
Arnaud Durandeau co-leads the Islanders with six points (one goal, five assists) in eight games. He has found the scoresheet with a point in all but two games this season and enters the weekend on a two-game scoring streak (two assists). His goal came on the power play on Oct. 23rd to help propel the Isles to a four-goal come-from-behind win against Springfield in the home opener. Durandeau, a third-year winger, was drafted by the New York Islanders in the sixth round (#165 overall) in 2017.
OTTO-ZONE
Otto Koivula has six points in his last six games (one goal, five assists) and co-leads the club in scoring with Durandeau. He rang a shot off the crossbar late in Sunday’s loss to Hartford, but saw his five-game point/assist streak come to an end. Koivula’s five-game assist streak is the second longest in the AHL this season. It was also tied for the second longest point streak of his AHL career.
QUICK HITS
Anatolii Golyshev has three goals and four points in his last two games and the team is 3-0-0-2 when he is in the lineup… Austin Czarnik leads the Isles with 28 shots-on-goal, which is also tied for seventh in the AHL… Czarnik is three contests away from his 200th AHL game… Captain Seth Helgeson is one appearance shy of tying Tomas Marcinko for 10th place on the team’s all-time games played list.
IN THE ORGANIZATION
New York Islanders (4-2-2): Last: 6-2 W at Montreal, Thursday - Next: Saturday at Winnipeg, 7 p.m.
Worcester Railers (1-2-0-0): Last: 6-2 L at Adirondack, Oct. 27th - Next: Saturday vs. Florida, 7:05 p.m.