By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (November 23, 2024) – Julien Gauthier scored a power-play goal and added an assist for his second multi-point game of the season, but the Bridgeport Islanders (4-10-1-2), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, fell to the Charlotte Checkers (8-4-1-2) in a shootout, 3-2, Saturday night at Total Mortgage Arena.
Travis Mitchell also found the back of the net during the team’s annual ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ Night. Marcus Hogberg (1-3-3) made 32 saves in 65 minutes and went 3-for-4 in the shootout.
Charlotte dominated the first period of play. Just 62 seconds in, Patrick Giles slipped a shot under Hogberg’s left pad for a shorthanded goal and a 1-0 lead. At 8:59, Oliver Okuliar backhanded home a rebound from Ben Steeves to double Charlotte’s advantage.
After being held scoreless for more than 39 minutes, the Islanders got on the board with just two seconds remaining in the second. Fredrik Karlstrom opened up in the right circle and fired a wrister that was kicked back by goalie Chris Driedger (4-2-1). However, Mitchell buried the rebound into the top left corner of the net, cutting Charlotte’s lead in half. Mitchell has points in three of his last four games (one goal, two assists).
Midway through the third, Wilmer Skoog was assessed a slashing penalty, giving the Islanders their fourth man advantage of the evening. Bridgeport benefited when Gauthier took a pass from Matt Maggio and launched a wrister from the middle of the Checkers’ zone past Driedger for his third goal of the season.
Despite opportunities on both sides, the score remained locked at 2-2 past regulation and the five-minute overtime period, sending the game to a shootout. Bridgeport’s best chance came with 2:08 left in regulation when Skoog went back to the box for a delay of game penalty, but Driedger stood on his head.
After a scoreless first three rounds of the ensuing shootout, Ryan McAllister snuck the puck through Hogberg’s five-hole. It was all Charlette needed as Driedger blocked Karlstrom’s attempt to clinch the game for the Checkers.
The Islanders finished the contest 1-for-5 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the kill.
Charlotte led in shots 35-28.
Next Time Out: The Islanders face the Hartford Wolf Pack at 4 p.m. tomorrow inside XL Center. The game can be heard for free via the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network or seen live on AHLTV on FloHockey, beginning with the Connecticut Lottery Pregame Countdown at 3:45 p.m.
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