By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (January 18, 2025) – Liam Foudy had a three-point performance, while Chris Terry and Sam Bolduc both scored once and added an assist, but the Bridgeport Islanders (8-25-2-2), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, suffered a 6-4 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds (17-15-2-1) at Total Mortgage Arena on Saturday.
Hugh McGing tallied two goals and three points for the Thunderbirds, while Mackenzie MacEachern and Otto Stenberg each recorded one goal and an assist. It was Stenberg’s first AHL goal and points as the 19-year-old made his League debut.
Eetu Liukas had the final goal for Bridgeport, securing his first of the season. Hunter Miska (0-1-0) was incredibly active during his Islanders’ debut, turning aside 37 shots on 43 attempts. It’s the most shots that any Bridgeport goaltender has faced this season.
It was also the Islanders’ most rough-and-tumble game of the season, as both clubs combined for 80 penalty minutes. Gemel Smith and Springfield’s Sam Bitten were accessed two different 10-minute misconducts.
The Islanders ended their four-game homestand 1-3-0-0 but scored at least four goals for the second time.
After an uneventful opening frame, the Thunderbirds broke the stalemate at 2:44 of the second period. McGing brought the puck into the Islanders’ zone and crossed paths with Stenberg, who received a backhand pass in the left circle and sniped a shot over Miska’s shoulder into the top corner to make it 1-0.
The Islanders responded 46 seconds later on the power play. At 2:52, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki was accessed a boarding penalty, and Bridgeport capitalized 37 seconds when Alex Jefferies tried to find Liam Foudy in front. However, the puck deflected off Foudy’s skate and rolled to Terry, who snapped a quick shot home for his eighth goal of the season and third on the power play.
At 8:56, Hunter Skinner put Springfield back on top. After receiving a pass from Matthew Peca, Skinner stepped into a slap shot above the right circle and blasted home a one-timer past Miska (0-1-0) at even strength.
The pendulum swung about four minutes later when the Islanders answered again with another power-play goal. At the 13:09 mark, Skinner was given a slashing penalty that put the Islanders back on the man advantage. They benefited 41 seconds later when Bolduc placed a wrist shot through traffic from the blue line that got behind Colten Ellis (12-5-2), evening the score at 2-2. It was Bolduc’s first goal since Nov. 15 at Hershey.
The game wasn’t tied long as 1:54 later, McGing put Springfield ahead 3-2 with his third goal of the season and first of two in the contest. McGing recovered a rebound in front of the net and slipped a shot behind Miska, giving the Thunderbirds the lead for good at 15:45.
Then, at 19:20, Dalibor Dvorsky found Kaskimaki by the left circle, where he skated to the low slot and flipped a backhanded shot home, extending the Thunderbirds’ lead to 4-2.
After Tyce Thompson and Matthew Kessel were both sent to the box with roughing penalties at the horn, the third period started with four-on-four hockey. The Islanders made the most of the open ice when Foudy collected a rebound following Bolduc’s blue-line shot and tapped the puck home 42 seconds into the period, cutting their deficit to 4-3.
Springfield added insurance with two goals in a 3:40 span to hold on late. At 7:34, MacEachern stripped the puck from Bolduc and shot in transition on a breakaway. MacEachern flung the puck past Miska’s outstretched glove for the eventual game-winner. Then, at 11:14, McGing potted his second goal of the night, giving Springfield its sixth and final tally.
The Islanders tried to stage a late comeback and got to within two when Liukas tucked home his first goal of the season following Marshall Warren’s rebound that just missed wide and bounced off the end-boards. Liukas made it 6-4 with just 1:03 to play.
Bridgeport’s power play went 2-for-5 – the third time this season and the first time since Dec. 15 against Laval that it’s scored multiple times. The penalty kill went 4-for-5. Springfield led in shots, 43-36.
Ellis (12-5-2) made 32 saves to backstop his fourth straight win.
Next Time Out: The Islanders open a four-game road trip on Monday afternoon with a 3:05 p.m. rematch against the Springfield Thunderbirds at MassMutual 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 2:45 p.m.
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