ISLANDERS FACEPLANTED BY PENGUINS
By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (March 23, 2025) – The Bridgeport Islanders (14-41-4-3), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, dropped a 5-2 final to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (35-18-7-1) at Total Mortgage Arena on Sunday, despite goals from Marshall Warren and Alex Jefferies.
Sam Poulin scored once and tallied two assists to lead the Penguins. Matt Nieto also recorded a goal and an assist, while former Bridgeport defenseman Sebastian Aho logged three helpers in his first game back at Total Mortgage Arena. Goaltender Filip Larsson (11-8-3) blocked 22 of the 24 shots he faced for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
On the Islanders’ side, Jefferies scored his 11th goal of the season and now has three goals in his last eight games. He leads all Bridgeport rookies in goals, assists (15), and points (26). Warren recorded his fourth goal of the season. Both Islanders’ tallies came at even strength in the second period.
The Penguins got off to a hot start, potting four goals on eight shots in the first period to chase starter Jakub Skarek (5-13-1) from the crease. Poulin got the scoring started just 4:06 in with a quick wrist shot over Skarek’s glove from the left half-wall for the early 1-0 lead.
Just 2:50 later, Filip Kral launched a shot from the left side that deflected off Nieto’s stick in front and snuck through Skarek’s pads to make it 2-0.
At 16:58, Calle Odelius was accessed a hooking penalty and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton capitalized on the power play for the eventual game-winning goal. They benefited 28 seconds in when Valtteri Puustinen received a pass from Ville Koivunen in the neutral zone, sped past Islanders’ defense, and sniped a shot into the top of the cage.
The Penguins made it 4-0 at the 19:17 mark. Skarek turned back Poulin’s blast from the right circle, but the puck rolled to the left side where Boris Katchouk swept it into an open net for his 21st goal of the season, tied for the team lead.
Rick Kowalsky pulled Skarek for Henrik Tikkanen (no decision) at the start of the second period. Tikkanen made 12 saves in relief over the final 40 minutes. The adjustment also gave the Islanders some life, as Warren made it 4-1 at the 3:38 mark. After Cam Thiesing won a battle for the puck behind the net, he sent a pass to Warren at the blue line where Warren connected on a long wrist shot past Larsson.
At 14:28 of the second, Liam Foudy settled the puck on the right side and pushed a backhand pass out to Jefferies in the deep slot, who slammed a one-time shot past Larsson to make it 4-2.
However, Chase Stillman got the better of Tikkanen just 2:03 later with a slap shot from the right circle for his first goal as a member of the Penguins.
The Islanders had opportunities in the third period, including two power-play chances, but could not stage a comeback. Bridgeport outshot Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 9-3 in the third, with no goals to show for it.
Bridgeport’s power play went 0-for-3 on the afternoon, while the penalty kill was 0-for-1.
Next Time Out: The Islanders conclude a three-game homestand on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. matchup against the Hershey Bears at Total Mortgage Arena. 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 6:45 p.m.
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ISLANDERS GROUND ALL THE T-BIRDS IN SPRINGFIELD
By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (March 22, 2025) – Chris Terry became the 12th player in AHL history to reach 800 career points, and Adam Beckman potted two goals on Saturday night, leading the Bridgeport Islanders (14-40-4-3), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, to a 4-1 win against the Springfield Thunderbirds (30-26-2-4) at Total Mortgage Arena.
Terry achieved the milestone with one goal and one assist, including his 19th goal of the season early in the first period. He’s recorded multiple points in five of the last eight games.
It was Beckman’s first multi-goal game as a member of the Islanders and his 15th and 16th goals of the season overall. In six games with Bridgeport, Beckman has racked up five points (3g, 2a). Cam Thiesing also found the back of the net.
Henrik Tikkanen (6-16-3) made 21 saves on 22 shots, improving to 3-1-1 against Springfield this season.
Terry gave the Islanders an early 1-0 advantage, just 4:36 into the first period. Marshall Warren brought the puck through the left circle and fired a shot on net. Vadim Zherenko (10-15-3) blocked it and sent the rebound into the middle of the zone, where Terry blasted a one-timer into the back of the net from the right hash marks.
Springfield responded 3:45 later. After Travis Mitchell was sent to the box for hooking, Matthew Peca brought the puck into the Islanders’ zone. He skated along the left boards and fired a shot that deflected off Nikita Alexandrov’s stick and snuck behind Tikkanen for the power-play goal.
The Islanders recaptured the lead for good, thanks to two goals from Beckman in the second period. At 9:50, the Thunderbirds were called for too many men on the ice, which allowed Bridgeport to take a 2-1 advantage. Beckman retrieved the puck off the boards and sniped a shot from the left dot into the top corner of the cage for a power-play goal at 11:27.
Less than six minutes later at the 17:09 mark, Terry fed the puck to Brian Pinho on the left side of the Thunderbirds’ zone. Pinho tested Zherenko with a quick shot that hit his right pad and slid out to Beckman, who launched it into the open net.
The Islanders added an insurance tally early into the third period to solidify the 4-1 final. Just 1:37 in, the Thunderbirds tried to clear the puck but it was intercepted by Thiesing, who backhanded a shot near the hash marks.
Bridgeport’s power play went 1-for-3, while the penalty kill went 1-for-2. The Islanders led in shots 35-22 and ended the 10-game season series 4-4-1-1 against Springfield.
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NEW YORK ISLANDERS SIGN GLEB VEREMYEV
By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (March 21, 2025) – The New York Islanders have signed Gleb Veremyev to a two-year, entry-level contract beginning in the 2025-26 season.
Veremyev, 21, scored 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 37 games during his junior season at Colorado College. The 6’4, 214-pound forward skated in 88 games over three seasons for the Tigers, totaling 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists).
Prior to his collegiate career, Veremyev played two seasons with the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League. He totaled 21 goals, 20 assists and 255 penalty minutes in 100 games. A native of Sayreville, NJ, Veremyev played parts of two seasons with the New Jersey Rockets.
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BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS SIGN MAX DORRINGTON TO AN AMATEUR TRYOUT AGREEMENT (ATO)
By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (March 20, 2025) – The Bridgeport Islanders, American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, have signed forward Max Dorrington to an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
Dorrington, 23, completed his fifth and final collegiate season earlier this month, setting career highs in goals (12), assists (10), points (22), and games played (38) with Sacred Heart University. He ranked fifth on the Pioneers in scoring and was tied for fourth in goals.
A native of North Reading, Mass., Dorrington spent each of the previous four seasons with St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., recording 34 points (17 goals, 17 assists) in 117 games. He was a three-time ECAC All-Academic Team honoree at St. Lawrence.
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ISLANDERS TROUNCED AGAIN BY SENS BY SAME 6-1 SCORE
By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BELLEVILLE, Ont. (March 15, 2025) – Tyce Thompson squeezed home his seventh goal of the season on Saturday, but the Bridgeport Islanders (13-40-4-3), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, fell to the Belleville Senators (28-21-4-4), 6-1, for the second straight night at CAA Arena.
Malcolm Subban (10-5-3) made 30 saves for the Senators. Thompson’s third-period goal was his first since Feb. 16 and was assisted by Cam McDonald and Calle Odelius. It was McDonald’s first AHL point.
The Senators scored each of the first five goals for the second straight meeting, including twice in the first period. The Islanders left defenseman Max Guenette alone on the right side and Stephen Halliday found him with a diagonal pass, resulting in a wrist shot that beat Henrik Tikkanen (5-16-3) at the 17:08 mark.
Less than two minutes later, Wyatte Wylie sent a backdoor pass to the tape of Jan Jenik for a 2-0 advantage at 18:56.
Angus Crookshank recorded his team-leading 11th power-play goal at 4:25 of the second, popping out to the right faceoff dot and beating Tikkanen just eight seconds after Daylan Kuefler took an interference penalty. Jeremy Davies made it 4-0 on a breakaway six and a half minutes later, exiting the penalty box and receiving Jenik’s immediate stretch pass.
Wylie tucked home a sharp-angle wrist shot from the bottom of the right circle to make it 5-0 Senators at 8:08 of the third. Thompson finally got the Islanders on the board at the 15:27 mark, ripping a heavy wrist shot from the left side that leaked behind Subban.
Xavier Bourgault answered 17 seconds later with his eighth goal of the season for the 6-1 final.
The Islanders, who ended the season series 0-4-0-0 against the Senators, went 0-for-5 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Tikkanen made 30 saves.
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ISLANDERS CRUSHED BY SENS
By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BELLEVILLE, Ont (March 14, 2025) – The Bridgeport Islanders (13-39-4-3), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, suffered a 6-1 loss to the Belleville Senators (27-21-4-4) at CAA Arena on Friday.
Jack Randl scored his first AHL goal midway through the third period.
Leevi Meriläinen (13-7-3) made 20 saves for the Senators, while Belleville’s offense scored twice on the power play, once at four-on-four, and three times at five-on-five. The Islanders dropped to 0-3-0-0 in the season series.
The Senators cashed in on their first two power plays to take a 2-0 lead before the first intermission. Angus Crookshank deflected home his team-leading 20th goal of the season at the 4:40 mark, altering Garrett Pilon’s left-circle shot from the doorstep to beat Jakub Skarek (5-12-1). Tyler Boucher added his fourth goal of the season and first on the power play at 13:52, snapping a wrist shot off the post and in.
All-Star defenseman Jeremy Davies blew a slap shot past Skarek’s blocker from above the left hash marks to make it 3-0 at 9:31 of the second. The Senators added three more goals in the third period, all at five-on-five, from Max Guenette, Keean Washkurak, and Xavier Bourgault.
Randl recorded his first AHL goal at 10:25 of the third period for Meriläinen’s only blemish. Cole Bardreau won a wall battle on the left side and centered a pass for Daylan Kuefler, who twisted a brilliant backhand feed to the doorstep where Randl flipped another backhander home. Kuefler finished the game a goal shy of the Gordie Howe hat-trick, as he also fought Jorian Donovan late in the second period.
The Islanders went 0-for-7 on the power play after scoring in each of their last five games. The penalty kill was 1-for-3.
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ISLANDERS TAKE THE FUEL OUT OF THE ROCKET
By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
LAVAL, Que. (March 12, 2025) – Chris Terry and Brian Pinho each had three points to open a three-game Canadian road trip on Wednesday, leading the Bridgeport Islanders (13-38-4-3), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, to a 5-2 win against the Laval Rocket (37-16-2-1) at Place Bell.
The Islanders ended Laval’s five-game winning streak and handed the Rocket only their seventh regulation loss at home this season. Laval entered the night as the AHL’s top team with 77 points.
Terry scored two goals 59 seconds apart in the third period and added one assist for his team-leading 18th multi-point game. Terry recorded his team-best 57th point and closed to within four points of the League lead. Pinho recorded one goal and two assists, pacing the Islanders with 22 goals this season and hitting the 40-point mark for the first time in his career.
Alex Jefferies and Cam Thiesing also beat goaltender Connor Hughes (13-10-3), while Henrik Tikkanen (5-15-3) made 26 saves for Bridgeport.
The Islanders jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Jefferies beat Hughes with a glove-side wrist shot 14:45 into the game. Pinho settled the puck on the right side and centered a pass for Jefferies, who got loose at the hash marks and whistled a quick shot across the grain for his 10th goal of the season. Liam Foudy earned the secondary assist.
Alex Barre-Boulet scored both goals for the Rocket, each coming on the power play, including his 17th of the season at 7:38 of the second. With Jack Randl in the box for hooking, Sean Farrell sent a cross-ice pass to the right circle where Barre-Boulet hammered a one-timer past Tikkanen to tie the game.
Pinho answered with a highlight-reel move in the final 36 seconds of the period. After Sam Bolduc cut off Laval’s long stretch pass, Terry sprung Pinho over the blue line and Pinho did the rest. The AHL All-Star darted straight ahead, between a pair of defensemen, and lifted a backhand shot over Hughes for his 22nd goal of the season to make it 2-1. Terry and Bolduc each extended their point streaks to three games.
Thiesing converted a timely insurance marker to make it 3-1 early in the third. Jack Randl centered a pass to Daylan Kuefler just before taking a hard hit in the right corner, but it was enough for Kuefler to find Thiesing at the doorstep for his fourth goal of the season. Kuefler and Randl logged the assists at the 2:39 mark.
Barre-Boulet’s second power-play goal came on another right-circle blast, moving Laval back to within striking distance at 15:04. However, Terry shot the puck 170-feet down the ice and into an empty net just 1:34 later to restore Bridgeport’s two-goal advantage.
Terry capitalized 59 seconds later with a one-time slap shot from the left circle, taking Pinho’s pass from the half wall and finishing for his 18th goal of the season.
The Islanders went 1-for-6 on the power play and scored on the man advantage for the fifth straight game. The penalty kill was 1-for-3. Laval led in shots 28-27.
Bridgeport finished its season series against the Rocket 1-1-0-0.
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RECAP: MARLIES 3, ISLANDERS 2 (OT)
By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (March 8, 2025) – Adam Beckman registered a goal and an assist in his team debut on Saturday, but the Bridgeport Islanders (12-37-4-3), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, fell to the Toronto Marlies (29-17-3-6) in overtime, 3-2, at Total Mortgage Arena.
Jacob Quillan was the hero for Toronto, scoring the game-winning goal with 33.5 seconds left in overtime. Alex Steeves tallied his AHL-leading 31st goal and added one assist, while Dennis Hildeby (10-6-2) stopped 35 of 37 shots.
Beckman, Sam Bolduc and Chris Terry all had one goal and one assist for the Islanders, accounting for all of their scoring. After being acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Devils on Friday, Beckman notched his ninth multi-point effort of the season between Bridgeport and Utica. He has seven points (3g, 4a) in his last five games.
Bolduc recorded his fifth power-play goal of the season and eighth overall, while Terry collected his team-leading 52nd point and 36th assist.
After a scoreless first period, the Marlies struck twice in 27 seconds during the second. At the 7:29 mark, Matt Maggio was called for tripping, giving Toronto the man advantage. They capitalized just five seconds later when William Villeneuve found Steeves in the right circle, who hammered a one-timer past Henrik Tikkanen (4-15-3) for the power-play goal.
At 8:01, Villeneuve dumped the puck off to Alex Nylander just before entering the Islanders’ zone. Nylander crossed the blue line and blasted a slap shot past Tikkanen to make it 2-0 Toronto.
The Islanders struck back at the 13:21 mark. After Matthew Barbolini was assessed a tripping penalty, Terry fired a shot off Hildeby’s pad, and the rebound rolled out to Bolduc near the blue line. Bolduc wristed a lengthy follow-up chance past Hildeby for the power-play goal, cutting Toronto’s lead in half and beginning the comeback.
Beckman made it a brand-new contest with a clutch goal 13:45 into the third period. After the Islanders won a right-circle faceoff, Terry drilled a shot that hit Hildeby’s shoulder and cruised out to Bolduc, who tried to find Beckman near the goal. The puck redirected off Beckman’s skate and into the back of the net to force overtime.
During a fast-paced, thrilling extra period that saw incredible opportunities on both sides, the Marlies came out on top thanks to Quillan’s late goal. The Marlies gained possession in the final minute and skated into the Islanders’ zone with a 2-on-1 advantage. Steeves slid the puck to Quillan on the right side of the net, who sent a quick shot home to clinch the 3-2 victory for Toronto.
Bridgeport’s power play went 1-for-6, while the penalty kill went 3-for-4. Despite the loss, the Islanders led in shots 35-30. Bridgeport extended its point streak against the Marlies to seven straight games (5-0-3).
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NEW YORK ISLANDERS ACQUIRE BECKMAN FOR CHOLOWSKI
By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (March 7, 2025) – The New York Islanders have acquired forward Adam Beckman from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Dennis Cholowski.
Beckman, 23, has 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 43 games this season with the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL). Selected by the Minnesota Wild in the third round (75th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Beckman has recorded three assists in 23 career NHL games with Minnesota.
In 224 career AHL games with the Iowa Wild and Utica, Beckman totaled 141 points (70 goals, 71 assists). He scored a career-high 24 goals in 2022-23 with Iowa and added a goal in two Calder Cup Playoff games that season. Prior to his professional career, Beckman played three seasons (2017-18 to 2020-21) in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Spokane Chiefs and totaled 196 career points (97 goals, 99 assists) in 153 games.
Next Time Out: The Islanders open a two-game homestead tomorrow night with “Star Wars Night” at Total Mortgage Arena. Puck drop is 7 p.m. against the Toronto Marlies. 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 6:45 p.m.
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WOLF PACK SQUASH ISLANDERS
By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (March 5, 2025) – Cam Thiesing and William Dufour each logged one goal and one assist on Wednesday, but the Bridgeport Islanders (12-37-3-3), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, came up short in a 6-3 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack (23-26-5-2) at XL Center.
Alex Jefferies added his ninth goal of the season and fifth on the power play. The Islanders peppered Dylan Garand (15-7-6) with 41 shots, but the Hartford netminder made 38 saves to improve to 5-0-0 against Bridgeport this season.
Both Tristan Lennox (starter, no decision) and Hunter Miska (1-5-0) saw action for the Islanders.
Bridgeport has been outscored 7-0 in first periods over the last six games, including an early strike in transition from Chad Ruhwedel on Wednesday. The veteran defenseman took a cross-ice pass from Alex Belzile while moving through the right circle and blew a wrist shot past Lennox’s reaching glove just 6:36 into the game.
Belzile added another point at 9:16 of the second, slapping home a power-play goal from the left circle to make it 2-0. It was Belzile’s 100th career point with the Wolf Pack and his team-leading 50th marker of the season, tying Chris Terry and others for fourth most in the AHL.
Travis Mitchell was called for roughing at 12:20 of the second, giving Hartford a key opportunity to put the game away. However, the Islanders flipped the script when Liam Foudy sprung Thiesing down the right side and the latter whistled a shot past Garand’s reaching glove for a shorthanded goal. It was Thiesing’s third career goal, which made it 2-1 at the 13:10 mark.
The Wolf Pack answered with each of the next two goals. Dylan Roobroeck brushed a shot under Lennox at 16:57 of the second, assisted by Blade Jenkins and Adam Sykora. Hartford took its 3-1 lead through the intermission and into the third period, where they faced backup goalie Miska. Head coach Rick Kowalsky did not have an update on Lennox following the game.
Jaroslav Chmelar beat Muska’s glove just 1:15 into the third period to make it 4-1. William Dufour got the Islanders back within two at the 10:03 mark, sending a heavy wrist shot past Garand from between the circles following Thiesing’s pass on the right side. Wyatt Newpower was also credited with an assist on Dufour’s eighth goal of the season.
Blake McLaughlin snapped a 67-game goal-scoring drought in the AHL less than two minutes later to make it 5-2. But Jefferies responded with a power-play goal at the 15:55 mark, erasing his 15-game goal skid on assists from Dufour and Sam Bolduc. Bolduc launched a challenging shot from the perimeter that Garand turned back, but Dufour got a piece before Jefferies muscled it over the blue line as the net dislodged. Upon an official’s review, the goal stood.
Bryce McConnell-Barker scored an empty-net goal with 2:16 remaining.
The Islanders went 1-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the kill. Bridgeport led in shots 41-31, but fell to 2-3-2-0 in the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ this season.
Next Time Out: The Islanders open a two-game homestead on Saturday night with “Star Wars Night” at Total Mortgage Arena. Puck drop is 7 p.m. against the Toronto Marlies. 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 6:45 p.m.
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