ISLANDERS GAIN POINT IN OT LOSS TO BRUINS, 3-2
By: Jason Shaya, Bridgeport Islanders
Providence, RI – The Bridgeport Islanders headed to Providence to battle the streaking Bruins on Sunday afternoon. The Isles looked for redemption after their loss at home to the Bruins the previous night. With the game tied heading into overtime, the Bruins scored to win 3-2, while the Islanders gained an important point in the standings in the loss.
In the first period, the Bruins started the scoring 40 seconds in when a rebound rested in the crease and was shoveled home by Fabain Lysell past goalie Henik Tikkanen, putting the Isles down 1-0. The Bruins added another goal at 9:37 from a Christian Wolanin point shot, putting Bridgeport down 2-0. Matthew Highmore answered back at 18:13 after he tapped home a loose puck in front of goalie Michael DiPietro for his 6th of the season, slicing the deficit in half, ending the first period.
After a scoreless second period, Highmore tied the contest at 17:59 for his second of the game and 7th of the season, bringing the contest to a 2-2 affair. But the Bruins won the game in overtime, 1:04 into the extra session, with Frederic Brunet netting the game-winner.
The Islanders are back on home ice Tuesday against the Utica Comets inside Total Mortgage Arena for a 7:00 PM puck drop. Great seats are still available. Please visit BRIDGEPORTISLANDERS.COM for more information.
_____________________________
ISLANDERS LOSE HOME GAME TO PROVIDENCE, 4-2
BY: Jason Shaya, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – In their first game after the All-Star break, the Bridgeport Islanders returned home to Total Mortgage Arena for the first game of a back-to-back against the Atlantic Division-leading Providence Bruins. In a tightly contested game, the Islanders failed to earn two points, falling 4-2 to the Bruins.
The win was Providence’s 11th in a row and ninth consecutive against the Islanders.
The Islanders opened the scoring 9:07 into play thanks to Cam Thiesing, who beat Luke Cavallin on a wrap-around for his sixth of the season.
In the middle frame, it was the Islanders’ fourth line connecting for their second tally as Matthew Maggio’s wrister deflected off the falling Cavallin right to Hunter Drew in the slot, who backhanded home his 12th of the season.
17 seconds later, Frederic Brunet cut Providence’s deficit in half with a wrister from the point. At 13:57, the Bruins evened the score on the man advantage as Christian Wolanin fired home a shot from the blue line for his fifth of the season.
Providence took its first lead of the game 2:40 into the third period with a goal credited to John Farinacci. Riley Tufte supplied an empty-netter with 25.5 seconds left to ice the decision.
The Islanders cap off their home-and-home series with the Bruins tomorrow at 3:05 p.m. at Amica Mutual Pavilion. They’ll return home on February 17 for a matchup against the Utica Comets at 7 p.m. for an NHL Network Radio-broadcasted game. Tickets are available on BRIDGEPORTISLANDERS.COM.
Notes
Drew’s goal gave him his 13th point in as many games (7-6–13).
Thiesing’s goal tied his career-high of six. The Islanders are 2-3-1-0 when Thieising scores this season.
Sean Day’s assist on Thiesing’s goal was his 99th in the AHL, moving him one away from 100 in his career. The Islanders are 7-1-1-0 when Day records a point this season.
The Islanders recorded a season-low 17 shots on goal.
____________________________
FOUDY’S HAT-TRICK LEADS ISES TO 5-1 VICTORY OVER PHANTOMS
BY: Jason Shaya, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Finishing its first half at Total Mortgage Arena, the Bridgeport Islanders took the ice with a chance to move within one point of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for fifth place in the Atlantic Division. Driven by a hat trick from Liam Foudy and seven Islanders recording points, Bridgeport defeated the Phantoms, 5-1.
The hat trick was Foudy’s first as an Islander and first in the AHL since Jan. 30, 2024, as a member of the Milwaukee Admirals.
Adam Beckman opened the scoring for Bridgeport 6:09 into the first period, as he retrieved Hunter Drew’s rebound and found the back of the net for his team-leading 18th goal of the season. Foudy continued the scoring 12:50 into play, receiving Matthew Highmore’s pass from behind the crease and beating Aleksei Kolosov top-shelf. The scoring continued at 15:56 as Matthew Maggio’s shot from the slot beat Kolosov to give the Isles a 3-0 lead.
Lehigh Valley responded with 55.3 seconds remaining in the opening frame as Lane Pederson scored a power play goal.
After a scoreless second period, Foudy continued his recent surge with his second goal of the game, dragging through a Phantom defender and beating Kolosov for his 16th of the season at 10:45 into the third.
The Islanders return from the All-Star break on Feb. 14 to square off against the Providence Bruins at 5 p.m. before heading to Providence on Sunday for a 3:05 p.m. puck drop. Tickets are available on https://www.bridgeportislanders.com/.
Notes
Maggio’s multi-point game was his eighth of the season. The Islanders are 8-0-0-0 when their 23-year-old forward records multiple points in a game.
Beckman’s goal gave him a five-game point streak against the Phantoms. The Islanders are 4-1-0-0 over that span, while Beckman has recorded nine points against Lehigh Valley this season (6-4–10).
Foudy’s goals gave him a five-game point streak (5-3–8) against the Phantoms. He has recorded 15 points over his past 13 games, with the Islanders going 8-3-0-2 over that span. The Islanders are 2-0-0-1 when Foudy records a multi-goal game.
After a 15-game pointless drought, Drew has recorded 12 points (6-6–12) in his last 12 games.
Isaiah George’s assist on Foudy’s second goal gave him a new single-season high with 11 assists.
___________________________
ISLANDERS DROP CONTEST AGAINST COMETS IN A SHOOTOUT 2-1
BY: Jason Shaya, Bridgeport Islanders
Utica, NY – The Islanders stepped onto the ice for the penultimate game before the All-Star break, looking to finish their last regular season trip to Upstate New York with a victory against the Utica Comets. With the game tied heading into overtime, no one prevailed, so it took a shootout to give Utica the victory, 2-1 over the Islanders.
After a scoreless first period, Adam Beckman struck as he tapped in a cross crease pass into the cage past Jakub Malek at 12:55 for his 8th of the season, making it a 1-0 game. Utica tied the contest at 15:30 on a shot by Shane LaChance that found its way past goalie Jeremy Smith, making the game 1-1 after 40 minutes of play.
The game headed to overtime with no goals scored in the final period, but it didn’t result in a game-winner. So the game headed to a shootout. The only goal was scored by Topias Vilen, and the Islanders gained a point in the 2-1 shootout loss.
The Islanders are back in action tomorrow at Total Mortgage Arena for a 7:00 PM puck drop against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Great seats are still available. Visit www.bridgeportislanders.com for more information.
Connect with the Bridgeport Islanders
Keep up with the latest Islanders news and connect with other fans on Facebook (@AHLIslanders), Twitter (@AHLIslanders), and Instagram (@AHLIslanders).
_____________________________
ISLANDERS DROP 2-1 DECISION TO BRUINS
BY: Jason Shaya, Bridgeport Islanders
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – On a six-game point streak inside Total Mortgage Arena, the Bridgeport Islanders welcomed the Providence Bruins for a weeknight matchup, looking to extend their season-best stretch. In a tightly contested game that saw the Islanders record 37 shots, the Bruins skated away with a 2-1 victory.
Riley Tufte opened the scoring for Providence 16:37 into the first period, beating Henrik Tikkanen on a breakaway for his team-leading 19th of the season and his 200th career AHL point.
Providence added to its lead as Christian Wolanin fired a shot in from the point five seconds into a power play, giving them a 2-0 advantage with 15:53 remaining in the second.
The Islanders responded 12:18 into the middle frame, as Gleb Veremyev cleaned up a net-front rebound for his second goal of the season.
Michael DiPietro denied all ten shots he faced in the third period and 36 of 37 in the contest, lifting Providence to the win.
The Islanders head to upstate New York to battle the Utica Comets on Friday before returning home on Saturday for a matchup against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, with both puck drops scheduled for 7 p.m. Tickets are available at BridgeportIslanders.com.
Notes
Veremyev’s goal was his first at Total Mortgage Arena and snapped a 12-game goalless drought.
Hunter Drew’s assist on Veremyev’s goal gave him his tenth point in as many games (5-5–10). The Islanders are 6-3-0-1 over that span.
Marshall Warren’s assist on Veremyev’s goal was his 19th of the season, tying him for the seventh most among AHL defensemen.
Liam Foudy appeared in his 275th professional game this evening (171 AHL, 104 NHL). The 26-year-old recorded three shots in the contest.
This evening snapped a streak of eight consecutive games in which the Islanders scored first. They went 5-2-0-1 over that span.
Wolanin’s goal snapped a streak of 24 successful penalty kills in a row for the Islanders, with their last power play goal allowed before tonight coming on Jan. 3.
Connect with the Bridgeport Islanders
Keep up with the latest Islanders news and connect with other fans on Facebook (@AHLIslanders), Twitter (@AHLIslanders), and Instagram (@AHLIslanders).
Leave a Reply