Islanders Tangle with Wolf Pack Tonight
Dec 22, 2021
The Bridgeport Islanders (9-14-1-3) tangle with the Hartford Wolf Pack (13-6-2-1) for the sixth time this season in their final game before the 2021 holiday break. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at the XL Center in Hartford. The Islanders will try for their second win against the Wolf Pack this season and third victory in their last four road games overall. Hartford leads the series 4-1-0-0 and is 3-0-0-0 against Bridgeport at home.
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LAST TIME OUT
Cole Bardreau scored for the third straight game and Jakub Skarek (6-7-2) made 30 saves on Sunday afternoon, but the Islanders suffered a 3-1 loss to the Charlotte Checkers at Bojangles Coliseum. Erik Brown assisted on Bardreau’s goal, giving him points in back-to-back games for the first time in his pro career. Brown logged a helper in Bridgeport’s 5-1 victory against the Checkers on Saturday.
VIEW FROM HARTFORD
The Wolf Pack snapped a four-game losing streak with a come-from-behind, 4-3 shootout win against the Springfield Thunderbirds on Sunday at home. Hartford rallied from a 3-0 deficit late in the second period to bounce back and earn its league-leading third shootout victory. Tim Gettinger, Hunter Skinner and Jonny Brodzinski each scored in regulation, while Keith Kinkaid made 21 saves for his 10th win (tied for 10th in the AHL). Despite the victory, Hartford is winless in regulation since Nov. 26th against Springfield (five games).
GOAL BARDREAU
Cole Bardreau has four goals in nine games this season after leading Bridgeport with 10 goals in 24 contests last year. He has scored in three straight for the first time since Mar. 10, 2016 - Mar. 16, 2018 and for the third time in his pro career. It ties the longest goal streak for any Isles player this season. Bardreau, who signed a new two-year, two-way contract with New York in September, is three games shy of #300 in the AHL. He is currently second among all AHL players in shooting percentage (4-for-11, 36.4%).
HUTTON’S HELPING HAND
Grant Hutton has five points (one goal, four assists) in his last five games, including a team-high three helpers last weekend. He is Bridgeport’s top goal scorer among blue-liners (three) and had put together a four-game point streak that came to an end on Sunday.
BACK IN THE LINEUP, ON THE SCORESHEET
Michael Dal Colle and Erik Brown both returned to the lineup last Saturday and made an immediate impact after missing at least a handful of games. Dal Colle recorded his third goal and fifth point in just six games after missing more than a month due to injury. Brown logged an assist in both games against Charlotte after missing five in a row. He set up Bardreau’s first-period tally on Saturday, which occurred a 2:17 – the quickest goal that the Islanders have scored this season.
QUICK HITS
Chris Terry has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in his last 10 games… His team-leading ninth goal and sixth multi-point game of the season occurred in his 649th AHL appearance on Saturday… Terry is third among all AHL players in shots (82) and tied for 12th in scoring (22 points)… Thomas Hickey, who earned a plus-four rating on Saturday, is two games shy of his 700th pro contest… Simon Holmstrom is three games away from his 100th as a pro… The Islanders have scored first in three straight games after allowing the opening goal in 19 of their first 24.
AFFILIATE REPORT
New York Islanders (8-12-6); Last: 4-3 SOL vs. VGK, Sunday -- Next: Monday at BUF, 7 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (8-10-0-1); Last: 4-2 W vs. ME, Dec. 11 -- Next: Sunday vs. ME, 7:05 p.m. ET