Preview: Islanders at Bruins
Jan 21, 2024
THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (11-22-4-0) and Providence Bruins (22-13-3-2) will face one another in three straight games, almost a mini-playoff series, that begins this afternoon at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. The Islanders are coming off a 3-0 setback to the Hartford Wolf Pack at home last night, their second shutout loss in the last three games. Bridgeport was also blanked in Providence last Sunday, 2-0, and has scored just one goal in regulation in its last three games. The Islanders outshot the Wolf Pack 34-26 last night, and Jakub Skarek (3-15-4) made 23 saves in his team-leading 22nd appearance.
WATCH ONLINE: www.ahltv.com
LISTEN LIVE: https://isles-radio.mixlr.com/
GAME AT A GLANCE
Today’s game is the eighth of 12 meetings between the Islanders and Bruins this season, and the fourth of six in Rhode Island. Bridgeport is 1-6-0-0 against Boston’s affiliate and has dropped five straight including a 2-0 loss in Providence last Sunday. The Islanders are 0-3-0-0 at Amica Mutual Pavilion this season. Bruins forward Anthony Richard leads all players in the series with nine points (six goals, three assists) in six appearances, while Kyle MacLean had six points (three goals, three assists) against the Bruins prior to his recall with the New York Islanders on Wednesday.
VIEW FROM PROVIDENCE
The second-place Providence Bruins are 8-1-1-0 in their last 10 games and currently 15 points behind Hershey for the top spot in the division. Providence was the only Atlantic Division team not to play last night, resting up after a 4-2 loss to the Syracuse Crunch on Friday. Reilly Walsh and Georgii Merkulov each scored, while Michael DiPietro (11-6-0) made 29 saves. DiPietro ranks ninth among AHL goalies with a 2.45 GAA. Merkulov leads the Bruins with 16 goals and 35 points in 35 games, and is currently riding a five-game point streak (three goals, four assists). He has scored a goal in back-to-back contests.
TWARYNSKI MAKES DEBUT
Bridgeport signed 26-year-old forward Carsen Twarynski to an AHL contract on Jan. 8th and he made his Islanders debut last night, recording two shots-on-goal and an even rating. Twarynski, who was a third-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2016, has 82 points (40g, 42a) in 250 career AHL games with Lehigh Valley, Charlotte, Coachella Valley, and now Bridgeport. He had 17 goals in 71 regular-season games with the Firebirds last season and added eight points (5g, 3a) in 26 playoff contests, helping Coachella Valley reach the Calder Cup Finals. Twarynski has one goal in 22 NHL games with the Flyers.
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
Ruslan Iskhakov has points in 11 of his last 13 games including a career-long 10-game scoring streak that was snapped last Sunday in Providence. The 23-year-old has six goals and nine assists since the Islanders’ 5-4 win in Hartford on Dec. 22nd. Iskhakov is headed to San Jose, California on Feb. 4-5 as part of the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Tech CU, his second straight All-Star selection. Iskhakov leads the Islanders in goals (13), assists (19), points (32), shots (88), multi-point games (10), and game-winning goals (4).
QUICK HITS
Forwards Ashton Calder and Daylan Kuefler were brought up from the Worcester Railers (ECHL) on Thursday and both are hoping to make their AHL debut this afternoon... The Islanders are winless in regulation in their last 12 games... Jakub Skarek is fifth among all AHL goaltenders in minutes played (1,302:07)... Grant Hutton returned to the Islanders’ lineup last night after missing six games with an upper-body injury.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (19-15-11): Last: 4-3 OTL at Chicago, Friday -- Next: Tonight vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (17-15-3-2): Last: 4-3 SOW at Fort Wayne, last night -- Next: Tonight at Fort Wayne, 5 p.m. ET