Preview: Islanders at Phantoms
Dec 28, 2022
THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (14-10-5-0) return to the road tonight to battle the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (13-11-2-1) for the second time this season at 7:05 p.m. inside PPL Center. The Islanders are looking to snap a three-game losing streak on the road and a five-game skid overall, including a 7-3 setback to the Hartford Wolf Pack last night at home. Sam Bolduc, Chris Terry and Andy Andreoff each found the back of the net, but the Wolf Pack scored at least twice in every period and Bridgeport allowed seven goals for the first time since a 7-6 overtime loss to Springfield on Oct. 28th. Jakub Skarek (4-7-3) made 32 saves in his third straight start.
LISTEN LIVE: https://bit.ly/BridgeportIslanders
WATCH: AHLTV.com
GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game is the second of eight meetings between the Islanders and Phantoms this season, and the second of four in Allentown, PA. Bridgeport skated to a 6-3 win in Allentown on Oct. 29th, led by Andy Andreoff and Ruslan Iskhakov who each scored once and added two assists in the first meeting. It was an eight-point night for Brent Thompson’s top line as Chris Terry also had two assists, while Sam Bolduc chipped in three assists from the blue line.
VIEW FROM ALLENTOWN
The Phantoms return from their holiday break tonight and play their first game since a 2-1 win against the Springfield Thunderbirds on the road Friday. Artem Anisimov scored 23 seconds into the game and captain Cal O’Reilly had the eventual game-winner, while Pat Nagle made 30 saves. The victory ended a three-game losing streak and kept the Phantoms in sixth place at the break. Anisimov has 10 goals and 13 points in 12 AHL games this season and former Bridgeport forward Kieffer Bellows has eight points (3g, 5a) in eight games with the Phantoms. Tyson Foerster leads the group in scoring with 19 points (8g, 11a). Rookie forward Elliot Desnoyers has a team-high 11 goals.
ANDREOFF’S STREAK
Andy Andreoff has scored a goal in three straight games and has five points (3g, 2a) during that span. His 16 goals on the season not only lead the Islanders, but they’re tied with Texas forward Riley Barber for most among all active players in the AHL. Andreoff had 18 goals in 60 games last season and set a career-high 26 goals with Syracuse in 2018-19. Half of his goals this season have come on the power play, which is also tied for most among all active players (eight).
SAM I AM
Third-year defenseman Sam Bolduc scored his fifth goal of the season and his first since Dec. 4th in last night’s loss. Bolduc is third on the team in scoring and leads all Bridgeport defensemen with 21 points (5g, 16a) in 29 games. He shares sixth place among AHL blue-liners in scoring, is tied for fourth in power-play assists (10), and ranks fifth in shots (73). He has already set new career highs in points and assists, and is one goal shy of his career best set in 2020-21.
QUICK HITS
Chris Terry passed Ab DeMarco (1938-52) and Michel Picard (1989-04) for 35th place on the AHL’s all-time scoring list with his 639th career point last Friday... Ruslan Iskhakov shares fifth place among all AHL rookies with 20 points... Will Dufour is fifth among AHL rookies with 10 goals and shares third among rookies with five power-play tallies... Bridgeport is 2-0-1-0 when playing on a Wednesday this season.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (20-14-2): Last: 5-1 W vs. Pittsburgh, last night -- Next: Tomorrow vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (18-9-1-0): Last: 7-0 L at Adirondack, Friday -- Next: Today vs. Maine, 1 p.m. ET