Preview: Islanders at Thunderbirds
Feb 4, 2023
THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (19-18-6-1) face the Springfield Thunderbirds (22-17-1-4) in their final game before the All-Star break, dropping the puck at 7:05 p.m. tonight inside MassMutual Center. Last night, Chris Terry scored his second shorthanded goal of the season in a 4-1 loss to the Hershey Bears at Total Mortgage Arena. It was Bridgeport’s eighth shorthanded goal as a team, tied for most in the AHL. Jakub Skarek (6-11-3) made 25 saves in his fourth consecutive appearance for the Islanders. Bridgeport went 0-for-4 on the man advantage and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.
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GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game is the ninth of 12 meetings between the Islanders and Thunderbirds this season, and the last of six in Massachusetts. Bridgeport is 3-2-3-0 against Springfield this year and 2-1-2-0 in those games on the road including a 6-2 victory in its last trip on Jan. 16th. Springfield’s Nikita Alexandrov leads all players in the series with seven goals and 11 points, while Ruslan Iskhakov has nine points in eight games against the T-Birds (3g, 6a).
VIEW FROM SPRINGFIELD
The Thunderbirds set a team record by posting their seventh straight win, 4-2, over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last night at home. Keean Washurak, Matthew Highmore, Martin Frk and Matthew Peca each scored, while Peca added two assists for a three-point performance. Vadim Zherenko made 28 saves. With the win, the Thunderbirds improved to fourth in the Atlantic Division standings with 49 points in 44 games.
TERRY TAKING OVER
Chris Terry scored Bridgeport’s lone goal last night and had two assists in Hershey on Sunday, good for his team-leading 12th multi-point game of the season. He increased his team lead in both assists (29) and points (43), and enters the night tied for ninth in the AHL in scoring. He shares 10th in assists. Bridgeport is 9-1-1-1 when Terry has at least two points in a game this season.
ISKHAKOV ADDED TO ALL-STAR ROSTER
The AHL announced on Wednesday that Ruslan Iskhakov has been added to the Atlantic Division’s playing roster for the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic in Laval, Quebec this weekend (Feb. 5-6). He will join Bridgeport defenseman Samuel Bolduc. Iskhakov, 22, has nine goals and 22 assists through 40 games this season, tied for sixth among all AHL rookies in scoring (31 points). He shares second place among rookies in assists.
QUICK HITS
The Islanders have scored three power-play goals in their last four games, sitting seventh in the AHL at 22.4%... Arnaud Durandeau has eight points (3g, 5a) in his last 10 games after a pair of power-play goals on Sunday... Seven of his nine goals have come on the man advantage... Bridgeport is the only Eastern Conference team to not allow a shorthanded goal and one of just three Eastern Conference club with eight shorthanded goals scored... Henrik Tikkanen was returned on loan to Worcester (ECHL) on Thursday.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (25-22-5): Last 2-1 OTW vs. Vegas, Saturday -- Next: Monday at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (22-18-3-0): Last: 3-2 L vs. South Carolina, last night -- Next: Tonight vs. South Carolina, 7:05 p.m.