Preview: Islanders vs. Penguins
Feb 24, 2024
THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (15-27-6-1) travel to Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza for the first time this season, site of this evening’s 6:05 p.m. matchup against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (26-18-7-1). The Islanders will finish a brief two-game road trip after coming up short to the Hartford Wolf Pack in a 2-1 loss at XL Center on Wednesday. Matt Maggio scored his 10th goal of the season and his third in the last two games, while Ken Appleby (6-7-0) made 25 saves. Karson Kuhlman and Dennis Cholowski each had an assist. It was Bridgeport’s league-leading 27th one-goal contest (11-9-6-1) and its fourth in a row.
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GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game marks the second of four meetings between the Islanders and Penguins this season, and the first of two in Pennsylvania. Bridgeport suffered a 4-3 loss at Total Mortgage Arena on Jan. 13th despite battling back from a 3-0 deficit before Penguins center Jonathan Gruden scored the winner with just 1:42 remaining. Ruslan Iskhakov, Robin Salo and Jeff Kubiak all had a multi-point performance for the Islanders (two assists each), while William Dufour, Reece Newkirk and Trevor Cosgrove recorded goals. The Islanders went 2-1-0-0 at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza last season (3-3-0-0 overall).
VIEW FROM WILKES-BARRE
The Penguins occupy third place in the Atlantic Division standings with a two-point cushion over fourth-place Hartford, but have dropped each of their last two games including a 4-1 loss in Hershey last night. Jonathan Gruden opened the scoring just 5:49 into the game, while Joel Blomqvist (16-8-5), who ranks fourth in the AHL with a 2.17 GAA, made 19 saves. The Penguins are without key forwards Colin White and Alex Nylander for the rest of the year, as White was claimed off waivers by Montreal on Thursday and Nylander (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s leading scorer) was traded to Columbus along with a conditional 2026 sixth-round draft pick in exchange for forward Emil Bemstrom on Thursday.
KID DOESN’T QUIT
Matt Maggio has scored each of Bridgeport’s last three goals including their only tallies in Sunday’s 2-1 overtime win against Laval and Wednesday’s 2-1 setback in Hartford. The 21-year-old winger, who was drafted by the New York Islanders in the fifth round (#142) in 2022, has four goals in his last four games and is currently enjoying a career-long four-game point streak (4g, 1a). He has eight points in his last nine contests (6g, 2a). Maggio is tied for second on the team in goals (10) and ranks eighth in points (16) through 39 games.
FROM THE ISLAND
The New York Islanders loaned Hudson Fasching and Samuel Bolduc to Bridgeport for conditioning on Friday. Both are expected to play tonight. Fasching has not played since Jan. 25th at Montreal. He has eight points (3g, 5a) in 35 NHL games this season. The 28-year-old forward earned 49 points (10g, 9a) in 49 NHL games last season after beginning the 2022-23 campaign with Bridgeport, collecting 11 points (7g, 4a) in 18 contests. Bolduc last played for New York on Jan. 27th. He has three points (1g, 2a) in 33 NHL games this season. A 2023 AHL All-Star defenseman, Bolduc had 35 points (10g, 25a) in 56 games with Bridgeport last season in addition to making his NHL debut.
QUICK HITS
The Islanders have allowed two goals or fewer in a season-long five straight games, but have scored one regulation goal or less in six of their last seven... Otto Koivula is expected to play his 268th career game with Bridgeport tonight, tying former captain Ben Holmstrom (2015-19) for ninth place on the team’s all-time list... Kyle MacLean was recalled by the New York Islanders for the third time this season on Wednesday.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (23-19-14): Last: 4-0 L at St. Louis, Thursday -- Next: Today vs. Tampa Bay, 2 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (22-22-4-2): Last: 3-1 L at Florida, last night -- Next: Tonight at Florida, 7 p.m. ET