Preview: Islanders vs. Thunderbirds
Jan 31, 2024
THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (11-24-5-0) battle the Springfield Thunderbirds (20-17-3-2) at 7 p.m. tonight inside Total Mortgage Arena. The Islanders continue a three-game homestand and are looking to snap a four-game slide after a 3-1 loss to the Providence Bruins on Saturday. Dennis Cholowski scored Bridgeport’s lone goal on a wrist shot from the blue line at 17:33 of the third period, while Henrik Tikkanen was perfect for more than 52 minutes, taking a scoreless deadlock into the late stages. Cholowski and Matt Maggio (assist) recorded a point for the second straight game.
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GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game marks the eighth of 12 meetings between the Islanders and Thunderbirds this season, and the fourth of six in Connecticut. Bridgeport is 3-2-2-0 against the St. Louis Blues’ affiliate and has points in all three matchups at Total Mortgage Arena (2-0-1-0). The Atlantic Division rivals last met on Jan. 10th, when Jeff Kubiak scored twice for the first time in his AHL career and William Dufour posted a power-play goal in a 4-3 overtime loss. Calle Rosen ended the contest 1:11 into overtime. Four of the seven meetings, and each of the last three, have gone past regulation.
VIEW FROM SPRINGFIELD
The Thunderbirds bounced back from a five-game losing streak with two consecutive wins against the Charlotte Checkers last weekend. Springfield beat Charlotte 3-1 on Friday and then scored six times in a 6-1 victory on Saturday. Mathias Laferriere scored once and added two assists, while Zachary Bolduc had a career-high three assists to lead the way. Will Bitten and Hunter Skinner also recorded one goal and one assist for the Thunderbirds, who enter tonight’s game in fifth place in the Atlantic Division.
MAC IS BACK
Kyle MacLean returns to the Bridgeport Islanders’ lineup tonight for the first time since Jan. 15th. He was recalled by the New York Islanders for the first time in his career on Jan. 17th and made his NHL debut on Jan. 19th in Chicago, recording one hit and one blocked shot in 10:21 of ice time. MacLean has also appeared in each of the last four games for the big club including Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Florida. The 24-year-old is fifth on Bridgeport’s team in scoring (19 points) and has three assists in seven games against the Thunderbirds this season.
BATTLING THE BIRDS
Otto Koivula has a team-high eight points (two goals, six assists) in seven games against Springfield this season, including points in three straight meetings. Koivula recorded a career-high four assists in a 6-5 overtime win on Dec. 29th. Koivula ranks second on the Islanders in assists (16) and points (24), and has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in his last 17 games overall. Teammate Jeff Kubiak leads all Islanders in the series with four goals in seven games. Four of Kubiak’s six goals on the season have come against Springfield.
APPLEBY, KUEFLER RETURN
Ken Appleby and Daylan Kuefler were reassigned to Bridgeport from the Worcester Railers (ECHL) on Monday. Appleby hasn’t played in the AHL since Dec. 30th in Hartford, but continues to lead Bridgeport with five wins in 11 games. He has hit the NHL-AHL-ECHL trifecta in a single season for the second time in his career. Appleby made two starts with the Railers this past weekend, posting a 1-1-0 record. Kuefler, a 21-year-old rookie forward, is looking to make his AHL debut, but has recorded five goals and three assists in 17 ECHL contests with Worcester this season.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (20-17-12): Last: 3-2 OTL vs. Florida, Saturday -- Next: Monday at Toronto, 7 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (18-18-3-2): Last: 4-2 L vs. Trois Rivières, Sunday -- Next: Friday at Trois Rivières, 7 p.m. ET