Preview: Islanders vs. Wolf Pack
Mar 9, 2024
THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (19-29-6-1) have won three straight games for the first time this season, and look to make it four in a row when they host the Hartford Wolf Pack (29-17-6-1) at 7 p.m. inside Total Mortgage Arena. Last night, the Islanders scored four goals for the second consecutive outing in a 4-2 win against the Springfield Thunderbirds on the road. William Dufour, Tyce Thompson, Grant Hutton (SHG) and Matt Maggio (PPG) all scored, while Ken Appleby (7-8-0) made 18 saves. The win moved Bridgeport to within 10 points of the Thunderbirds for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division with 17 games remaining. Bridgeport closed to within eight points of the seventh-place Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
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ISLANDERS VS. WOLF PACK
Tonight’s game is the ninth of 10 meetings between the Islanders and Wolf Pack this season, and the last of five matchups at Total Mortgage Arena. Bridgeport is 1-6-1-0 against Hartford so far and still in search of its first win at home (0-3-1-0). The Wolf Pack have won six straight meetings overall including a 2-1 regulation victory at the XL Center on Feb. 21st. Hartford’s Brennan Othmann leads all players in the series with eight points (2g, 6a) in seven games, while Otto Koivula has a team-best five points (2g, 3a) in eight games for Bridgeport.
VIEW FROM HARTFORD
The Wolf Pack have also won three straight games and carry a four-game point streak (3-0-1-0) into tonight’s action. Hartford sits fourth in the Atlantic Division, just one point behind the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but has three games in hand. Last night, Hartford defeated the Providence Bruins in a 7-4 final at home. Brett Berard recorded his first professional hat trick and has scored a goal in three straight games (five goals total). Berard leads the Wolf Pack and is second among AHL rookies in goals (22). Alex Belzile, who was returned from the New York Rangers on Monday, had three points (1g, 2a) and former Islander Blade Jenkins had two points (1g, 1a). The Wolf Pack open a three-game road trip tonight.
KOWALSKY WINS #300
Rick Kowalsky became the 26th head coach to ever win 300 AHL games when the Islanders defeated Springfield last night. The 51-year-old Simcoe, Ont. native became the third active head coach to reach that mark following Kevin Dineen (Utica) and Todd Nelson (Hershey). Kowalsky was named Bridgeport’s ninth head coach on July 13, 2023, after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach under Brent Thompson. Previously, Kowalsky spent eight seasons as head coach with the AHL Devils from 2010-18, guiding those teams to three Calder Cup Playoff appearances, in 2014, 2016 and 2017, and in 2015-16 he earned the Louis A.R. Pieri Award as the AHL’s outstanding coach.
MAGGIO REMAINS RED HOT
Matt Maggio has scored a goal in three straight games, matching the longest streak for any Bridgeport player this season. He has seven goals in his last 10 contests and ranks second on the team with 13 goals this season, two behind Ruslan Iskhakov (15). He has 10 points in his last 10 games (7g, 3a). The Islanders are 8-3-1-0 when Maggio scores a goal and 2-0-0-0 when he records a multi-point performance.
QUICK HITS
In addition to Maggio, William Dufour (2g, 1a), Karson Kuhlman (1g, 2a) and Ruslan Iskhakov (3a) are all on three-game point streaks... Grant Hutton’s shorthanded goal last night was Bridgeport’s third as a team this season... Seth Helgeson played his 700th professional game last night... The Islanders have outshot their opponents in seven straight games and have at least 30 shots-on-goal in each.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (28-20-14): Last: 7-2 W at San Jose, Thursday -- Next: Sunday at Anaheim, 8 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (25-24-4-2): Last: 4-3 W at Trois Rivières, last night -- Next: Today at Trois Rivières, 3 p.m. ET