Preview: Season Finale at Bruins
Apr 15, 2023
THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (34-29-7-1) play their 72nd and final game of the season tonight, visiting Rhode Island for a 7:05 p.m. matchup against the Providence Bruins (42-18-8-2) at Amica Mutual Pavilion. The Islanders are looking to end the season with three straight wins following a 5-1 victory against the first-place Hershey Bears in their home finale last night. Cory Schneider made 35 saves and Chris Terry recorded four points for the second straight game (1g, 3a), setting Bridgeport’s franchise record for most assists in a single season (47) and matching the team record for most points (76). Arnaud Durandeau (2g, 1a) and Kyle MacLean (1g, 1a) also notched a multi-point night.
LISTEN: https://bit.ly/BridgeportIslanders
WATCH: AHLTV.com
GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game is the 12th and final meeting between the Islanders and Bruins this season, and the last of six in Rhode Island. Bridgeport is 6-5-0-0 against Providence so far and 4-1-0-0 in those games on the road, including four straight wins at Amica Mutual Pavilion. The Islanders defeated Providence 5-2 in their last matchup on Apr. 1st, led by Chris Terry and Paul Thompson who both scored twice. Jakub Skarek (15-15-3) had 21 saves. Terry leads all players in the series with 12 points (6g, 6a) in 10 games.
VIEW FROM PROVIDENCE
The Bruins are second in the Atlantic Division standings, but can clinch the division title with a victory tonight and a Hershey regulation loss against Lehigh Valley. Providence is just one point behind the Bears and will earn a bye into the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs after being swept by the Islanders in the first round last season. The Bruins will end the regular season with a “three-in-three,” which began last night with a 7-2 loss at Springfield. Georgii Merkulov and Chris Wagner scored each of the first two goals, but Springfield battled back with three in the second period and four in the third. Merkulov and goaltender Brandon Bussi were named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team on Wednesday.
CHASING WILLIE MARSHALL
Andy Andreoff (pictured) has 12 goals in his last 14 games and a career-high 36 on the season, tied with Matthew Phillips (Calgary) for most in the AHL. Bridgeport and Calgary both have one game left to decide which player will take home the prestigious Willie Marshall Award, given annually to the AHL’s top goal scorer for the regular season. Former Bridgeport forward Jeff Hamilton won the first ever Willie Marshall Award with 43 goals in 2003-04. No one has had more than that in a single season with the organization. Jeff Tambellini had 38 goals with Bridgeport in 2007-08. Andreoff enters tonight’s contest on a three-game point streak (3g, 2a).
TERRY CONTINUES HIS TEAR
Chris Terry scored once and added three assists last night for his second consecutive four-point effort. He shares fourth in the AHL’s scoring race with Calgary’s Matthew Phillips (career-high 76 points) and is now tied with Jeff Tambellini (2007-08) for the most points in a single season in Bridgeport history. Terry has also overtaken Phil Hergesheimer (1937-51) for 25th on the League’s all-time goals list (290). He has at least one point in six of his last seven games and eight of his last 10.
QUICK HITS
Arnaud Durandeau enters tonight’s game on a career-long and team-best seven-game point streak (3g, 8a)... Durandeau has scored in back-to-back games with four points over that span (3g, 1a)... William Dufour is on a five-game point streak (1g, 5a)... Kyle MacLean is on a season-long four-game point streak (2g, 3a)... The Islanders have scored at least five goals against the Bruins four times this season... Bridgeport is 21-1-2-1 when hitting the five-goal mark overall this year.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (42-31-9): Last: 4-2 W vs. Montreal, Wednesday -- Next: Stanley Cup Playoffs
Worcester Railers (34-32-4-0): Last: 6-2 W vs. Adirondack, last Saturday -- Next: Tonight at Adirondack, 7 p.m. ET