Sound Tigers Hike to Utica, Syracuse This Weekend
Dec 5, 2019
THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (8-12-3-1), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, continue a three-game road trip this weekend with trips to Utica and Syracuse. The Sound Tigers will face the Utica Comets (13-8-1-0) at the Adirondack Bank Center tonight and the Syracuse Crunch (11-9-2-0) at the Oncenter War Memorial Arena on Saturday. Both contests will begin at 7 p.m.
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LAST TIME OUT
The Sound Tigers have been off since Saturday when they saw a four-game win streak come to an end in a 5-2 setback against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in Pennsylvania. Matt Lorito scored for the second straight game and Parker Wotherspoon added his first of the season, while Jakub Skarek (2-3-0) made 29 saves on 34 shots. Bridgeport finished its busiest month with a record of 7-7-1-0 in 15 November games.
TIGERS VS. COMETS
Tonight's tilt marks the first of four meetings between the Sound Tigers and Comets this season, and the first of two in western New York. Bridgeport will host Utica three days from now in a rematch at Webster Bank Arena on Monday, and then again next Friday at the Adirondack Bank Center. Last year, the Sound Tigers went 2-0-0-0 in the series, including a 4-3 overtime win in New York on Jan. 11. Parker Wotherspoon had the game-winning goal in the final 36 seconds of OT. In fact, each of their last four meetings have gone past regulation dating back to Dec. 1, 2017.
VIEW FROM UTICA
Led by head coach Trent Cull, the Comets opened the season with eight straight wins and were the early front-runners in the North Division, but have drifted back to fourth place and are just 5-4-1-0 in their last 10 games. Utica suffered a 5-3 loss in Toronto on Sunday despite multi-point efforts from Luke Jasek (1g, 1a), Justin Bailey (1g, 1a) and Brogan Rafferty (2a). Between the pipes, Michael DiPietro made 17 saves, one day before he was recalled by the Vancouver Canucks. The Comets are led offensively by seventh-year forward Reid Boucher (24 points in 17 games). His 15 goals lead all players in the AHL and his 24 points are tied for sixth most. Meanwhile, Rafferty has five points (5a) in his last three games and is second among all AHL rookies in assists (14).
TIGERS VS. CRUNCH
Saturday’s contest will mark the second of four meetings between the Sound Tigers and Crunch this season, and the second of two in New York. The Sound Tigers dropped a 5-1 decision at the Oncenter War Memorial Arena on Nov. 1, in which Travis St. Denis scored the only goal for Bridgeport. The Sound Tigers will host Syracuse for the first time this season on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
VIEW FROM SYRACUSE
Syracuse enters the weekend in a tie for sixth place in the North Division with 24 points in 22 games. The Crunch have lost three of their last four contests, including a 5-1 setback to the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday, in which Ross Colton scored the only Syracuse goal. Cameron Gaunce chipped in with the primary assist and is now tied for sixth among all AHL defensemen in points (15), and fourth in helpers (14). The club is led overall by second-year forward and reigning AHL Most Outstanding Rookie, Alex Barre-Boulet, with 19 points (10g, 9a) in 21 outings this season.
LORITO LIGHTS IT UP
Matt Lorito has scored in back-to-back games for the first time since he opened the season with goals in each of the first three. The fifth-year forward leads the Sound Tigers in goals (6) and is tied for the team lead in points (12) with Sebastian Aho, but hasn't registered a point against a North Division team yet this year. Lorito is also third on the club in shots (51) and power-play points (1g, 2a).
TRAVELING NORTH
Five of the Sound Tigers' next six games will take place against North Division opponents, specifically Utica (three games) and Syracuse (two games). Bridgeport is winless in four matchups against the North so far this year (0-3-1-0) and has been outscored 14-5 in those games.
KUHNHACKL LOANED FOR CONDITIONING
New York Islanders forward Tom Kuhnhackl was loaned to the Sound Tigers for conditioning on Thursday, nearly six weeks after he sustained a lower-body injury in a game against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 25. He was placed on injured reserve Oct. 30. Kuhnhackl played one game with the Sound Tigers last season and recorded three points (1g, 2a), along with a plus-3 rating, on Nov. 3, 2018 against Springfield. He made six appearances with the Islanders earlier this season, but did not collect a point. Kuhnhackl will wear #41 with Bridgeport.
QUICK HITS
Bridgeport is 1-for-28 on the power play over its last seven games... The Sound Tigers are the only team in the Eastern Conference without a shorthanded goal.. Bridgeport is 6-0-0-0 when leading after two periods... The club recorded 27 shots during the second period in last Friday's win against Springfield - the most in a single frame since at least 2003-04... Arnaud Durandeau leads all AHL rookies in shooting percentage (5-for-14, 35.7%) and is tied for second in the league overall... Christopher Gibson is 11th in the AHL with a 2.40 goals-against-average... Tom Kuhnhackl has played 155 games in the AHL, mostly with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins from 2012-16 (31g, 31a).
AFFILIATE REPORT
NHL: New York Islanders (19-6-2) - Next: Saturday at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m. ET
ECHL: Worcester Railers (6-12-1-0) - Next: Tonight at Newfoundland Growlers, 5:30 p.m. ET