Weekend Preview: Islanders at Checkers
Dec 15, 2023
THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (6-15-1-0) head south to the Tar Heel State this weekend for a two-game series against the Charlotte Checkers (12-10-1-0) at Bojangles Coliseum. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The Islanders continue a season-long, six-game road trip that began with a pair of setbacks in Utica and Springfield last weekend, including a 5-1 loss to the T-Birds in their most recent outing on Saturday. Matt Maggio scored Bridgeport’s lone tally, while Kyle MacLean and Paul LaDue had the assists. Jakub Skarek (3-11-1) made 24 saves in his second straight start.
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GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game marks the third of eight meetings between the Islanders and Checkers this season, and the third of four in North Carolina. The Islanders host the Checkers on Jan. 6-7 and Mar. 29-30 at Total Mortgage Arena. Charlotte leads the series 2-0-0-0 following a pair of wins in late October. Jake Wise and Lucas Carlsson each scored two goals and had three points in those meetings to lead the series. Ruslan Iskhakov has two assists in three games against the Checkers entering the weekend.
VIEW FROM CHARLOTTE
The Checkers have points in three of their last four games and are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss at the hands of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday. Mackie Samoskevich and Jordan Sourdif each scored and Spencer Knight (7-4-1) made 24 saves. Samoskevich, the Florida Panthers’ 24th overall pick in 2021, has three goals in his last two games including two in a 3-1 win at Hershey last Sunday. The Checkers are seventh in the Atlantic Division, one point behind Lehigh Valley and 12 points ahead of the Islanders.
HELGESON HITS #400
Seth Helgeson is expected to play his 400th game with Bridgeport tonight. The 33-year-old is already the club’s all-time leader in games played (399) and has eight goals, 48 assists and 56 points over that span. He ranks fourth all-time in team penalty minutes (619). Helgeson, who is currently serving as Islanders’ captain for the fourth straight season, played his 600th AHL game on Oct. 22nd against Hershey.
KOIVULA EYES SECOND IN SCORING
Otto Koivula had scored a goal in four straight road games prior to last Saturday’s loss in Springfield. He also saw a team-best four-game point streak come to an end, but his second-period tally last Friday night in Utica officially moved him ahead of Jeff Hamilton (2002-06) for third place on the team’s all-time points (157). Koivula now sets his eyes on Rob Collins (2003-06) for second place on Bridgeport’s all-time list, sitting six points back. Koivula is tied with Trent Hunter (2001-03) for eighth place on the club’s all-time goals list (60), which he’s done in 239 career games dating back to his AHL debut on Oct. 6, 2018.
QUICK HITS
Paul LaDue has assists in back-to-back games for the first time since Nov. 5-19 of last season... Bridgeport’s penalty kill is tied for third in the AHL with Charlotte (87.1%)... Jeff Kubiak played his 291st game with Bridgeport last Friday, passing Steven Regier (2004-08) for sixth place on the team’s all-time list… Jakub Skarek played his 118th game in Bridgeport’s crease last Saturday, passing Rick DiPietro (2001-13) for fourth place on the club’s all-time list for goalies... Skarek leads all Eastern Conference goaltenders in minutes played this season (889:03).
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (14-7-7): Last: 4-3 W vs. Anaheim, Wednesday -- Next: Tonight vs. Boston, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (8-9-2-2): Last: 3-2 SOL vs. Adirondack, Saturday -- Next: Tonight at Reading, 7 p.m. ET