Bridgeport Islanders Host Penguins at 5 p.m. Tonight
April 6, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - The Bridgeport Islanders (24-35-6-1) host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (34-22-8-1) tonight in a 5 p.m. matchup at Total Mortgage Arena. The Islanders, who have just six games left in the regular season, will remain at home tomorrow afternoon for a 3 p.m. faceoff against the Rochester Americans. Bridgeport is 12 points out of a playoff spot, but the New York Islanders' affiliate has won four of its last five games including a 4-1 victory in Hartford on Wednesday. Aidan Fulp's first professional goal early in the second period proved to be the game winner, and Ken Appleby (10-9-0) made 28 saves for his third straight win. Brian Pinho (2a) and Carsen Twarynski (1g, 1a) had two points each in the 'Battle of Connecticut' finale.
TICKETS: Available here
*The first 2,500 fans will receive a free beach towel for 'Island Night'
WATCH ONLINE: www.ahltv.com
LISTEN LIVE: https://isles-radio.mixlr.com/
ISLANDERS VS. PENGUINS
Tonight's game is the third of four meetings between the Islanders and Penguins this season, and the second of two in Connecticut. Bridgeport is still searching for its first win in the series following a 4-3 loss at home on Jan. 13th and a 4-1 setback in Wilkes-Barre, PA on Feb. 24th. Ruslan Iskhakov, Robin Salo and Jeff Kubiak lead the Islanders in the season series with two points (two assists) each.
VIEW FROM WILKES-BARRE
Radim Zohorna scored the game-winning goal 35 seconds into overtime to solidify a 3-2 victory against the Cleveland Monsters at home last night. Evan Vierling (first AHL goal) and Avery Hayes also scored, as the Penguins clinched a playoff berth and remain third in the Atlantic Division standings, tied with the Charlotte Checkers. Joel Blomqvist (23-10-6) made 28 saves for his third straight victory. Blomqvist is third among all AHL goaltenders with a 2.15 goals-against-average in 41 games. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goes for its fourth straight win tonight as they continue a '3-in-3' weekend series.
YOUNG GUNS A-BLAZIN'
Three of the Islanders' four goals on Wednesday came from highly-touted prospects. 2020 fourth-round draft pick Alex Jefferies, who notched his first pro goal on Tuesday, scored again to make it 1-0 in the first period. Jefferies has two goals in six pro games. Defenseman Aidan Fulp followed that up with his first pro goal just 1:57 into the second, which stood as the game winner. 2020 fifth-round pick William Dufour added his 14th goal of the season on a brilliant feed from Ruslan Iskhakov later in the frame. Iskhakov is up to a team-leading 29 assists and 46 points, along with a team-high 17 goals, during his second AHL season.
PINHO KEEPS PRODUCING
Brian Pinho has been Bridgeport's most consistent player over the last month and recorded his fourth multi-point game of the season with two assists on Wednesday. The 28-year-old has 11 points in his last 13 games (2g, 9a) and is now tied for second on the team in scoring (30 points) alongside Otto Koivula, who hasn't played since Mar. 10th. Pinho has surpassed his point total from last season and has already set a new career high for assists (24). Pinho, a sixth-year pro, had 37 points (20g, 17a) in 62 games with Hershey in 2019-20, the year he made his NHL debut with the Washington Capitals.
QUICK HITS
Jeff Kubiak is two games shy of his 400th professional contest... The Islanders have played 33 games that have resulted in a one-goal differential, most in the AHL... Bridgeport announced on Thursday that forward Jack Randl has signed an AHL contract for next season and has joined the club on an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) for the remainder of 2023-24... Randl played four seasons at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where he recorded 26 points (13g, 13a) in 39 games this season... He led the Mavericks with a career-high 18 goals and 34 points in 2022-23, while serving as an alternate captain.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (34-27-15): Last: 4-2 W at Columbus, Thursday -- Next: Tonight vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (29-30-5-3): Last: 6-2 L at Maine, last night -- Tonight vs. Maine, 7 p.m. ET
American Hockey League Stories from April 6, 2024
- Griffins Split Weekend Series with Loss in Rockford - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Mersch's 400th Point Leads Amerks Past Bruins in Overtime - Rochester Americans
- Bears Claim 50th Win In 3-2 Shootout Victory Over Wild - Hershey Bears
- Iowa Earns Point in Seven-Round Shootout Loss to Hershey - Iowa Wild
- Hogs Battle Back with Three-Straight Goals at Home - Rockford IceHogs
- Admirals Complete Comeback Over Stars - Milwaukee Admirals
- Admirals Steal Victory from Stars Hands - Texas Stars
- Belleville Beats Syracuse To Keep Pace In North Division Playoff Race - Belleville Senators
- The Force Was with the Monsters - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Cajan's Shutout Backs Monsters to 3-0 Win Over Phantoms - Cleveland Monsters
- P-Bruins Bested by Americans in Overtime - Providence Bruins
- Crunch Clinch Playoff Berth, Fall to Senators, 5-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- Rueschhoff, Smith Steer Penguins Past Islanders, 6-3 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Silver Knights Triumph over Eagles, 4-1, on Saturday Afternoon - Henderson Silver Knights
- Moose Comes through with Important Shootout Victory - Manitoba Moose
- San Diego Gulls Sign Konnor Smith to Amateur Tryout - San Diego Gulls
- Magnus Hellberg Shutout, Two Gerry Mayhew Goals Lead Checkers to Another Win - Charlotte Checkers
- Wolf Pack Fall 4-0 to Checkers - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Comets Score Early But Can't Hold on against Marlies, Lose 5-1 - Utica Comets
- Wolves Tipped by Moose 5-4 in a Shootout - Chicago Wolves
- Gaudette Makes T-Birds History, But Laval Emerges with Two Points - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Henderson Scores Four Unanswered to Defeat Eagles, 4-1 - Colorado Eagles
- Reign Sign Forward Quinn Olson to ATO - Ontario Reign
- Morning Skate Report: April 6, 2024 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Phillips and Shepard Loaned to Hershey - Hershey Bears
- Game #66: Tucson Roadrunners vs. San Diego Gulls - Tucson Roadrunners
- Game Preview: Bears at Wild, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Wranglers Defeat Condors - Calgary Wranglers
- Hogs Square off with Griffins in Weekend Rematch - Rockford IceHogs
- Wolf Pack Open Weekend Set in Charlotte against Checkers - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild vs. Hershey Bears - Iowa Wild
- Providence Bruins Recall Ryan Mast from Maine Mariners - Providence Bruins
- Game Preview: Condors v Wranglers, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Get Local Artist Ryan Lape's Hat Tonight - Rockford IceHogs
- Bridgeport Islanders Host Penguins at 5 p.m. Tonight - Bridgeport Islanders
- Romanov Makes 39 Stops But Barracuda Fall 3-1 at Firebirds - San Jose Barracuda
- Gagner And Pederson With Goals, But Condors' Five-Game Home Winning Streak Ends - Bakersfield Condors
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
