AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Islanders Rally past Providence

Published on October 31, 2021 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Bridgeport Islanders (3-2-0-2), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, scored a season-high six goals, including four unanswered, in a 6-4 victory against the Providence Bruins (2-3-1-1) at Webster Bank Arena on Saturday.

Four Islanders recorded their first goals of the season and Otto Koivula extended his scoring streak to a season-best five games to help Bridgeport remain perfect at home (3-0-0-0).

Koivula, Blade Jenkins, Simon Holmstrom, and Richard Panik all earned their first goals of the season, while Andy Andreoff and Anatolii Golyshev also found the back of the net. Holmstrom had three points (one goal, two assists), extending his point streak to three games, and Jakub Skarek made 26 saves.

Providence opened the scoring at 4:20 of the first period when Oskar Steen received a pass in the slot from Jesper Froden and his one-time blast snuck past Skarek.

However, Bridgeport evened the score just 28 seconds later through Andreoff, who received a pass from Cole Coskey at the top of the left circle and skated in on goal, deking to his backhand, and putting the puck past Kyle Keyser.

Providence retook the lead at 8:46 of the first with a power play goal when John Moore let go of a wrister from the blue line and beat Skarek through traffic.

Bridgeport once again tied the game at 13:57 of the first through Jenkins, who finished a tic-tac-toe passing sequence from Koivula and Holmstrom.

Skarek made an important save late in the period, denying Matt Filipe on a breakaway to keep the game tied. However, a little over a minute later, Providence took the lead for a third time with Steen getting his second of the period after receiving a pass near the blue line and cutting in onto his forehand, beating Skarek with a wrist shot.

Despite being outshot 14-5, the Islanders would only face a 3-2 deficit heading into the second frame.

The Bruins extended their lead with another power play tally at 6:01 of the second period, this time through Chris Wagner, who redirected a pass from Steen past Skarek. This was Steen's fourth point of the night.

Providence kept up the pressure, with Curtis Hall and Jakub Lauko both missing the net from close range and Skarek being forced to make a stop on Urho Vaakanainen in front.

Holmstrom pulled one back for Bridgeport at 9:08 of the second when a Bruins defenseman lost his footing at the blue line, giving Holmstrom a breakaway where he deked out Keyser before putting the puck in the toy department for his first of the year.

Bridgeport tied the game for the third time at 11:30 of the second, this time when Koivula deflected a point shot from Parker Wotherspoon to open his account for the season. This was Koivula's sixth point of the season, giving him the team lead.

The Islanders took their first lead of the game at 3:25 of the third period when the Bruins failed to clear the puck and Anatolii Golyshev dropped the puck for Richard Panik right in front and he finished from point blank range for his first of the year, which would go down as the game winner.

Golyshev added an empty netter at 18:47 of the third, tying Chris Terry for the team lead with his fourth goal of the season. Kyle MacLean picked up the lone assist, his first point of the year.

Check out the Bridgeport Islanders Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from October 31, 2021


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