Preview: Islanders at Phantoms
January 12, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - The Bridgeport Islanders (7-22-2-2) open a season-long, four-game homestand this evening as they welcome the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (17-13-5-1) to Total Mortgage Arena for a 5 p.m. faceoff. Bridgeport is searching for its first win of 2025 and its first at home since Oct. 20th. However, a well-rested group can take advantage of a friendly schedule this weekend, as the Islanders had yesterday off while the Phantoms continued a '3-in-3' series in Hartford last night. Bridgeport fell to the Providence Bruins, 4-1 on the road, in its last outing on Friday night.
Watch tonight's game live: AHLTV on FloHockey
Listen to tonight's radio broadcast: Mixlr
LAST TIME OUT
The Islanders came up short in a 4-1 loss to Providence on Friday, despite 35 shots and Chris Terry's second-period power-play goal. It ended a two-game winning streak on the road. Tyce Thompson and Calle Odelius had assists, while Henrik Tikkanen (1-7-0) made a season-high 33 saves. Tikkanen has played in eight of Bridgeport's last 11 games dating back to Dec. 7th.
ISLANDERS VS. PHANTOMS
Tonight marks the first of six meetings between the Islanders and Phantoms this season, and the first of three in Connecticut. Bridgeport went 2-2-1-1 against the Philadelphia Flyers' affiliate last season, but 0-2-0-1 in those games at home. They last met on Apr. 19, 2024 when the Islanders suffered a 3-0 home loss in their penultimate game of the year. The Atlantic Division rivals will meet two more times this month: Jan. 25th in Allentown, PA and Jan. 29th in Bridgeport.
VIEW FROM ALLENTOWN
Head coach Ian Laperrière's team is 4-0-1-0 in its last five games, moving into a tie for fourth place in the Atlantic Division with Providence (40 points). Last night, goaltender Parker Gahagen recorded the Phantoms' first shutout of the season with 26 saves in a 3-0 win at Hartford. Garrett Wilson, Emil Andrae, and Rhett Gardner each scored, with Wilson's goal coming shorthanded and serving as the winner. 2024 AHL All-Star Samu Tuomaala leads Lehigh Valley in scoring with 25 points in 33 games, while Jacob Gaucher has a team-best 14 goals.
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'
Brian Pinho will represent Bridgeport at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Spotlight 29 Casino on Feb. 2-3, 2025 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California. It marks his first AHL All-Star selection. The 29-year-old leads Bridgeport and is tied for seventh among all AHL players with 16 goals this season. He also paces the club in shots (94) and power-play goals (5). His three shorthanded goals are tied for second in the AHL. Pinho has 17 points (10g, 7a) in 35 career games against the Phantoms.
QUICK HITS
Jakub Skarek was recalled by the New York Islanders on an emergency basis yesterday... Grant Hutton was recalled by the New York Islanders on Tuesday... Matt Kopperud was recalled by Bridgeport from the Worcester Railers (ECHL) yesterday... Kopperud had 24 points (7g, 17a) in 34 ECHL games this season, ranking fourth on the Railers in points and assists... Chris Terry is on a three-game point streak (1g, 2a) and his 10 power-play assists are tied for second in the AHL... Terry's assist last Sunday against Hartford was his 164th career point with Bridgeport, passing Rob Collins (2003-06) for third place on the team's all-time scoring list... He is 14 points behind Otto Koivula (2018-24) for second.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (17-18-7): Last: 2-1 W at Utah, last night -- Tuesday vs. Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (13-17-1-4): Last: 4-3 SOL at Wheeling, last night -- Next: Today at Wheeling, 4:10 p.m. ET
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