Preview: Islanders vs. Thunderbirds
January 15, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - The Bridgeport Islanders (8-22-2-2) continue a four-game homestand this evening as they welcome the Springfield Thunderbirds (15-15-2-1) to Total Mortgage Arena for a 7 p.m. faceoff. Bridgeport is looking to piece together back-to-back home wins for the first time this season following a 5-0 victory against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Sunday. Henrik Tikkanen (2-7-0) made 21 saves for his first career AHL shutout, while Chris Terry scored two goals and added an assist for his first three-point effort of the season. Brian Pinho and Liam Foudy had two points each (1g, 1a).
Watch tonight's game live: AHLTV on FloHockey
Listen to tonight's radio broadcast: Mixlr
ISLANDERS VS. THUNDERBIRDS
Tonight marks the fifth of 10 meetings between the Islanders and T-Birds this season, and the first of five matchups at Total Mortgage Arena. Bridgeport is 2-1-1-0 against the St. Louis Blues' affiliate, with each of the first four meetings taking place in Springfield, Mass. The Islanders won the first meeting, 4-1, on Nov. 1st and posted a season-high seven goals in a 7-5 victory on Dec. 28th, their most recent tilt. Matt Maggio recorded a career-high four points (2g, 2a) and Liam Foudy scored twice that night.
VIEW FROM SPRINGFIELD
Head coach Steve Konowalchuk's club is on a two-game winning streak, earning back-to-back victories against Providence and Hartford last weekend. Springfield defeated Hartford 3-1 on Sunday courtesy of Simon Robertsson's first two-goal game and 36 saves from Colten Ellis. It moved the Thunderbirds to within two points of Hartford for a playoff spot. Ellis is 7-1-1 in his last nine games since Nov. 15th, posting a 2.60 GAA and .917 save percentage over that span. Forward Dalibor Dvorsky, who recently captained Team Slovakia and had nine points (5g, 4a) in five games at the 2025 World Junior Championships, is tied for ninth among all AHL rookies with 22 points (12g, 10a) in 29 games.
TERRY'S FOUR-GAME STREAK
Bridgeport's leading scorer Chris Terry has collected points in four straight games (3g, 3a) - the third time this season he's put together a streak at least that long. Terry recorded two goals and three points for the first time this season on Sunday, and was named the first star of the night. The 35-year-old has a team-leading 29 points, 22 assists, and eight multi-point games in 33 appearances. His 22 assists are tied for fifth among all AHL players. In addition, Terry's two goals on Sunday moved him into seventh place on the team's all-time list (64 goals), just one shy of Travis St. Denis (2016-20) and Otto Koivula (2018-24) for fifth. He is 11 points behind Koivula for second all-time.
GATCOMB MAKES NHL DEBUT
Marc Gatcomb made his NHL debut with the New York Islanders last night. The 25-year-old forward had four hits and one block in 7:27 of ice time during the Islanders' 2-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators at UBS Arena. Gatcomb is in his third professional season out of UConn and becomes the second former Bridgeport Islander to make his NHL debut this season (Isaiah George is the other). Gatcomb collected 17 points (9g, 8a) in 34 games with Bridgeport this season, and was one of just three players to appear in every game.
QUICK HITS
Jakub Skarek and Grant Hutton have re-joined Bridgeport from the New York Islanders... Hutton played in New York's 2-1 win at Utah on Saturday, while Skarek backed up Marcus Hogberg but has yet to make his NHL debut... Justin Gill and Matias Rajaniemi were recalled to Bridgeport from the Worcester Railers (ECHL) yesterday... Rajaniemi could make his AHL debut tonight... Bridgeport signed goalie Hunter Miska to an AHL contract on Saturday.
AFFILIATES
New York Islanders (17-19-7): Last: 2-0 L vs. Ottawa, last night -- Tomorrow vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET
Worcester Railers (14-17-1-4): Last: 2-1 W at Wheeling, Sunday -- Next: Friday vs. Adirondack, 7:05 p.m. ET
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