The Bridgeport Islanders are in last place in the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Atlantic Division, and the past week somehow felt like a low point in a season that is already spiraling out of control. Here’s a breakdown of the last four games.
- The Islanders had a 3-0 lead after the first period against the Springfield Thunderbirds on Nov. 6 but lost the game 5-3.
- On Nov. 8, they lost 3-2 to the Providence Bruins, the best loss of the week.
- The next night, they lost again to the Bruins in a game that was tied 4-4 in the third period, but the wheels fell off, and they lost 8-4.
- On Nov. 12, in a Tuesday morning tilt, the Islanders went back and forth against the Hershey Bears and lost on a dagger goal in the final seven seconds of play, losing the game 5-4.
Among all these defeats, there is a bright spot. The offense looked good. Yes, the defense is a mess, allowing 21 goals in the last four games, but the Islanders scored four goals in back-to-back games for the first time since the Oct. 19 and Oct. 20 home-and-home series against the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Related: Bridgeport Islanders Defense Is Bad Without Isaiah George in the Lineup
The last two games might be outliers. After all, the offense averages only 2.76 goals per game. At the same time, how they’ve played provides hope for the rest of the season, at least on the offensive end of the ice.
Islanders Can Forecheck
If there’s something the Islanders do well, it’s forecheck. It makes them a tough team to play against, especially in a league dominated by skill and speed. The forechecking has also translated to a few goals in recent games.
In the Nov. 9 game against the Bruins, Julien Gauthier created a turnover in the offensive zone to give the Islanders an instant two-on-one scoring chance that allowed Liam Foudy to easily find the back of the net. In the Nov. 12 game against the Bears, Cole Bardreau created a turnover on the backcheck and, with a centering pass to Gauthier, allowed the Islanders to find the back of the net for their third goal of the game.
The heavy forecheck hasn’t resulted in wins, and at times, it’s set the Islanders back. They are often caught with multiple skaters out of position when the opponent has the puck on the rush, and the forwards are rarely back in the defensive zone to help out the defense. That said, it’s given the Islanders a goal or two in each game to revitalize the offense.
Dufour is Hitting His Stride
There was a lot of optimism surrounding William Dufour this season. A great showing in the AHL would make him a viable candidate to join the NHL roster at some point this season. However, he’s been a non-factor through the first 13 games, with only two goals and two assists.
That started to change on Saturday against the Bruins. With the Islanders on the power play, Dufour found his spot in the offense zone, and with an open look, he fired the puck into the back of the net. That goal wasn’t his best play from the week; that came a few days later against the Bears with a great centering pass from the wing that found Brian Pinho speeding to the net for a goal.
Dufour is one the best skaters on the Islanders. He’s scored 38 goals and 39 assists in 136 games at the AHL level, making him the motor of the offense, which goes as Dufour goes, and as he starts to find his footing, the team will start to find the back of the net.
Veteran Scoring
With Ruslan Iskhakov, Jeff Kubiak, Otto Koivala, and Karson Kuhlman no longer on the team, a new group of veterans has emerged and carried the offense. They haven’t helped them win games, but they can score. Marc Gatcomb is a 25-year-old with six goals, while Fredrik Karlstrom is 26 and also has six goals (both players have zero assists this season). Brian Pinho, the 29-year-old veteran, leads the team with nine goals on the season, including one in the latest game.
On top of that, Chris Terry is back with the team after last season’s absence. He scored 27 goals and a team-leading 51 assists in 2022-23 and is once again one of the primary playmakers in the forward unit. He has 10 assists, four more than anyone else on the Islanders. The veteran group has helped the young skaters find their footing and allowed the offense to look like a potent one early on this season.
Where Bridgeport’s Offense Can Improve
The Islanders need Matthew Maggio to step up. He’s one of the top prospects who’s been invisible this season with only three assists. It’s one of the reasons he was a healthy scratch in the Nov. 9 loss to the Bruins. Likewise, Alex Jefferies is one of the most impactful forwards in the lineup, with six goals and three assists, but he’s struggled in recent games, something the team can’t afford. He’s battled injuries in the last three games, and a healthy Jefferies will take the offense to the next level.
It’s not just the forwards that must step up. The Islanders need the defensemen to chip in and help out from the point. To be fair, the unit doesn’t have Dennis Cholowski, Grant Hutton, or Isaiah George, all of whom would have made a big impact but are on the NHL roster. That said, Calle Odelius and Wyatt Newpower must generate effective shots on net.
The Islanders’ offense has looked good in the recent games, but it’s only a small sample size. They need this play for the rest of the season if they hope to turn things around and climb out of last place in the Atlantic Division.
