The Feb. 25 victory was a breath of fresh air for the Bridgeport Islanders. They entered the game with back-to-back losses and the offense, which averages a league-worst 2.18 goals per game, was stumbling, scoring only five goals in the last four games. The Islanders put on a show against the Springfield Thunderbirds, scoring four unanswered goals to conclude the season series with a 5-3 win.
Recent: Tikkanen, Maggio Driving Bridgeport Islanders’ Momentum
The duo of Ruslan Iskhakov and Matthew Maggio led the way for the Islanders. They connected for two goals with Maggio finding Iskhakov open in both instances and it helped the Islanders tie the game after trailing 3-1 and ultimately pull away with the victory.
Iskhakov and Maggio playing on the same line has only happened in the recent games. They started the season on different lines and took on different roles in the offense. The line change came largely because of Maggio’s progress, yet the connection he’s formed with Iskhakov has been a special one, one that fans might someday see at the NHL level.
Maggio’s Improvements
The bar was set high for Maggio as he entered the season as one of the New York Islanders’ top prospects and joined the American Hockey League (AHL) team after signing his entry-level contract in the offseason. He didn’t have a great start to the season and was a non-factor in the offense. He struggled to find a role and tap into the skill set that made him a dynamic prospect, notably, his speed, shot, and puck-moving ability.
The struggles are understandable for Maggio or anyone who goes from playing at the junior level to the AHL level. The Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) weren’t facing the same competition and the style of play was particularly different.
“Talking from my own experience, it’s hard to transition your game from junior hockey to the AHL level,” Iskhakov noted after the recent 5-3 victory as this league “[is] more north-south” with puck movement and the flow of the game. Iskhakov took a different path than Maggio but one that forced him to adapt his game. Before joining the Islanders, he played overseas where the rinks are bigger and it’s easier to impact the game going east-west. Additionally, the game overseas isn’t hard-hitting and physical like the game in North America and it forces skilled forwards to take their hits and fight for their goals.
Maggio took his fair share of hits when the 2023-24 season began. He learned early on that he’d have to skate to the dirty areas and oftentimes be a part of some ugly or dirty goals. He adjusted and it’s helped him become one of the top forwards on the Islanders.
In the past five games, Maggio has three goals and three assists, including two goals in the 2-1 Feb. 18 win over the Laval Rocket. He’s starting to look like the elite prospect the Islanders expected he’d become when they drafted him in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He’s started to take advantage of the open looks on the net from the wing and more importantly, has rounded out his game to become a reliable winger for Iskhakov.
Maggio Emerging as a Passer
Last season in the OHL, Maggio proved he could both create scoring chances and find the back of the net himself. He scored 54 goals and 57 assists in 66 games while playing both the center and wing positions. Considering he could help out the offense at multiple positions and in a variety of ways, he became a valued prospect for an Islanders team eagerly searching for versatility.
This season, Maggio’s been a goal scorer first and a passer second. He entered the recent game with 10 goals but only six assists. The game against the Thunderbirds showed he can also set up scoring chances. His first assist came from a centering pass where he elevated the puck past the defense to set up Iskhakov for a quick scoring chance. He followed up the centering pass with a cross-ice feed where he zipped the puck through traffic to an open Iskhakov for the game-tying goal.
Iskhakov had an interesting word to describe his linemate, “He’s a very electric player, very skilled. I’m really happy we got him in the lineup.” And that electric spark he adds to the offense is what stands out. It makes Maggio a forward who when the offense needs a spark, can provide it with a quick play. It plays right into Iskhakov’s skill set. “I think we have some chemistry together.”
Iskhakov Rounding Out His Game
Iskhakov leads the team in goals with 15 and assists with 22. At 23 years old, he looks ready for the NHL and can get the call. After all, there aren’t many areas he needs to improve to take that next step. Maggio moving to his line only further helps his cause as Iskhakov now has a versatile skater on his wing who can further improve his skill set.
He’s starting to prove he can create offense in multiple ways. The recent game saw him score twice with his first goal requiring a second effort and continued pressure near the net. He didn’t find the back of the net on the initial shot and it took numerous attempts to get the puck past Thunderbirds’ goaltender Colten Ellis.
Having Maggio on his line will allow him to find more opportunities and skate to areas he otherwise would avoid. He’s going to set up scoring chances with passes from the wing and Iskhakov must be the one who takes advantage of those scoring chances. Likewise, Iskhakov will continue to set up scoring chances with his speed and quick passes, playing right into the shooting ability of his linemate.
Where the Connection Must Improve
The hope is that this duo will turn the offense around. The Islanders still have one of the worst offenses in the AHL as they average only 2.18 goals per game. The big thing will be consistency, something Iskhakov mentioned after the game that he must work on, but the team as a whole must work to improve the offense.
Iskhakov and Maggio will set the tone. The problem is if the rest of the roster will step up as well. There’s a significant drop in production outside of the top six, something that oddly enough, mirrors the NHL team, and the offense won’t succeed without scoring depth, especially at the AHL level.
“Bridgeport’s got some good players in their lineup,” Hartford Wolf Pack head coach Steve Smith stated after the 2-1 victory on Feb. 21 against the Islanders. “I’m not certain they have a whole ton of offensive-minded players but they’ve got players who have bought into a system.” That summarizes the issue with the Islanders’ offense perfectly. The team has the talent but a lot of the forwards in particular aren’t aggressively attacking the net and creating scoring chances.
The hope is that the Iskhakov and Maggio duo start something special. With the Islanders in last place, they could turn the season around, and with the NHL team in dire need of young talent, these two skaters provide hope for the future.
