Surprisingly enough, the Bridgeport Islanders have played well in their recent games and have made up ground in the standings. They won two of their three games on the Pennsylvania road trip with a 6-1 trouncing of the Hershey Bears on Nov. 15 and a 5-2 win over the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins the next day. Then their most recent game saw them earn a point with a Nov. 23 3-2 loss in the shootout to the Charlotte Checkers.
Related: 3 Reasons the Bridgeport Islanders’ Offense Has Improved
The Islanders are still in last place in the Atlantic Division with a 4-10-1-2 record. However, this team looks different from the one that was the worst in the division last season. The Islanders have the players in place and the talent to make the playoffs, even in a division that is shaping up to be a competitive one.
Bridgeport Can Score
Statistically, the Islanders have a below-average offense, averaging only 2.88 goals per game. The recent games have shown that it has turned a corner with 21 goals in the last six games including six goals in the win over the Bears. The offense is something the team can lean into to win games and make up ground in the standings.
Brian Pinho is the leader of the offense with 10 goals and six assists but the offense is more than just the veteran forward. Chris Terry is back with the Islanders and has 13 assists while Alex Jefferies and Fredrik Karlstrom have combined for 11 goals and seven assists. While the defense has seen a handful of skaters come and go, Samuel Bolduc and Wyatt Newpower have emerged as the playmakers at the point with five goals and 10 assists.
Last season, the Islanders couldn’t score and they struggled on defense as well. The defense is still an issue but the good news is that they can win games with offense. It’s how this team can play well down the stretch and make a push for a playoff spot.
Young Skaters Will Round Out Roster
The Islanders have played in plenty of close games and have done so without receiving much from William Dufour, Matthew Maggio, or defenseman Calle Odelius, three of their top prospects. The three skaters have combined for only three goals and nine assists and have all struggled on the defensive end of the ice. Maggio has started to turn a corner in recent games but Dufour has struggled and it’s why he was a healthy scratch in the Nov. 23 game against the Checkers.
The three skaters will find their footing as the season goes on and not only find big roles on the roster but make it one of the more complete ones in the American Hockey League (AHL). Once the trio of prospects get going, the Islanders will pile up the wins. Dufour is a scorer who can take advantage of open looks and Maggio is a well-rounded forward who can do it all. Likewise, Odelius can move the puck up the ice and become a scoring threat on the blue line while also shutting down opposing offenses. The young defenseman is learning the AHL game on the fly but with each game, he continues to adjust and improve.
The Islanders have a youth movement helping out their NHL roster with Isaiah George leading the way. The same thing is poised to happen with the AHL group with a lot of the young skaters carving out pivotal roles. When they do, this team will go on a run.
Hogberg Adds Goaltending Stability
The defense is a mess, allowing opponents to generate shots on the net at will and overwhelm the goaltenders. It’s why the Islanders allow 3.76 goals per game, one of the worst marks in the AHL. That said, goaltender Marcus Hogberg has been a bright spot. He’s a journeyman goaltender who has bounced around in the AHL and the NHL but has proven he can win games and keep games close.
He only has one win this season but three losses in overtime, a sign that he can keep the Islanders within striking distance and allow them to earn a few points. More importantly, he’s put together plenty of strong performances with 37 saves on Oct. 19 against the Hartford Wolf Pack, 38 saves on Oct. 30 against the Penguins, and 32 stops in the latest game against the Checkers.
Jakub Skarek has his highs and lows as the other goaltender of the Islanders but Hogberg has added some stability. He’s the reason the Islanders will win low-scoring games and in many games, force overtime to earn some much-needed points.
Who Bridgeport Can Pass To Make the Playoffs
The Islanders are in a great division, one that features the back-to-back Calder Cup champions in the Bears and multiple teams that look capable of a championship run. The catch is that the Atlantic Division, as good as it is, is split into two groups, the contenders and the bottomfeeders. As a result, three teams will be fighting for the final playoff spot in the division and it’s a low bar to clear.
The Springfield Thunderbirds have struggled throughout the season. Considering the focus on the NHL team with the St. Louis Blues replacing their head coach with hopes of keeping a competitive window open, the Thunderbirds have minimal room to improve. Likewise, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms haven’t looked great this season either. If both teams continue to play poorly, the Islanders can sneak into the playoffs with a respectable finish to the season.
The Islanders have the pieces in place to be a playoff team. If the coaching staff can fix some of the issues within the roster and notably make the defense good enough to avoid late-game collapses, the Islanders will be good enough to make the playoffs.
