After back-to-back losses on the road, the Bridgeport Islanders played their home opener against the winless Utica Comets on Saturday, Oct. 21. The game marked the first home game for Rick Kowalsky as the team’s new head coach. In what ended up being a tight, low-scoring affair, the Islanders were able to sneak past the Utica Comets in overtime (OT) by a score of 2-1. Matt Maggio scored the Islanders’ first goal of the game and Robin Salo netted the OT winner; for the Comets, Max Willman notched a goal and an assist. Here are some takeaways from the game.
Maggio Scores
Maggio is a prospect Islanders fans should watch closely if they aren’t already. The 20-year-old is playing his first full season in Bridgeport and already making an impact, scoring the team’s first goal of the game and his first in the American Hockey League (AHL). Saturday was Maggio’s seventh game as a member of the Islanders, three of which came towards the end of last season. Prior to going pro, he played for his hometown Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In his final season there, he led the league in both goals (54) and points (111) and won the Red Tilson Trophy for the league’s Most Outstanding Player.
Maggio, who signed his entry-level contract this summer, seems to be taking the adjustment to the pro game well. Speaking on the transition, he said “It’s been fun so far. Obviously, there’s a change of pace but I think it’s something that I like. It’s a challenge but I think playing junior for so long you look forward to a challenge.”
Related: Islanders May Have Potential Steal in Matthew Maggio
Coach Kowalsky praised Maggio’s work ethic, adding that “the biggest challenge for him moving forward is realizing he’s playing against men and systematically there’s less time and space to make plays.” Maggio should continue to get better over time as he adjusts to the speed of the AHL. He is certainly a player to keep an eye on, and he should be viewed as one of the prospects with the most potential currently in the New York Islanders organization.
Skarek Impresses
Islanders’ goaltender Jakub Skarek played perfectly for nearly the entire game. He held a shutout until the 58th minute, making 26 saves over the course of the game, including several flashy stops. The Islanders needed every one of them, as they were not able to produce much offense and the game went to overtime tied at one. Skarek’s clutch performance was not lost on his teammates. Game-winning goal scorer Robin Salo sang his praise after the game, saying he “played an unbelievable game” and was happy that the goaltender was able to get the win.
1-0-0-0 at Home
For the third season in a row, the Islanders have won their home opener. This win was not by any means dominant, as they needed overtime to take the game by a score of 2-1. With that being said, Kowalsky believes the win will be a big confidence boost for the team going forward, saying “We’ve got a lot of new faces here, just experiencing the building, getting that first win in that fashion should give us some confidence moving forward.” On top of it being the home opener, this win may have meant a little more for Kowalsky, who spent eight seasons as head coach of the Devils’ AHL affiliates from 2010-2018.
Looking Forward
The Islanders will look to keep their momentum going through the weekend as they take on the Hershey Bears at 3:00 PM on Sunday. A player to look out for in that matchup is Kyle MacLean, as the centerman has two points in each of the past two games for Bridgeport. One other facet of the Islanders’ game to be aware of is their power play, which they will look to improve upon after starting the season just one for 13. After dropping their opening game the Bears have won three in a row and currently sit second in the Atlantic Division, so it should be an entertaining matchup.
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