The Bridgeport Islanders took on the Charlotte Checkers at home for the second day in a row on Sunday, Jan. 7. The Islanders were looking to rebound from a heartbreaking loss the day prior in which the Checkers scored with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime, and they were able to do just that, getting the win in overtime by a score of 3-2. Here are some key takeaways from Sunday’s game.
Physical First
Sunday’s game was as physical as they have come thus far this season for the Islanders. Perhaps out of frustration over Saturday’s brutal loss, the team played hard through the whistle from puck drop, resulting in a first period that saw 20 penalty minutes between the two sides. Travis Mitchell took part in the sole fight of the period, squaring up with Riley Bezeau six minutes in, and there was pushing and shoving (and often more) after nearly every whistle. Ruslan Iskhakov netted the initial goal within the first six minutes; William Dufour followed this up with a wrist shot in transition that beat Checkers’ goalie Ludovic Waeber, putting the Islanders up 2-0 after the first period.
Second Period Miscues
The Islanders seemed to be carrying all of the momentum heading into the second period. That did not last long. Five minutes into the new period, the Checkers were able to generate a scoring opportunity after Iskhakov and Otto Koivula bumped into one another near center ice, taking each other out of the play. Checkers’ forward Zac Dalpe found a wide-open Wilmer Skoog, who put the puck past Islanders’ goalie Henrik Tikkanen for his first American Hockey League (AHL) goal.
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Unfortunately for the Islanders, Iskhakov and Koivula’s collision was not the last costly miscue of the period. With just over a minute to go in the frame, Aidan Fulp possessed the puck behind the Islanders’ goal. He came under duress, as Charlotte’s Gerry Mayhew challenged him on the forecheck. As Fulp attempted to advance the puck, his pass ricocheted off Mayhew’s outstretched leg, and the puck trickled through Tikkanen’s legs to tie the game on a goal that was about as unfortunate as they come.
Iskhakov Stays Hot, Wins it
Iskhakov has likely been the Islanders’ most valuable player thus far this season. The 22-year-old Russian was able to find the back of the net off the rush six minutes into the first period to open the scoring. This goal extended his point streak to a team-season-long eight games, over which he has five goals and six assists. The forward played in his 100th AHL game on Saturday night, and he leads the Islanders in goals (12), assists (16), points (28), shots (79), and multi-point games (nine) this season.
Iskhakov was not done there. The game headed to overtime, and just six seconds into the period he committed a high-sticking penalty. After a successful penalty kill, he exited the box and sent home a rebound from a Robin Salo shot to win it for the Islanders by a score of 3-2. This was Iskhakov’s AHL-record-tying fourth OT winner of the season. Islanders fans should keep an eye out for him as a potential NHL call-up at some point this season; though undersized, he plays fast and has NHL-level skill, and his development appears to be coming along nicely thus far this season.
Homestand Continues
The Islanders continue their five-game homestand on Wednesday when they will take on the Springfield Thunderbirds, who currently sit in sixth place in the Atlantic Division. One thing to look out for going forward is the play of Tikkanen, who is now 2-1 in three AHL games. Iskhakov touched on the performance of his netminder in his postgame presser on Sunday, saying “He was strong, especially in the third period… we gave up some chances… he saved us, he kept us in the game.” The Islanders are still a far shout from the pack in front of them in the Atlantic; they currently sit with 23 points, 11 behind the seventh-place Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The team will look to build on Sunday’s win and narrow that gap as we near the midseason mark.
