Live-Blogging: AHL Hockey-Bridgeport Islanders at Springfield Thunderbirds 01/16/2023

AHL Live Stream

AHL: Bridgeport Islanders at Springfield Thunderbirds 01/16/2023

Announcers: Ryan Smith

Game Location: MassMutual Center, Springfield, MA

​Hello, and welcome to another edition of ‘Live-Blogging Shish on Professional Ice Hockey’. This Afternoon, it is an American Hockey League Atlantic Division game, between Bridgeport Islanders (New York Islanders AHL Affiliate) and Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis Blues Affiliate).

This is a battle of the Bottom Teams in the Atlantic Division Standings. However, both teams are still in the hunt for a Calder Cup Playoff Spot. According to Wikipedia, the Calder Cup Playoffs are going to use the same playoff format as they did last year. What that means in the Atlantic Division that the top 6 teams will head to the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Islanders (15-15-6-1, 37 points) are tied with their in-state rival Hartford Wolf Pack, but have played one more game than the New York Rangers AHL Affiliate. They got embarrassed at home against the Utica Comets on Saturday. But Today, they are facing the Springfield Thunderbirds (15-16-1-4, 35 points).

The Defending Eastern Conference Champions are in last place in the Atlantic Division. They have dropped 3 straight games. But a win today will have them in a 3-way tie for 6th in points.

Bridgeport is led by Chris Terry in points and Andy Andreoff in goal scoring. While the Massachusetts version of Springfield is led by Matthew Highmore in points and Martin Frk and Will Britten lead the T-Birds in goals.

It is Bridgeport Islanders and Springfield Thunderbirds, coming up shortly.

Possible Starting Lineups:

Bridgeport Islanders:
Forwards: Andreoff, Terry, Durandeau
Defense: Hutton, Salo
Goalkeeper: Corey Schneider

Springfield Thunderbirds:
Forwards: McGing, Washkurak, Peca
Defense: Kessel, Samorukov
Goalkeeper: Joel Hofer

Islanders are in their New York Islanders blue, orange, and white uniforms. While T-Birds are in their white helmets and sweaters, with blue, red and gold trim, blue pants. 

1st Period:
​​20:00: Islanders win faceoff, center ice. Bridgeport to defend the right net. While Springfield to defend the left net.
19:40: Islanders win faceoff. Right Red Dot of Bridgeport's Blue Line.
18:34:Raty's shot saved by Hofer.
18:34: T-Birds win faceoff. Left Circle of Springfield's Zone.
18:14: Osmanski's shot saved by Schneider.
18:10: GOAL: Will Bitten (SPR) scored a goal, for the T-Birds. BRI 0, SPR 1
17:50: Islanders win faceoff. Right Circle of Springfield's Zone.
17:44: Cholowski's shot saved by Hofer.
17:44: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Springfield's Zone.
17:41: Bolduc's shot saved by Hofer.
17:37: Jenkins' shot saved by Hofer.
17:31: Cholowski's shot saved by Hofer.
16:51: Koivula's shot saved by Hofer.
15:28: GOAL: Aatu Raty scored a goal, for the Islanders. BRI 1, SPR 1
15:28: Islanders win faceoff, center ice.
15:17: Dufour's shot saved by Hofer.
13:38: PENALTY: Seth Helgeson called 2-minutes for tripping.
13:38: Media Timeout #1: BRI 1, SPR 1

13:38: T-Birds win faceoff. Right Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
13:28: Peca's shot saved by Schneider.
12:54: Lyle's shot saved by Schneider.
12:28: Hoelscher's shot saved by Schneider.
11:51: Hoelscher's shot saved by Schneider. 
11:49: T-Birds win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
11:38: Islanders back to full strength.
10:37: 
10:37: T-Birds win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
9:31: Britten's shot saved by Schneider.
9:31: PENALTY: Kyle MacLean called 2-minutes for cross-checking. T-Birds Power Play. 
9:31: Media Timeout #2: BRI 1, SPR 1

​AHL Scores:

9:31: Islanders win faceoff. Right Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
9:19: SHORT-HANDED GOAL: Jeff Kubiak scored a SHG, for the Islanders. BRI 2, SPR 1
9:19: Islanders win faceoff, center ice.
8:20: Highmore's shot saved by Schneider.
7:31: Islanders back to full strength.
6:32: Kessel's shot saved by Schneider.
6:28: Cross' shot saved by Schneider.
6:23: PENALTY: Greg Printz called 2-minutes for high-sticking. Islanders Power Play.
6:23: Islanders win faceoff. Right Circle of Springfield's Zone.
5:38: Durandeau's shot saved by Hofer.
4:57: Highmore's shot saved by Schneider.
4:57: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
4:46: Islanders win faceoff. Right Red Dot of Springfield's Zone.
4:22: T-Birds back to full strength.
3:58: Helgeson's shot saved by Hofer.
3:58: Media Timeout #3: BRI 2, SPR 1

Back Last March, I Live-Blogged T-Birds 5-2 Victory Over Laval 

3:11: PENALTY: Martin Frk called 2-minutes for kneeing. Islanders Power Play.
2:42: Terry's shot saved by Hofer.
2:25: Islanders win faceoff. Left Red Dot of Springfield's Blue Line.
1:40: Dufour's shot saved by Hofer.
1:11: T-Birds back to full strength.
1:06: MacLean's shot saved by 
1:06: Islanders win faceoff. Right Circle of Springfield's Zone.
:52: Jandric's shot saved by Schneider.
:52: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone. 
:29: T-Birds win faceoff. Right Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
:00: The End of 1st Period.

1st Intermission:
BRI 2, SPR 1

1st Period Scoring:
1:50: Will Bitten (SPR) G
4:31: Aatu Raty (BRI) G
10:41: Jeff Kubiak (BRI) SHG

1st Intermission Thoughts:
Jeff Kubiak's short-handed goal, is the difference after 1 period of play.

AHL Scores:

2nd Period:
​20:00: T-Birds win faceoff. Springfield to defend the right net. While Bridgeport to defend the left net.
19:46: Bardeau's shot saved by Hofer.
19:43: Koivula's shot saved by Hofer.
18:46: T-Birds win faceoff. Left Circle of Springfield's Zone.
18:19: Highmore's shot saved by Schneider.
17:47: PENALTY: Dmitrii Samorukov called 2-minutes for interference. Islanders Power Play.
17:47: T-Birds win faceoff. Right Circle of Springfield's Zone.
17:31: Raty's shot saved by Hofer.
16:08: Cholowski's shot saved by Hofer. 
16:08: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Springfield's Zone.
15:47: T-Birds back to full strength.
14:31: T-Birds win faceoff. Right Circle of Springfield's Zone.
13:41: Salo's shot saved by Hofer.
13:16: Media Timeout #4: BRI 2, SPR 1

Culture Links 01/15/2023

​13:16: T-Birds win faceoff. Left Red Dot of Islanders Blue Line.
12:46: Samorukov's shot saved by Schneider.
12:36: Frk's shot saved by Schneider.
12:24: GOAL: William Dufour scored a goal, for the Islanders. BRI 3, SPR 1
11:50: Samorukov's shot saved by Schneider.
11:50: T-Birds win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
11:46: Samorukov's shot saved by Schneider.
11:46: T-Birds win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
11:04: Kubiak's shot saved by Hofer.
10:43: MacLean's shot saved by Hofer.
10:43: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Springfield's Zone.
9:59: Laferriere's shot saved by Schneider.
9:53: Cross' shot saved by Schneider.
8:33: Media Timeout #5: BRI 3, SPR 1

AHL Scores:

8:33: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
7:38: Frk's shot saved by Schneider.
6:48: Koivula's shot saved by Hofer.
6:22: GOAL: Cole Bardeau scored a goal, for the Islanders. BRI 4, SPR 1
6:22: T-Birds win faceoff, center ice.
6:07: Lyle's shot saved by Schneider.
4:58: McGing's shot saved by Schneider.
4:28: Samorukov's shot saved by Schneider.
3:19: GOAL: Rusian Iskhakov scored a goal, for the Islanders. BRI 5, SPR 1
3:19: T-Birds win faceoff, center ice.
3:16: Hoelscher's shot saved by Schneider.
3:15: Media Timeout #5: BRI 5, SPR 1

​3:15: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
2:31: PENALTY: Austin Osmanski called 2-minutes for delay of game. Islanders Power Play.
1:46: POWER PLAY GOAL: Arnaud Durandeau scored a PPG, for the Islanders. BRI 6, SPR 1
1:23: Islanders win faceoff. Right Circle of Springfield's Zone.
1:03: PENALTY: Jeff Kubiak called 2-minutes for hooking. T-Birds Power Play.
1:03: Islanders win faceoff. Right Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
:09: PENALTIES: Martin Frk called 4-minutes for high-sticking double minor. Cole Bardeau called 2-minutes for roughing. T-Birds 4-on-4 for 1:04.
:09:
:00: The End of 2nd Period. :57 on the 4-on-4, in the start of 3rd Period.


2nd Intermission:
BRI 6, SPR 1

2nd Period Scoring:
7:33: William Dufour (BRI) G
13:38: Cole Bardreau (BRI) G
16:38: Rusian Iskhakov (BRI) G
18:14: Durandeau (BRI) PPG

2nd Intermission Thoughts:
Islanders broke the game wide open. They scored 4 goals in the Middle Stanza. 

AHL Scores:

3rd Period:
20:00: Islanders win faceoff, center ice. Bridgeport to defend the right net. While Springfield to defend the left net. 4-on-4 for the next :57. 
18:55: Terry's shot saved by Zherenko.
18:03: Terry's shot saved by Zherenko.
18:00: Cholowski's shot saved by Zherenko.
16:37: Laferriere's shot saved by Schneider.
16:01; Thunderbirds win faceoff.
15:31: Both teams back to full strength.
14:57: Frk's shot saved by Schneider.
13:25: Hoelscher's shot saved by Schneider.
13:25: Media Timeout #7: BRI 6, SPR 1

​13:25: T-Birds win faceoff.
12:27: Koivula's shot saved by Zherenko.
12:12: McGing's shot saved by Schneider.
12:02: T-Birds win faceoff. Right Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
11:53: Cross' shot saved by Schneider.
11:32: T-Birds win faceoff. Right Red Dot of Springfield's Blue Line.
10:07: Dufour's shot saved by Schneider.
9:36: Britten's shot saved by Schneider.
9:08: Jandric's shot saved by Schneider.
9:08: Media Timeout #8: BRI 6, SPR 1

AHL Scores:

​9:08: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
8:05: Printz's shot saved by Schneider.
8:05: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
7:41: T-Birds win faceoff. Right Red Dot of Bridgeport's Blue Line.
6:43: Laferriere's shot saved by Schneider.
5:33: Islanders called for icing. 
5:01: Media Timeout #9: BRI 6, SPR 1

​
5:01: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
4:20: Angello's shot saved by Schneider.
4:20: T-Birds win faceoff. Right Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
4:02: PENALTY: Paul LaDue called 2-minutes for cross-checking. T-Birds Power Play.
4:02: Islanders win faceoff. Right Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
3:20: Britten's shot saved by Schneider.
3:20: T-Birds win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
3:03: POWER PLAY GOAL: Matthew Highmore scored a goal, for the T-Birds. BRI 6, SPR 2
3:03: Islanders win faceoff, center ice.
2:41: Callin's shot saved by Schendier. 
2:41: Islanders win faceoff. Left Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
2:41: Islanders win faceoff. Right Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
2:26: PENALTY: Aatu Raty called 2-minutes for delay of game. T-Birds Power Play.
2:26: Islanders win faceoff. Right Circle of Bridgeport's Zone.
2:07: Lyle's shot saved by Schneider.
2:03: Highmore's shot saved by Schneider.
:34: Kessel's shot saved by Schneider.
:26: Both teams back to full strength.
:00: The End of Game.

Final:
BRI 6, SPR 1
BRI: (16-15-6-1, 39 points)
SPR: (15-17-1-4, 35 points)

Final Stats:
SOG: BRI 32, SPR 43
PP: BRI 1/5, SPR 1/6
PIM: BRI 12 min/6 in; SPR 12 min/5 in

3 Stars of the Game:
1st: Rusian Iskhakov (BRI) G, 2 A
2nd: Aatu Raty (BRI) G, A
3rd: Cory Schneider (BRI) 41/43, .954 SV%, 2.00 GAA

Final Thoughts:
Thunderbirds scored the opening goal. But Islanders answered with 6 consecutive goals, to get the victory.

Islanders got some good goalkeeping by Cory Schneider. The same cannot be said for Joel Hofer, who gave up the 6 Islander goals, This Afternoon.

With the win, Islanders move to 6th Place, ahead of the Hartford Wolf Pack for the potential final Atlantic Division spot, in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Bridgeport will host Rochester Americans on Friday. While the T-Birds will head to the Midwest, to face the Milwaukee Admirals on Wednesday.

This is Paul Shishkoff, Junior. This has been 'Live-Blogging Shish on Professional Ice Hockey'. Thanks for visiting this post.