The Bridgeport Islanders took on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Saturday (Feb. 10) at home in the first of six matchups between these two teams. The game was a duel between the two teams’ goaltenders, as Henrik Tikkanen and Parker Gahagen both stopped over 30 shots on goal in a game that went to a shootout tied at one. When it was all said and done, the Phantoms came out on top, winning the shootout by a score of 2-1. Here are some key takeaways from the game.
Tikkanen Impresses
Entering Saturday’s game, Tikkanen had allowed two goals or fewer and made thirty or more saves in each of his last four games, posting a .957 save percentage (SV%) over that stretch. His strong play continued, as he stopped 32 shots and allowed just one goal. Frustratingly for the Islanders, they have not been able to capitalize on their netminders’ strong play, as they have won just two of his last five starts.
Tikkanen’s teammates are cognizant of the fact that they need to provide him with more support than they have as of late. In his postgame press conference, lone-goal scorer Karson Kuhlman said of Tikkanen, “He’s been awesome, every time he’s stepped in there he’s given us a chance to win… We know we have got to score more goals.”
Offensive Struggles
The Islanders struggled to get their offense going on Saturday night, an issue they have unfortunately dealt with all season. The team was without Ruslan Iskhakov, their leading points-getter, who was suspended for one game as a result of a slew-footing incident while the team was playing in Hartford on Friday night. They certainly felt his absence, as they were able to score just once, a goal that came on a Kuhlman shot halfway through the third period.
Several games before the All-Star break, the Islanders seemed to be catching fire offensively, as they scored eight goals over two games and won back-to-back at home for the first time this season. Since that stretch, they have scored three goals in four games, posting offensive efforts that were, quite frankly, just not good enough. Heading into Saturday’s game, the team was averaging just 2.27 goals per game, dead last in the AHL (American Hockey League): they simply have not scored enough goals to be competitive this season.
First of a Few
While Saturday was just the first time the Islanders played the Phantoms all season, they are bound to become a familiar foe over the course of the remainder of the season. The teams play each other five more times, and if Saturday was any indication, it is likely that these matchups will be hard-fought: the game was physical from start to finish, and tempers flared on several occasions. Daylan Kuefler (who was celebrating his 22nd birthday on Saturday) dropped the gloves with Adam Karashik early in the second period; while that was the sole fight of the game, there was pushing and shoving constantly throughout the night.
Looking Ahead
The Islanders will be back in action Friday when they head to Providence to kick off a weekend that has them slated to play three games. They will return home to face the Hartford Wolfpack on Saturday, then close out the set with an afternoon matchup with the Laval Rocket on Sunday. While there is still time in the season to turn things around, things are looking bleak for the team from Bridgeport. They have the fewest points in the AHL with 32, and they currently sit 15 points behind the Phantoms, who are in second-to-last place in the Atlantic Division.
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