3 Reasons Why the Bridgeport Islanders Should Be a Playoff Team – Hockey Writers – Bridgeport Islanders

Surprisingly, the Bridgeport Islanders played well in their last game and managed to move up in the standings. They won two of the three matches they played away in Pennsylvania with a score of 6-1. Hershey Bears’ defeat They beat the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins 5-2 on November 15 and the next day. They then earned points in their last match, a 3-2 penalty shootout loss against the Charlotte Checkers on November 23.

Relating to: 3 Reasons Why the Bridgeport Islanders’ Offense Has Improved

The Islanders still sit last in the Atlantic Division with a 4-10-1-2 record. But this team looks different from the team that was the worst in the league last season. The Islanders have the players and talent to make the playoffs, even in what has become a competitive league.

Bridgeport Can Score

Statistically, the Islanders have a below-average offense, allowing an average of just 2.88 goals per game. The last matches showed that the situation has reached a turning point He has thrown 21 goals in the last six games, six of which were in the win against the Bears. Offense is something the team can use to win games and get ranked.

Brian Pinho is the leader of the attack with 10 goals and 6 assists, but there is much more to the attack than the experienced striker. Chris Terry returned to the Islanders and had 13 assists, while Alex Jefferies and Fredrik Karlstrom also had 11 goals and 7 assists. Even though the defense had seen a handful of skaters come and go, Samuel Bolduc and Wyatt Newpower emerged as a playmaker at this point with 5 goals and 10 assists.

Last season, the Islanders could not score goals and had trouble defending. Defense is still a problem, but the good news is that they can win games with offense. In this way, this team can perform well recently and make it to the play-offs.

Young Skaters Will Complete the Squad

The Islanders have played in a lot of close games, and they’ve done it without taking much away from them. William DufourMatthew Maggio or defender Calle Odelius are three of his top candidates. The three skaters combined for just three goals and nine assists, and all struggled on the defensive end of the ice. Maggio started to turn the corner in recent games, but Dufour struggled and so became a healthy scratch in the game against the Checkers on November 23.

The three skaters will find their place as the season progresses, not only finding large roles on the roster, but also making them one of the most complete roles in the American Hockey League (AHL). Once the potential trio gets going, the Islanders will pile on the wins. Dufour is a striker who can take advantage of open positions and Maggio is a versatile striker who can do it all. Likewise, Odelius can move the puck up the ice and become a scoring threat at the blue line while also shutting down opposing offenses. The young defenseman is learning the AHL game on the fly but continues to improve and improve with each game.

Islanders have a youth movement helping their NHL roster Isaiah George shows the way. The same thing is set to happen in the AHL group, where many young skaters are taking on important roles. When they do that, this team will go on a run.

Hogberg Provides Consistency in Goaltending

The defensive mix-up allows opponents to outmaneuver goalkeepers and get any shots they want on the net. That’s why the Islanders are allowing 3.76 goals per game, one of the worst marks in the AHL. However, goalkeeper Marcus Hogberg was a bright spot. He is a journeyman goaltender who has played in the AHL and NHL but has proven he can win games and keep games close.

They have only one win this season but three losses in extra time; This is a sign that he can keep the Islanders within striking distance and earn them a few points. More importantly, he put together several strong performances with 37 saves against the Hartford Wolf Pack on October 19, 38 saves against the Penguins on October 30, and 32 saves in his last game against the Checkers.

Jakub Skarek has his ups and downs as the Islanders’ other goaltender, but Hogberg has added some stability. He is the reason the Islanders won low-scoring games and forced overtime in many games to earn much-needed points.

Who Can Pass Bridgeport to Make the Playoffs?

The Islanders are in a great division with back-to-back contests. Calder Cup champions On the Bears and multiple teams that look capable of making a title run. The catch is that the Atlantic Group, no matter how good it is, is divided into two groups; contestants and bottom feeders. As a result, three teams will be fighting for the final play-off spot in the league, and that’s a low bar to clear.

The Springfield Thunderbirds have struggled throughout the season. St. Focusing on the NHL team with the St. Louis Blues changing head coach The Thunderbirds have little room to improve in hopes of keeping a competitive window open. Likewise, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms are not looking good this season. If both teams continue to play poorly, the Islanders can finish the season respectably and sneak into the playoffs.

The Islanders have the pieces to be a playoff team. If the coaching staff can fix some of the issues on the roster and especially get the defense good enough to prevent late-game collapses, the Islanders will be good enough to make the playoffs.