Bridgeport Islanders Making Late Season Playoff Push
During the last month, the Bridgeport Islanders have been playing some of their best hockey of the year, and for a team that seemed down and out, they are on a playoff push as they enter their final weekend of the season.
Help From Elsewhere
The Islanders went on a ten-game stretch where they got points in eight of the games, moving them into a playoff spot. Bridgeport fluttered in must-win games against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Lehigh Valley, but they have been helped with a fall-from-grace by the Hartford Wolf Pack, who since March 1, have lost 22 of 28 and fallen out of the playoffs.
The Bridgeport Islander have a legitimate shot with the AHL running a 23-team playoff, including the top six teams in the Atlantic Division.
Previewing the Last Weekend
It will not be the last weekend for all AHL teams, but for the Isles and Wolf Pack, it will be their final weekend of the season. Bridgeport opens the weekend against Springfield, while Hartford hosts Charlotte. If Bridgeport wins and Hartford loses along with a Lehigh Valley loss of any kind, the Islanders will be headed to the playoffs. The two teams meet on Saturday night in Bridgeport’s last game at Total Mortgage Arena.
Roster Moves
Bridgeport made some key roster moves for the final weekend of the season. The move that could be considered the most game-changing is the addition of 2021 second-round pick Aatu Raty, who, after his season in the Liiga ended, has joined the team for the playoff push. Bridgeport has also signed defenseman Trevor Cosgrove, and forwards Koby Bender and Jimmy Lambert to AHL contracts for the 2022-23 season, along with ATOs to end the year this year.
Bridgeport also loaned Thomas Hickey to Ontario, and Richard Panik to Chicago (AHL).
The last weekend of the season will be key as the Bridgeport Islanders’ magic number is down to four.
A Native of Danbury, CT. Christian is one of the longest tenured Drive4Five writers, Christian Gardecki began writing for Drive4five In May of 2017. Christian covers Minor League Hockey and the Bridgeport Islanders for Drive4Five. Outside of Drive4Five, Christian was the captain of his High School Hockey team and currently attends Hofstra University with a major in journalism. Christian was the play by play broadcaster for the Danbury Westerners summer collegiate baseball team during their 2021 NECBL Championship. Christian also was the Public Address Announcer for the Danbury Hat Tricks Minor Pro Hockey team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League and NAHL Junior team from 2019-21.
