May 2, 2022
Arnaud Durandeau scored the game-winning goal at 9:56 of overtime on Monday, lifting the Bridgeport Islanders to a 2-1 victory against the Providence Bruins in Game 1 of their best-of-three, first-round playoff series at Dunkin’ Donuts Center. The Islanders can win the series at home on Wednesday.
Grant Hutton also scored early in the third period to eventually force overtime, while Cory Schneider was busy wire to wire. He made 46 saves on 47 shots for his first ever overtime win in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Providence outshot Bridgeport 16-9 in a scoreless first period, which featured 16 saves from Schneider. In fact, the veteran goaltender turned back each of the first 31 shots he faced until Jakub Lauko beat him on the Bruins’ fifth power play at 13:43 of the second. Aaron Ness delivered a pass to the left wing where Lauko hammered a one-timer short side to give Providence the lead.
Hutton tied the game just 67 seconds into the third on a short-side wrist shot that beat the glove of Troy Grosenick. Otto Koivula circled the Bruins’ zone after failing to convert on a backhand shot and set up Hutton near the bottom of the right circle. It was Hutton’s first playoff goal after his nine AHL tallies during the regular season.
Just shy of the halfway mark of the first overtime, Aatu Raty won a faceoff cleanly back to Robin Salo, who fired a lengthy shot off the back glass that fell behind the goal line. Durandeau skated onto the rebound and wrapped it home for the winning goal at even strength. Raty recorded his first North American point with an assist.
The Islanders finished the night 0-for-2 on the power play and 5-for-6 on the penalty kill. They were outshot 47-32.
Durandeau had a team-high five shots on goal, followed by Raty’s four.
Next Time Out: The Islanders host the Bruins in Game 2 of the first-round series on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. inside Total Mortgage…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Bridgeport Islanders…