Dec 20, 2022
By Gabriela Carroll | New York Islanders
The Bridgeport Islanders have started the 2022-23 season off strong with a 14-8-5 record. Their goaltending tandem of veteran Cory Schneider and 2018 third rounder (72nd overall) Jakub Skarek has been a driving force.
“It’s healthy competition,” Head Coach Brent Thompson said. “Cory and Jakub are really pushing each other with their practice habits and the way they go about their business. For me, you have to have two goalies capable of getting you wins, and we have that.”
Schneider is among the league leaders so far this season, posting a 10-3-2 record with a .921 save percentage, seventh-best in the AHL, and 2.51 GAA, tied for seventh-best in the AHL. Only two goalies have more wins. Skarek has points in seven of his 12 starts this season (4-5-3) and set a new career high with 43 saves against Providence last month.
Schneider, 36, has played in 410 NHL games in his career, with his first coming in 2008 for the Vancouver Canucks and his most recent for the New York Islanders on Apr. 3, 2022 against the New Jersey Devils, though he was recalled by the Isles on emergency recall on Sunday. Having a veteran like Schneider in net is a stabilizing force for the team, according to Head Coach Brent Thompson.
“He’s been through a lot, and his maturity, how he approaches things, is outstanding,” Thompson said. “That confidence in the way he carries himself on a day-to-day is good for our team, and it’s great for (Skarek).”
Schneider ended last season with a .921 save percentage in 30 appearances, ranking fifth among all AHL goaltenders. He posted a .927 save percentage and 2.35 GAA in six playoff games last year as well. For Bridgeport, the playoff series win gave them momentum heading into the new season.
Schneider could have considered retirement after a 12-year NHL career, but the veteran goaltender said he values the opportunity to serve as a mentor in the AHL and leader to young players like Skarek.
“We had a little meeting before the year and said, ‘hey, you know, let’s expect good things out of us,’” Schneider said. “Let’s not get behind the eight ball and chase all year. We have a good team and a good group of guys. Let’s establish our expectations. Let’s go out there and make sure we take it seriously and play well, because we know we can.”
Skarek is playing his fourth season with Bridgeport, but…
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