Oct 12, 2024
THE STORY COMING IN
The Bridgeport Islanders (0-0-0-0) begin their 24th AHL season with a 7 p.m. puck drop against the Providence Bruins (0-1-0-0) at Total Mortgage Arena tonight. It’s the first time in eight years that Bridgeport has opened its season at home, most recently doing so on Oct. 15, 2016 – also against Providence. The Islanders, who host Charlotte tomorrow afternoon and Hershey on Wednesday night, will begin the regular season with three consecutive home games for the first time since 2015-16.
Watch tonight’s game live: AHLTV on FloHockey
Listen to tonight’s radio broadcast: Mixlr
BLOCK PARTY AND GIVEAWAYS
In the team’s annual tradition, fans will be treated to a pre-game block party on the Total Mortgage Arena Plaza from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. tonight, featuring live music, food, and drinks. Islanders’ fans will also have the opportunity to get their hands on new ‘Fisherman’ merchandise for the very first time. The first 2,500 fans in attendance tonight will receive a Fisherman bucket hat and an LED bracelet when doors open at 6 p.m.
GAME AT A GLANCE
Tonight’s game is the first of 12 meetings between the Islanders and Bruins this season, and the first of six in Connecticut. The Bruins will once again be the Islanders’ most frequent opponent. Bridgeport was 3-8-1-0 against Providence during the 2023-24 campaign and went 2-4-0-0 in those games at home. Five of their six meetings at Total Mortgage Arena last season were separated by two goals or less.
VIEW FROM PROVIDENCE
Led by fourth-year head coach Ryan Mougenel, the Bruins opened the regular season with a 5-2 loss to the Laval Rocket last night at home. Providence raced out to an early two-goal lead with tallies from Vinni Lettieri (PPG) and Patrick Brown, but Laval stormed back, and outshot the Bruins 39-14 in the contest. Longtime NHL defenseman Jordan Oesterle had two assists in his Bruins debut and Brandon Bussi (0-1-0) made 34 saves. The Bruins racked up 93 points (42-21-6-3) and finished second in the Eastern Conference last season but lost to Hartford in four games in the Atlantic Division Semifinals.
OPENING NIGHT ROSTER
Bridgeport begins the regular season with 25 players on its active roster, featuring 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and 3 goaltenders. Sixteen players have previously dressed for the club, while the other nine have an opportunity to make their Bridgeport debuts tonight. Among those…
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