In an intense American Hockey League matchup at Total Mortgage Arena, the Bridgeport Islanders faced off against the Providence Bruins in a closely contested game that ended with the Bruins edging out a 5-4 victory. The Islanders, who outshot the Bruins 37-25, featured four different goal scorers: Karson Kuhlman, Dennis Cholowski, Brian Pinho, and Robin Salo. Kuhlman’s goal was particularly notable as he skillfully navigated through traffic for a second-period score.
The Bruins initiated the scoring with Georgii Merkulov’s 14th goal of the season. Bridgeport responded swiftly, with Pinho equalizing after a setup from Ruslan Iskhakov. The second period was a rollercoaster, with the Islanders briefly taking the lead through Kuhlman’s effort, only for the Bruins to reply with two quick goals. However, Cholowski’s shot from the blue line brought the game back to a tie. The third period saw Providence securing the lead with Michael Callahan scoring his second goal, followed by another from Anthony Richard. Salo’s late goal brought the Islanders close, but ultimately, they couldn’t bridge the gap.
The game also marked the AHL season debuts for Jacob Pivonka and Trevor Cosgrove with the Islanders. Looking ahead, the Islanders are set to face the Springfield Thunderbirds in their next game.