Andrew Fantucchio
Providence, RI– There’s been little to highlight when it has come to the Bridgeport Islanders this year.
The top farm club of the New York Islanders has sat near the bottom of the AHL standings for much of the season as offense has been hard to come by, with many of those who were expected to supply a scoring punch experiencing struggles for a host of reasons.
Top prospect William Dufour began the year on a cold stretch and is only now beginning to show signs of his usual self after taking a leave of absence for personal reasons. Meanwhile, the highly touted Matthew Maggio has battled injuries as he’s adjusting to life during his first year of professional hockey.
The one bright spot has come from Ruslan Iskhakov, who’s consistently put up numbers for Bridgeport.
It’s nice to be able to play with the best players in the AHL and kind of get off your head from the season. I’m just going to enjoy it as much as I can. It’s a great opportunity, and it’s a big honor to represent as the best player on the team.
I’m more confident this year. We’re coming into the second year playing the left wing, and I feel more mature. I got better at the things that weren’t enough last year from working over the summer. I’ve just been more consistent. Last season was kind of ups and downs, and this is more of a straight line.
It’s not for me to decide. I’m just trying to concentrate on the things I can control. I’ll continue to work on my offense, work on my defense and go from there.
