WATCH: Durandeau Plays Hero in OT, Räty & Salo Contribute

The Bridgeport Islanders came away victorious in Game 1 of their first-round matchup with the Providence Bruins, as Arnaud Durandou netted the game-winner in overtime for the 2-1 win.

The play started in the offensive zone, as 2021 fifth-round pick (52nd overall) forward Aatu Räty won a faceoff as clean as can be back to 2017 second-round selection (46th overall), defenseman Robin Salo at the point. Salo walked the blue line for a second before getting a wrist shot towards goal.

The shot sent the puck over the crossbar and off the glass, and that’s when Durandeau took advantage.

Just gonna watch this on repeat until Wednesday tbh https://t.co/LXK6yBwpDz pic.twitter.com/IS9NELW8se

— x – Bridgeport Islanders (@AHLIslanders) May 3, 2022

The 23-year-old 6th-round pick from 2017 was fresh off a career year with Bridgeport, as he scored 15 goals and recorded 22 assists in 65 games (37 points). His awareness, speed, and hockey IQ allowed him to net the game-winner.

Aatu Räty, who was given the secondary assist on the overtime winner, notched his first career point on North American ice. Räty arrived in Bridgeport back on Apr. 19, with only two regular-season games left on the schedule. The 19-year-old did suit up for both games but did not record a point and owned a plus/- of -2.

In the win, Räty was credited with four shots on goal.

The person Paul Bissonette sits next to on the TNT broadcast, Wayne Gretzky, once said, “You miss 100-percent of the shots you don’t take.” Although defenseman Robin Salo missed his point shot, his willingness to shoot led directly to the game-winner. What was more impressive was how quickly he got rid of the puck in relation to when the shooting lane opened up.

Salo played 21 games with the New York Islanders this past season

In his latest stint with the big club, the last three contests of the NHL regular season, Salo recorded three shots, two hits, and four blocks in 14:34 TOI.

Last Tuesday, Salo was emergency recalled ahead of a game against the Washington Capitals in D.C, as Ryan Pulock was unable to go (illness). Salo also played Thursday against the Capitals on Long Island before remaining in the lineup for the season-finale Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

He played the first two games alongside Adam Pelech and the last one with Andy Greene.

Other notables from the Game 1 win over Providence was the goaltending by veteran Cory Schneider, who stopped 46 of 47 shots that came his way. 26-year-old Grant Hutton scored to tie the contest at one apiece just over a minute into the third period.

On Wednesday, the Bridgeport Islanders host the Providence Bruins for Game 2 of the best-of-three series, with puck drop at 7:05 PM from Total Morgage Arena.