Are the Bridgeport Islanders Ready for the Calder Cup Playoffs? Rocky Thompson has them Prepared

The Bridgeport Islanders are playing their best hockey at the right time. They’ve won 10 of their last 12 games, including 10 home wins in a row to clinch a playoff spot. The Islanders look like one of the best teams in the American Hockey League and have the ideal mix of veterans and prospects on the rise to make a playoff run.

Moreover, the Islanders have bought into Rocky Thompson’s system. They’ve played a fast pased high pressure style that gives opponents fits. It took time for the players to buy in but once they did, they became a great team and one of the best turnaround stories in hockey.

Thompson’s System is Demanding But Tough to Stop Every team that faced the Islanders this season noted how they love to generate pressure and are a high-volume team. They push the pace, generate plenty of shots on the net, and look to overwhelm teams with their pace and surplus of looks. “It’s a simple game, it’s a high-pressure game, and it’s a possession game,” Thompson noted in a conversation with The Hockey News .

It’s a contrast to the way the rest of the league plays, as most teams value quality shots and possession over volume. For Thompson, it’s about controlling the puck but then putting it on the net and being around for the rebound and second chance. “Our possession leads to shot volume, so we get a lot of scoring chances,” he added.