Providence rallies from 2-0 deficit to beat Bridgeport 3-2 in shootout

Riley Tufte’s lone shootout marker delivered a 3-2 win for the Providence Bruins over the Bridgeport Islanders at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Feb. 28, 2026, a result that dropped Bridgeport to 22-23-3-4. The finishing touch from Tufte capped a game in which Bridgeport opened fast but Providence reclaimed momentum late and completed the comeback in the shootout.

Bridgeport struck twice in the opening period. Pierrick Dubé opened the scoring at 4:17 with his fourth goal of the season after a crease scramble created by a Matt Luff shot, and Matthew Highmore extended the lead on the ensuing power play when Fabian Lysell was whistled for hooking. Isles In The Sound’s recap notes Highmore “buried a wrist shot from the high slot” to make it 2-0, and one source indicates that was Highmore’s ninth of the season.

Providence pressured Bridgeport in the opening minutes and again later, including a deflection off the post and a point-blank chance from Matej Blümel that was turned aside. Isles In The Sound described the early stop this way: “Providence pushed hard in the game’s opening minutes, including a deflection off the post and a point-blank chance from Matej Blümel that Marcus Högberg turned aside with a flash of the glove.” That sequence framed what would become a tilt of momentum later in the contest.

Accounts from Isles In The Sound and the team’s Substack differ on which netminder produced the game’s signature saves. Islesinthesound’s Substack assessed the netminding performance differently, writing, “Michael DiPietro reminded everyone why he’s one of the AHL’s best goalies, robbing Daylan Kuefler and Alex Jefferies with ten-bell saves to keep Providence in striking distance. Two late penalty kills preserved the two-goal cushion, though the push from Providence on consecutive power plays served as a clear warning: this opponent can rip momentum away in an instant.” Both goalies are named in postgame coverage; the differing attributions underline how key saves and special-teams swings defined the contest.

Providence’s comeback came in the third period and was finished in the shootout; Joey McAuliffe of Isles In The Sound summarized the arc plainly: “Bridgeport scored two first period goals, but Providence stormed back in the third period and eventually won courtesy of a lone shootout goal by Riley Tufte.” With Bridgeport surrendering a two-goal lead and dropping to 22-23-3-4, the Islanders fall deeper into a stretch where every result has playoff and business implications for the franchise.

From a performance and industry perspective, the game highlighted several AHL realities that matter to NHL affiliates. First, shootout proficiency and late-game composure by players like Riley Tufte become measurable assets for clubs weighing call-ups or trade interest. Second, special-teams moments, Highmore’s power-play conversion and the reported late penalty kills, mold narratives around coaching adjustments and roster value. For Bridgeport, a loss at home complicates marketing and season-ticket messaging even as the team’s 2025-26 season-ticket plans and promotional calendar remain a commercial focus for the organization. For Providence, rallying from a two-goal hole bolsters the club’s evaluative case for players who can flip momentum in high-leverage situations.

The Feb. 28 result will ripple beyond a single boxscore: it reshapes Bridgeport’s standing at 22-23-3-4, spotlights Riley Tufte and competing goaltenders Marcus Högberg and Michael DiPietro in talent-evaluation conversations, and reinforces the AHL’s role as a testing ground where individual moments can change careers and front-office decisions.