Brett Berard and Brennan Othmann had impressive starts to the season, but the essential prospects for the New York Rangers couldn’t secure a win for the Hartford Wolf Pack in their opening game of the 2024-25 season. The Rangers’ AHL affiliate fell to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 4-3, in a shootout on Saturday in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Berard netted the Wolf Pack’s first goal of the season at 17:56 of the first period, executing a slight toe drag before firing a power-play shot past Phantoms goalie Alexei Kolosov. Othmann contributed by retrieving a loose puck from defenseman Casey Fitzgerald and delivering a precise cross-ice pass to Berard.
In the closing moments of the game, Othmann assisted Fitzgerald’s goal that tied the match with 1:05 left in regulation. Othmann finished his season debut with two assists, four shots on goal, and three minor penalties, although he missed his shootout attempt, leading to a 2-1 loss in that skills competition. Berard, however, scored during the first round of the shootout and matched Othmann with four shots on goal while also receiving a minor penalty.
Last season, both Berard and Othmann made a significant impact as rookies with Hartford. Berard, a fifth-round pick in 2020, led the team with 25 goals, making him the second-highest scorer among AHL rookies, while Othmann, New York’s top selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, followed closely with 21 goals.
Both young forwards impressed during the Rangers’ training camp in recent weeks, with Berard receiving praise from coach Peter Laviolette before being one of the final roster cuts, and Othmann contributing four points (one goal, three assists) in six preseason games. Veteran goalie Louis Domingue stood tall with 45 saves over 65 minutes for Hartford, stopping one of three shots in the shootout, even as his team was outshot 49-25 in regulation and overtime, including 17-7 in the second and third periods.
The Wolf Pack managed to score two shorthanded goals, but they also allowed the Phantoms to score all three of their goals on the power play.
