Some may have been surprised by Brett Berard’s achievement of scoring 25 goals for the Hartford Wolf Pack last season or his position as one of the final cuts during New York Rangers training camp this fall. However, the 22-year-old forward is continuing to enhance his performance as the 2024-25 AHL season progresses.
On Saturday, Berard contributed two goals, including the game-winner just 1:38 into overtime, leading the Wolf Pack to a 5-4 victory over Bridgeport at XL Center. The 5-foot-9 forward has tallied four goals and six points over the first three games of the season, registering at least one goal and point in each match. He had an impressive weekend, having earned three points (one goal, two assists) in a 6-5 home win against Springfield on Friday.
Berard demonstrated his versatile skill set by scoring in two distinct ways against Bridgeport. He put Hartford ahead 3-2 with a well-executed wraparound goal at 15:53 of the second period, showcasing his speed, strength, and finesse. Later, during an overtime power play, Berard positioned himself to unleash a powerful one-timer past Marcus Hogberg for the decisive goal.
Wolf Pack coach Grant Potulny praised the effectiveness of the power play unit featuring Berard, Brennan Othmann, Alex Belzile, Casey Fitzgerald, and Bo Groulx. After scoring nine power-play goals last season, Berard has already netted two in the first three games of the current season.
Though it’s still early, Berard ranks fourth among AHL goal scorers and is tied for fifth in points, following his solid two-way performance that caught the Rangers’ attention, keeping him in camp until the final roster decisions. Notably, he remained longer than Othmann, the Rangers’ first-round pick from the 2021 NHL Draft, despite having fewer goals in camp.
Berard is one point ahead of Groulx on the Wolf Pack’s scoring list. Groulx has five points (two goals, three assists) after a standout four-point game (two goals, two assists) on Saturday. Othmann did not score against Bridgeport but has accumulated four points (two goals, two assists) in three games.
Rangers forward prospect Adam Sykora netted his first goal of the season on Saturday, giving Hartford a 4-3 lead at 13:38 of the third period. The 20-year-old had eight goals and 23 points during his rookie season with the Wolf Pack last year. Fitzgerald, a defenseman signed by the Rangers this offseason, contributed two assists on Saturday, including the primary assist on Berard’s game-winning goal, totaling four points (one goal, three assists) thus far.
The Wolf Pack will wrap up a busy three-game weekend with a visit to Bridgeport for the conclusion of a home-and-home series on Sunday.
