BERARD 1ST HATTIE LEADS WOLF PACK OVER BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – Brett Berard scored the first hat trick of his professional career on Friday night, helping the Wolf Pack to a season-high seven goals as they blitzed the Providence Bruins 7-4 at the XL Center.
Berard’s hat-trick tally was the game-winner, coming 2:35 into the second period. Berard’s 22nd goal of the season capped off a pretty passing play with Alex Belzile and Mac Hollowell as he blistered a shot up high from the slot over the shoulder of Michael DiPietro to make it 5-0 Wolf Pack.
Blade Jenkins opened the scoring for the Wolf Pack 3:48 into the game, deflecting a Matej Pekar shot for his second goal of the season. The assist was Pekar’s fifth of the season and came minutes into his first game since January 20th.
The goal marked the third consecutive game in which the Wolf Pack opened the scoring.
Bruins forward Anthony Richard nearly tied the game shorthanded on a breakaway, but Dylan Garand stood tall, leading to a three-on-one counterattack quarterbacked by Belzile. He fed an open Berard, who sniped a short side shot past DiPietro to make it 2-0 Wolf Pack on the powerplay at 7:26.
Berard found twine again on Hartford’s second powerplay of the game, circling the zone before picking up speed and firing a shot through a screen. Berard connected for his 21st goal of the season at 14:20.
The Wolf Pack picked up where they left off to begin the second period, scoring three goals in under three minutes for six unanswered goals. It started with Belzile one-timing a Hollowell feed just 1:59 into the period, making it 4-0 Hartford. Brennan Othmann recorded his second assist of the night on the goal.
Only 36 seconds later, Berard would pick up his first professional hat trick. Belzile’s assist was his third point of the game. Belzile was one of eight Wolf Pack players to record a multi-point night.
Berard’s hat-trick goal at 2:35 chased DiPietro from the contest as Brandon Bussi took over for the Bruins.
32 seconds after Berard’s hat trick, Ryder Korczak barreled towards the net, leading to Pekar feeding him for a tap-in at 3:07. Korczak’s goal was his seventh of the season, beating Bussi to make it a whopping 6-0 lead for the Wolf Pack.
Patrick Brown responded at 6:30 to put the Bruins on the board, scoring for the third time in four games against Hartford. Brown muscled his way to the front of the net before jamming the puck by Garand for his sixth of the season to make it a 6-1 game.
The Pack went on the penalty kill midway through the middle stanza as Nikolas Brouillard went off for high-sticking. After a brief five-on-three and two quick kills for the Wolf Pack, Brouillard extended the lead to 7-1 with his first goal since January 20th.
Brouillard took a pass from Blake Hillman and entered the offensive zone on a breakaway. He snapped a shot by Bussi on the short side just seconds after exiting the penalty box.
Bruins forward Oskar Steen beat Garand up high for a powerplay goal in the closing minutes of the second period to make it 7-2, starting a pushback from the visitors.
Brown scored his second goal of the night at 5:04 in a similar fashion to his first, driving to the net and stuffing the puck by Garand to make it 7-3. The goal was the Bruins’ second straight on the powerplay.
A third straight powerplay goal at 9:11, courtesy of Georgii Merkulov, made it a 7-4 game. Merkulov blasted home a one-timer from the right-wing circle for his team-leading 22nd goal of the season.
Despite a frantic push from the Bruins, the Wolf Pack were able to calm things down and push a 7-4 victory over the finish line. The win marks the Wolf Pack’s third straight victory and their second straight at home.
The Wolf Pack open a three-game road trip tomorrow night when they visit the Bridgeport Islanders. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting at 6:45 p.m. on AHLTV & Mixlr.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Saturday, March 16th, when the Utica Comets come to town. The puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m.; tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Ranger’s newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
