Wolf Pack Ride Big Nights from Berard and Chmelař to 4-3 Win Over Penguins
The Hartford Wolf Pack are heating up, and Friday night in Wilkes-Barre was another example of a team finding its rhythm at the right time. Powered by three-point performances from Brett Berard and Jaroslav Chmelař, Hartford edged the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-3 to notch their second straight win on their Pennsylvania road swing.
This one had some bite to it - a back-and-forth affair that saw momentum swing several times before the Wolf Pack finally slammed the door shut.
Chmelař Sets the Tone
The Penguins struck first, capitalizing on a turnover in the Wolf Pack zone. Atley Calvert forced the puck loose and started a crisp passing sequence that ended with Gabe Klassen beating Dylan Garand from the slot for the early 1-0 lead.
But Hartford didn’t take long to answer. After Rafaël Harvey-Pinard was sent off for tripping, the Wolf Pack went to work on the power play.
Brett Berard controlled the puck along the right wall and found Casey Fitzgerald at the top of the zone. Fitzgerald slid into the high slot and let one fly - a shot that clipped Chmelař in front and deflected past Sergei Murashov to tie things up.
That goal, Chmelař’s sixth of the season, was more than just a fortunate bounce. It showed the kind of net-front presence and timing that coaches love to see from young forwards. It also set the tone for what would become a standout night for the 6-foot-4 winger.
Middle Frame Mayhem
The second period turned into a goal-fest - and that’s where Hartford took control.
Klassen struck again for the Penguins midway through the frame, cleaning up a rebound off a Finn Harding shot to give the home side a 2-1 lead. But that advantage lasted all of 26 seconds.
Chmelař, again in the middle of the action, blocked a shot and took off on a two-on-none with Berard. With a clean lane to the net, Chmelař dished to Berard, who didn’t overthink it - he ripped a shot past Murashov to even the score at 2-2.
That goal marked Berard’s sixth of the season and continued a red-hot stretch - his fourth goal in four games. The 21-year-old winger is starting to look more and more like a player who’s figured out the AHL pace, and he’s doing it with confidence.
Hartford wasn’t done. Just over two minutes later, they grabbed their first lead of the night.
Jackson Dorrington moved the puck to Fitzgerald at the point, and the captain delivered a low shot that Kalle Väisänen redirected home. That gave the Wolf Pack a 3-2 edge and Fitzgerald his second assist of the night - his first multi-assist game of the season.
Before the period was over, the Wolf Pack struck again - and once more, it was the Berard-Chmelař connection causing chaos. Chmelař won a footrace to a loose puck and fed Berard cutting toward the goal. Murashov made the initial stop, but Justin Dowling was right there to clean up the rebound and extend the lead to 4-2.
It was Dowling’s seventh goal of the season, and with the helpers, both Berard and Chmelař picked up their third points of the night. One goal and two assists apiece - that’s the kind of top-line production that wins games.
Holding the Line
The Penguins made things interesting in the third when Aidan McDonough trimmed the lead to one midway through the period. But Hartford’s defense locked in from there, and Garand stood tall down the stretch to preserve the win.
It wasn’t always pretty, but it was gritty - and it was enough. The Wolf Pack weathered the late push and walked away with two points on the road.
What’s Next
Hartford and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won’t have to wait long for the rematch. The two teams are back at it Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre, with puck drop set for 6:05 p.m.
If Berard and Chmelař keep playing like this, the Wolf Pack could be building something special.