Big night for Rangers prospects leads Wolf Pack to win in home opener

Perhaps it was a glimpse into the New York Rangers future Friday night at XL Center in Hartford. Three Rangers prospects, including two of their most important, combined to score five goals in the Hartford Wolf Pack’s 6-5 win in their home opener against the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Forward Jaroslav Chmelar scored two first-period goals and assisted on Brett Berard’s eventual game winner in the third. Berard also had three points, adding a pair of assists in the victory. And Brennan Othmann scored two goals.

Chmelar, a 21-year-old forward from Czechia, was New York’s fifth-round pick (No. 144 overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft. That was the same year the Rangers drafted Othmann in the first round, with the No. 16 overall pick.

Of the two, Othmann is the more highly-touted prospect and was among the final cuts from Rangers training camp this Fall. But Chmelar is an intriguing player, one who has excellent size (6-foot-4, 226 pounds) and displayed offensive skill.

Chmelar scored each of his goals within five feet of the net Friday and was named the First Star of the game. He previously played two seasons at Providence College and played seven games at the end of last season with the Wolf Pack, when he scored two goals. He then took a regular shift in the Calder Cup Playoffs and scored two goals to go along with an assist in 10 games.

Interestingly, Chmelar was Berard’s teammate two years ago at Providence. So, it was Friars’ reunion when Chmelar had the primary assist on Berard’s second goal in as many games this season.

Related: Wolf Pack Notebook, including Brennan Othmann’s power-play presence

Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard continue to be standout Rangers prospects

Brett Berard — Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Berard has four points in the first two games of the AHL season, after scoring Hartford’s first goal of 2024-25 in a 4-3 shootout loss to Lehigh Valley last weekend. Othmann also has four points. He had a pair of assists in the season opener.

Both Othmann and Chmelar had one power-play goal apiece, and Hartford was 2-for-5 on the man advantage.

Defenseman Brandon Scanlin, who played one game with the Rangers last season, scored Hartford’s other goal. Connor Mackey contributed two assists.

Veteran goalie Louis Domingue made 29 saves in the win, which was the first in coach Grant Potulny’s professional career.

The Wolf Pack are right back at it Saturday when they host the Bridgeport Islanders.

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