Rangers top prospect Gabe Perreault taking flight in minors with Hartford
It’s not taking long for Gabe Perreault to turn heads in the American Hockey League. The New York Rangers top prospect did so again Wednesday, when he recorded three points, helping lead Hartford to a 4-1 win over Charlotte.
Perreault scored his third goal and assisted on two others, and appears to be finding his stride in the minors. The 20-year-old forward has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past two games and leads Hartford with seven points in seven games.
“When Gabe skates and moves his feet, it allows his brain to make high-level plays,” Hartford coach Grant Potulny explained postgame. “He was winning races, he was getting to the net front, all of those things. … He had a great game.”
Early in the second period, Perreault banked a long pass off the boards to spring Justin Dowling, who finished off the breakout with his first goal of the season at the thirty-second mark. That gave the Wolf Pack a 2-1 lead after a slow start to the game
“He made that play, which was an incredible play, to Dowling,” Potulny noted. “Sometimes offensive players need something like that to happen, it just unlocks them a little bit”
Not long after, Perreault made it 3-1 at 7:56 with a sweet finish, beating Charlotte goalie Cooper Black with a backhand shot through the 5-hole.
“That’s a goal scorer’s goal. When they do that,” Potulny paused with a chuckle, “that’s a goal scorer.”
At 18:45 of the second, Perreault was credited with his second assist and third point of the game. His spinning backhand shot from the slot was denied by Black, but Dowling cleaned up the rebound to make it 4-1.
Perreault is tied for fourth among AHL rookies in goals (3), assists (4), and points (7).
Led by Gabe Perreault, Rangers prospects step up in latest Hartford victory
Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack
Perreault’s played on a line with the veteran Dowling since the first game at Hartford, a decision probably heavily influenced by Rangers management. Dowling is a true hockey veteran, 35 years old with 152 games of NHL experience and plenty more in the AHL. He’s an important mentor on and off the ice for New York’s prized prospect.
Joining them on that line is second-year pro Jaroslav Chmelar. The hulking (6-foot-5, 220 pounds) 22-year-old is an intriguing Rangers prospect, himself. Though not in the same league as Perreault, Chmelar has some offensive skill, and finished last season with 12 goals and 29 points in 71 games as a rookie pro in the AHL.
The 2021 fifth-round pick (No. 144 overall) had two assists Wednesday and has three points (one goal, two assists) in seven games.
He’s aware of the great opportunity to play up in the lineup with Perreault and Dowling, and clearly knows his role on that line.
“Those guys can make plays, and I think I can give them a little extra ice, you know forecheck hard, get pucks down low, and be responsible for them,” Chmelar explained Wednesday. “It’s unbelievable what they can do with the puck, so I just try and find them and get to the net.”
Rangers goalie prospect Dylan Garand made 30 saves against Charlotte and is 3-3-0 in six starts, with a 2.55 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. Trey Fix-Wolansky scored his third goal, Brett Berard picked up his third assist, and defenseman Scott Morrow contributed an assist in the victory.
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