Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: Brendan Brisson heats up on 4-game point streak
The Hartford Wolf Pack are finding ways to win lately. After snapping a seven-game losing streak (0-3-4-0) on Nov. 18 with a3-2 overtime victory over Springfield, the New York Rangers AHL affiliate won four of their past six games.
Last week started out badly, with a 6-3 loss to Springfield on Wednesday. Brennan Othmann played his best game of the season, scoring his first goal since Feb. 16 and adding an assist. He also led the Wolf Pack with six shots on goal. Dylan Roobroeck also contributed two points (one goal, one assist).
The Wolf Pack followed up with a pair of victories against Cleveland over the weekend, though. The 6-4 win Friday included two-goal performances from Trey Fix-Wolansky and Bryce McConnell-Barker. Then on Saturday, Gabe Perreault recorded the first two-goal game of his professional career to lead a 3-2 comeback win in the third period.
The sixth-place Wolf Pack (7-9-4-0, 18 points) can move to .500 with two wins this weekend.
Juuso Pärssinen, who cleared waivers and was assigned to Hartford by the Rangers last week, sustained an upper-body injury on Friday in the second period. He is week to week with the injury.
Hartford signed Daniel Walcott to a Professional Tryout (PTO) on Nov. 27. Walcott, a gritty 31-year old forward, was the Rangers’ fifth-round pick (No. 140 overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft. He returns after spending nine seasons with Syracuse in the AHL (56 goals, 91 assists for 147 points in 495 games). He attended AHL training camp with Charlotte, but was released prior to opening night.
The Wolf Pack’s roster shuffle continued when goalie Spencer Martin was called up to the Rangers on Sunday, and Dylan Garand was assigned to Hartford. Other transactions included Scott Morrow, and Brennan Othmann recalled by the Rangers, and Connor Mackey returned to the Wolf Pack. Goalie Hugo Ollas was also sent to ECHL Bloomington.
Hartford Wolf Pack News-n-Notes
Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack
Brendan Brisson heats up
Brendan Brisson, a first-round pick (No. 29 overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Vegas Golden Knights, is on a four-game point streak (three goals, one assist). This burst comes after a very slow start with Hartford this season, when he recorded three points (two goals, one assist) in 16 games.
Despite the poor start, the 24-year-old center is tied for fourth on Hartford with five goals, and is fifth with 37 shots on goal. Furthermore, his two power-play goals are third most on the Wolf Pack (one behind Roobroeck and Fix-Wolansky).
Brisson has seven points (five goals, two assists) in 20 games. He is two goals away from tying last season’s total (seven), when he split the campaign with Hartford and Henderson. He also was pointless in nine games with the Golden Knights.
Bryce McConnell-Barker developing nicely
Second-year forward Bryce McConnell-Barker is on a roll. McConnell-Barker, a third round pick (No. 97 overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Rangers, has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 20 games. He is tied for fourth on the team (with Roobroeck) in scoring, and is tied for fourth in goals (with Brisson). His 38 shots is the fourth most on the Wolf Pack. McConnell-Barker also recorded his first professional two-goal game on Nov. 28 against Cleveland.
Defensively, McConnell-Barker plays a disciplined and impactful game. He recorded three penalties this season and is plus-2. He helps the Wolf Pack transition quickly from defense to offense, showing how his skating is a tremendous asset.
McConnell-Barker is on pace to exceed his totals from 2024-25 (15 points). In fact, he is two goals and three assists away from replicating last season.
Callum Tung impresses during AHL call up
Since he was recalled by Hartford from ECHL Bloomington on Nov. 16, Callum Tung impressed and showed he’s capable of playing in the AHL. The 22-year-old goaltender, who signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Rangers on April 1, won three of his four starts with Hartford the past two weeks. He faced 109 shots and stopped 95 of them. While his sample size is limited (3.44 GAA, .872 save percentage), Tung showed the ability to compete in the AHL. In addition, he joined Hartford at the end of 2024-25 and impressed in two starts (1-1-0, 2.28 GAA, .893 save percentage).
Garand is the clear-cut No. 1 goalie in Hartford, and Martin will back him up once Jonathan Quick returns from a lower-body injury for the Rangers. That leaves Tung likely heading back to the ECHL, where he is 4-1-2 with a 2.47 GAA and .921 save percentage for the Bison.
Upcoming Games
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Friday, December 5 vs Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis) at 7:00pm, PeoplesBank Arena
- This is the fifth of 10 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 3-1-0-0 against Springfield.
- Springfield is 5-10-2-2 (14 points), eighth (last) in the Atlantic Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference. However, the Thunderbirds are on a five game point streak (3-0-1-1).
- Matt Luff (seven goals, seven assists) leads the Thunderbirds with 14 points. Next is Juraj Pekarcik with 12 points (five goals, seven assists).
Saturday, December 6 vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 7:00pm, Total Mortgage Arena
- This is the second of 12 meetings in the season series. Hartford was shut out in the first meeting, 3-0 on Oct. 24.
- Bridgeport is 7–10-1-1 (16 points), seventh in the Atlantic Division and tied for 12th in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders are 4-5-0-1 in their past 10 games.
- Matthew Highmore (four goals, 10 assists) and Matthew Maggio (three goals, 11 assists) co-lead the Islanders with 14 points apiece.
