Gabe Perreault heroics lift Wolf Pack to comeback victory

Gabe Perreault recorded the first two-goal game of his professional career, helping the Hartford Wolf Pack rally for a 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday night. The New York Rangers top prospect started a comeback from 2-0 down in the third period and capped it by scoring the game-winning goal with 61 seconds remaining in regulation.

Perreault’s clutch performance was a bright spot on a bleak day for the Rangers organization. Back in New York, the Rangers put forth a gruesome effort in a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. In addition, Adam Fox sustained an scary upper-body injury, and there’s concern over his status moving forward.

So, Perreault’s heroics with New York’s AHL affiliate stood out even more. The 20-year-old forward displayed a lightning-quick release, when he found open space and scored a 4-on-4 goal at 11:56 of the third period to cut the Hartford deficit to 2-1.

The rejuvenated Wolf Pack scored on their next shift, when Trey Fix-Wolansky scored his ninth goal just nine seconds after Perreault got them on the board. Fix-Wolansky buried a rebound after Jaroslav Chmelar’s wraparound try was denied.

Cleveland took a penalty at 18:40 of the third period, and Perreault made sure to make them pay for the high-sticking transgression. It took 19 seconds before Perreault snapped a power-play shot from between the circles into the back of the net — another quick release — at 18:59.

That was Perreault’s first power-play goal of the season, and eighth overall. He’s tied for fifth among AHL rookies in goal scoring. His shooting percentage is an impressive 32 percent (eight goals on 25 shots), though the Wolf Pack and Rangers would love to see him shoot more.

Gabe Perreault continues impressive rookie AHL season with Hartford

Gabe Perreault — Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Perreault leads Hartford in scoring with 14 points in 15 games, and his plus/minus is a team-best plus-10. Earlier in the season, Perreault had a four-game point streak and won AHL Player of the Week honors.

The 2023 first-round draft pick picked up his first NHL point in a three-game recall with the Rangers in early November, assisting on an Alexis Lafreniere power-play goal in a 6-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 10. However, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan didn’t fully trust Perreault defensively, and so the youngster’s ice time dropped before New York sent him back to the minors.

After he returned to Hartford, Perreault was pointless in two games. But since then he’s got four points (three goals, one assists) in four games and is back to driving the Wolf Pack offense.

And Hartford’s responded to his return, winning four of six games, including sweeping the two-game set this weekend in Cleveland.

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