Matt Rempe is alive and well in the American Hockey League. Recently demoted by the New York Rangers to play big minutes with their AHL affiliate in Hartford, the hulking forward broke through with his first two points in seven games with the Wolf Pack on Saturday.
Rempe, who had a game-high seven shots on goal, had the secondary assist on Hartford’s second goal in a 4-2 victory against Providence. The 22-year-old kept the puck alive behind the net early in the third period, before Adam Sykora collected it and fed in front to captain Casey Fitzgerald, who made no mistake rifling home his third goal to put the Wolf Pack in front 2-1.
After the teams traded goals, Rempe scored his first goal, and it was a beauty. Not to mention an important one.
Just 23 seconds after Providence pulled to within 3-2, Rempe took off up left wing on a 2-on-1 rush. Rempe skated into the circle and wired a shot past goalie Brandon Bussi at 16:35 to end any idea of a Providence comeback.
It was a sweet finish by Rempe, who was pointless and minus-6 in his first six games with Hartford. Rempe recently switched from center to the wing on a line centered by Sykora, who assisted on the popular forward’s third-period goal.
“He’s played fantastic (on the wing),” Wolf Pack coach Grant Potulny said postgame about Rempe. “You’re always moving guys around … He’s good on the dot (at center) but it’s good when a player can be versatile and can play more than one position. It brings them more value to their personal game.”
Rempe was scoreless in three games with one fight for the Rangers this season. He had one goal and one assist in 17 games last season, and added a goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He has 15 goals and 24 points in 103 AHL games with Hartford the past three seasons.
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Rangers forward prospect helps Wolf Pack win second straight game
Adam Sykora – photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack
Sykora picked up a pair of assists Saturday and is now tied for fourth on the Wolf Pack with eight points (three goals, five assists). The 20-year-old is tied for third on the team in assists.
Last season, as a teenager in his rookie pro season, the 2022 second-round pick played a mature two-way game and finished with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 66 games. A bit, bigger and stronger this season, Sykora has shifted to center after playing mostly on the wing in 2023-24.
Another Rangers forward prospect, Brett Berard, also contributed two assists in the win. Berard leads Hartford with six goals and 11 points this season after leading them with 25 goals as a rookie pro last season.
Third-year pro Dylan Garand made 32 saves in the win. The 22-year-old goalie is off to a terrific start with a 2.54 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and 5-1-1 record in seven starts.
