Now that was more like it for Dylan Garand and the Hartford Wolf Pack. The New York Rangers goalie prospect turned in a gem Wednesday night at PeoplesBank Arena, leading Hartford to its first win of the season, 3-0 over Springfield.
Garand made 28 saves to earn his ninth career shutout and 50th win in the American Hockey League. And it came after he allowed six goals and lost his first two games amid Hartford's 0-3-0-0 start to the 2025-26 season.
"I thought he was outstanding tonight, and that's more of what we'll see from Dylan," Hartford coach Grant Potulny said postgame . "This is more of what we expect from him."
It's not that Garand was bad by any stretch in his first two starts, a 2-1 loss on opening night at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and a 5-2 defeat (with an empty-netter) in the home opener last Friday, also against WBS. In fact Potulny noted, "We didn't give him any help the last time here, kind of left him out to dry."
Garand, though, was a difference maker Wednesday.
"I just had to raise my compete level. It was a win-or-die mindset for me," Garand explained after the win . "Obviously, a good result."
The Wolf Pack were a perfect 8-for-8 on the penalty kill Wednesday, and Garand played a huge role in that success. He was dialed in right from the start, when Hartford took three minor penalties in the opening 5:38 of the game, which included 61 seconds of a 5-on-3 power play for Springfield.
"PKs, I think, the stereotype is your goalie is your best killer, and I just try to bear down and work my butt off to get the kill and not let them score," Garand explained. "[Eight] kills is a lot, and we killed every single one of them, that's really, really impressive."
Garand was an AHL All-Star last season, when he won 20 games, had three shutouts, and posted career-best numbers (2.73 goals-against average and .913 save percentage) in 39 AHL games. This season, he's the clear-cut No. 1 for Hartford after splitting the goaltending duties with veteran Louis Domingue for three years.
That'll help the Rangers decide if Garand is ready to be Igor Shesterkin 's backup in 2026-27, should Jonathan Quick retire at the end of this season.
"Pretty rare to have tandem together for three years like we had. Now it's kind of switched a little bit," Garand said. "I would play 72 games if they would let me, I love playing. As much as they need, I'm going to give the guys every chance to win."
Bryce McConnell-Barker; Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack Credit: Hartford Wolf Pack
Bryce McConnel-Barker scored his first goal of the season to open the scoring 7:40 into the second period Wednesday. It was a beauty for New York's third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, who scored seven goals as a rookie pro last season with Hartford.
"I think Bryce has been really good this year for us through four games. It's by far the best hockey he's played," Potulny noted.
Carey Terrance scored his first goal in professional hockey to make it 2-0 at 8:38 of the third period, and Adam Sykora potted his second of the season, into an empty net at 19:38, for the Wolf Pack. Terrance, a 20-year-old center, was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks this past offseason as part of the return package in the Chris Kreider trade .
Hartford plays two more games this weekend, home on Friday against Bridgeport and Saturday on the road in Springfield.
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