A Chance to Catch Our Breath

New Years Day gives us a chance to take a step back and savor the outstanding play we got to witness on New Year's Eve. As we get ready for the World Under-20 medal and relegation rounds, there was 2 New York Ranger prospects in action on Friday.

Ethan Werek (2009 2nd) had a goal as his Kingston Frontenacs shut out the Peterborough Petes 3-0 in OHL action. For Werek it was his 18th goal of the season as well as his 40th point in just 34 games.

Werek is not getting the splash like the USA trio but as we said the other night; Werek has been the overall best Ranger prospect all season and that we doubt will change.

Against the Petes; Werek scored the Frontenac's second goal of the game at the 17 minute mark of the 1st period. Werek picked up a loose puck that was sitting in the crease and poked it home.

A garbage goal; the kind of goal that the Rangers rarely ever seem to get but the kind of goal that Werek seems to specialize in.

Check out the video (Werek scores at the 49 second mark) of the game courtesy of the folks from the Frontenacs.



The other Ranger prospect in action was Tomas Kundratek (2008 3rd) as his Medicine Hat Tigers lost their 2nd straight 3-2 overtime decision only this time to the Swift Current Broncos.

Kundratek was scoreless but took 3 minors in an otherwise quiet evening for him.

The Schedule for the World Under-20 Championships

Team USA will be playing Finland on Saturday in a game that will be televised on the NHL Network in the US starting at 9 PM EDT/6 PM PDT. If you have not had a chance to watch the 3 Ranger prospects (Stepan, Kreider, and Bourque) then we suggest you do so now.

Roman Horak and his Czech Republic team is now in the relegation round so the best they can do is try to keep the Czech team in the top division for next year. It might be the wake up call the Czech hockey federation needs if they get demoted.

(Werek courtesy of Aaron Bell/OHL Images)