If you're looking for a theme to describe Friday night hockey for the New York Ranger and New York Islander prospects; then the best one might be every point counts. This is the time to the year were teams are jockeying for playoff position or in some cases fighting to make the playoffs.
There are many things that are a prospect can learn into practice such as how to improve their skating or getting stronger on defense. You can teach a prospect how to improve his diet as well as better ways to work out.
But there are some things that a prospect either already has it or he won't have and that is the ability to raise his game during crunch time. Coaches can't teach prospects how to put their team on their back and carry them to a win.
It's money time whether it's what round might find yourself drafted or with the team that drafted you sign you? This is the time of the year where an undrafted player can earn an invite to try out for a pro team.
It is also the time of the year where dreams of becoming a professional hockey player come to an end.
Ranger First Star JT Miller
Safe to say that Miller's January slump has come to an end after Miller had a two-goal one assist game against the Sudbury Wolves. Miller scored his 17th goal of the season at 4:02 of overtime to help his Plymouth Whalers earned a 6-5 win.
It seemed that every time the Whalers needed a big play it was Miller who was making it happen. From setting up a goal which tied the game to scoring a goal that gave Plymouth their first lead of the night and finally the goal that won the game.
Miller, Michael St. Croix, and Chris Kreider earned stars from us tonight as each played a role in helping his team win. You can be how they did along with the rest of the Ranger prospect report right here.
Islanders Star John Persson.
John Persson's (2011, 5th)17th goal of the season gave his Red Deer Rebels not only their first goal of the game but new life as as the undermanned Rebels rallied from down 2-0 to force a tie and then score the game-winning goal in overtime upsetting the Tri-City Americans 3-2
It was interesting to watch how Red Deer was able to come back in this game and win. First Persson forced his way into the slot area to score his goal which gave his team new life.
Then it was Red Deer goalie Deven Dubyk making several key saves and finally defensemen Matt Dumba scoring the tying goal to force overtime. Then in the overtime it was Dumba scoring the game-winner.
Persson in the third period was totally different from the the player we have watched in the first two periods. It was great to see him step up his game after Red Deer saw their captain be forced to leave the game after the shot off an ankle.
This win was big for the ninth place Rebels as they were able to pull within two points of 8th place Brandon who lost as the Rebels hold three games in hand. Person was a standout performance for the Islanders and while a couple players played well they did not earn stars but you can catch the rest of the Islander report right here
(Miller- Aaron Bell of OHL Images, Persson- Red deer Rebels
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