Jensen scores twice at World Championships

From Blueshirts United.

Rangers prospects Nicklas Jensen is off to a terrific start at the 2016 World Championships in Russia, scoring twice in Denmark's impressive 3-0 win over Norway on Saturday. The 23 year-old winger scored the game' first goal--which ultimately proved to be the game-winning goal--1:06 into the second period after Norway had largely dominated the action to that point. Jensen then scored into an empty-net with 1:15 remaining in the third period, and finished with a team-high seven shots on goal.

A former first-round selection of the Vancouver Canucks in 2009, Jensen was acquired by the Rangers in a trade this past January 8 in exchange for forward Emerson Etem. Jensen finished out the season in the minor leagues playing with the Hartford Wolf Pack where he notched 25 points (15-10-25) in 41 games. Including his time with Vancouver's AHL affiliate in Utica, Jensen recorded a career-high 19 goals and 37 points in 68 games.

Sunday Jensen was held off the scoresheet in Denmark's 5-2 loss to Sweden. He did record three shots on goal and a pair of penalty minutes.

Jensen skated against Mats Zuccarello in Saturday's game. Zuccarello, the Rangers leading scorer this past season, led Norway with nine shots on goal in the loss. On Sunday Zuccarello picked up an assist and had four shots on goal in Norway's 4-3 overtime victory over Switzerland.

The Swiss squad has been bolstered so far in the tournament by veteran defenseman Raphael Diaz, who played one game in the playoffs for the Rangers this year after spending the season as Jensen's teammate in Hartford. Diaz assisted on a pair of third-period goals by Switzerland on Sunday, including the game-tying tally with ten seconds remaining in regulation. Diaz also earned an assist and had a team-high six shots on goal as the Swiss dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to Kazakhstan on Saturday.

Blueshirts center Derick Brassard helped Canada to a 7-1 victory over Hungary on Sunday, scoring a goal and adding an assist while finishing a +3 with four shots on goal. Brassard picked up the secondary assist on Cory Perry's goal at 10:04 of the first period which put Canada up 2-0--and ended up as the game-winner.

Brassard, who also earned an assist in Canada's win over the United States on Friday, scored his first goal at the 2016 World Championships at 11:36 of the second period Sunday, one that upped Canada's lead to 5-1.

Also in action on Sunday was Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei, who was a +1 as Team USA defeated Belarus 6-3.

Skjei and the U.S. squad will face off with Finland on Monday, while Brassard and Team Canada will skate against Belarus.