WJC 2019 Prospect Report - Day 4

Here is how Rangers prospects performed in Day Four of the 2019 World Junior Championship on Wednesday:

Nico Gross recorded an assist and two penalty minutes, along with one shot on goal and a plus-1 rating in 19:17 of ice time in Switzerland’s 4-0 win over Denmark.

Nils Lundkvist recorded a minus-1 rating in 18:40 if ice time in Sweden’s 5-4 win over the USA.

K’Andre Miller recorded one shot on goal, and recorded a minus-2 rating in 17:39 of ice time in the USA’s 5-4 loss to Sweden.

WJC 2019 Prospect Report - Day 3

Here is how Rangers prospects performed in Day Three of the 2019 World Junior Championship on Wednesday:

Russian forward Vitali Kravtsov recorded one shot on goal in 17:42 of ice time in Russia’s 2-1 win over the Czech Republic.

American defenseman K’Andre Miller recorded an assist and five shots on goal and put up a plus-3 rating in 16:25 of ice time in Team USA’s 8-2 win over Kazakhstan.

WJC 2019 Prospect Report - Day 2

Here is how Rangers prospects performed in Day Two of the 2019 World Junior Championship on Wednesday:

Vitali Kravtsov finished his IIHF World Junior Championship debut with two points (one goal, one assist), including the GWG, drew two penalties, recorded 3 SOG, won 6 of 10 faceoffs (60.0%), and led all Russia forwards with 18:28 of ice time.

Nico Gross had a minus-1 rating, and had two penalty minutes in 18:21 of ice time for the Swiss team.

Nils Lundkvist tallied a primary assist and had one shot on goal, and a plus-1 rating in 17:22 of ice time for Sweden.

WJC 2019 Prospect Report - Day 1

Here is how Rangers prospects performed in Day One of the 2019 World Junior Championship on Wednesday:

Defenseman Nico Gross and the Swiss team lost to the Czech team in the opening game of the tournament. Gross played 16:12 in 29 shifts, and did not record any goals, assists, or shots on goal.

USA Defenseman K'Andre Miller recorded a shot on goal and skated for 16:19 in 22 shifts as the United States topped Slovakia, 3-2.
Swedish defenseman Nils Lundkvist skated for 17:00 in 30 shifts in his teams' 2-1 win over Finland. Lundkvist did not record any goals, assists, or shots on goal.

NYR TODAY Sunday 7/23: Rangers Prospects at WJC, Today in Rangers History

Rangers Prospects Appearing at the 2017 World Junior Summer Showcase include: Lias Andersson (Sweden), Sean Day (USA), Timothy Gettinger (USA) and Tammo Reunanen (Finland).

Today in NYR History July 23, 2012

The Rangers acquire Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky, Tim Erixon, and a first round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

WJC 2016 SEMI FINALS

A preview and prediction by our writer for today's semi-finals, Sweden-Finland and Russia-USA. ‪#‎WorldJuniors‬ http://www.worldjunior2016.com/en/news/semi-finals-madness/ …
Two of international hockey’s greatest rivalries take centre stage in Monday’s World Junior semi-finals. Revenge is in the air. Who will prevail in Helsinki?

Here is IIHF writer Lucas Aykroyd’s analysis of the Sweden-Finland and USA-Russia showdowns, along with his predictions.

Aykroyd picked the winners of 18 out of the 20 group games, plus all four quarter-finals. He has covered eight IIHF World Junior Championships, plus four Olympics and 16 IIHF World Championships. The predictions are the sole responsibility of the writer and do not reflect any official views of the IIHF.

SWEDEN-FINLAND (16.00, Hartwall Arena)

Start by throwing out the idea that the Swedes historically dominate Finland in international play. That may hold true in Olympic or World Championship competition, but not at the World Juniors. The Nordic rivalry is neck-and-neck. In 33 meetings dating back to 23 December, 1976, the Swedes have 16 wins, two ties, and 15 losses.

So there are no guarantees.

More to the point here, Swedish coach Rikard Gronborg and third-time World Junior forward Anton Karlsson will be seeking revenge for the 2014 final in Malmo. Their stacked squad fell 3-2 in overtime to the Finns, who won their first gold since 1998. Tournament scoring leader Teuvo Teravainen had three assists and goalie Juuse Saros shone with 35 saves.

This year, the Juniorkronorna have a beautiful chance to return the favour by destroying Finland’s dream of home-ice gold. Can they do it?

Led by the top line of Jesse Puljujarvi, Sebastian Aho, and Patrik Laine, coach Jukka Jalonen’s boys boast a tournament-high 29 goals. But the unbeaten Swedes aren’t far behind with 25, and they have a balanced attack with seven players with four or more points (compared to Finland’s five). Losing originally projected scoring leader William Nylander to injury in the opener versus Switzerland hasn’t fazed them.

Where the Swedes have a big edge is defensively. They’ve allowed just five goals to Finland’s 18. That is an astounding gap. The Finns have the tournament’s best power play (45.5 percent), but will it come through against a Swedish PK that’s surrendered just one goal?

Swedish goalie Linus Soderstrom leads the World Juniors with two shutouts, and his 1.27 GAA and 95.1 save percentage are second-best among starters. Meanwhile, Finland’s goaltending has been iffy. Even though Kaapo Kahkonen earned kudos for his 22 saves on 24 shots after relieving Veini Vehvilainen in the dramatic 6-5 quarter-final win over Canada, switching netminders this late in the tournament is rarely a harbinger of success.

Finland is coming off the euphoria of eliminating the defending champions, and will once again have a frenzied Hartwall Arena crowd on its side. But it’s hard to go to the emotional well two games in a row. The Finns will have to do that, while Sweden was clinical in its 6-0 dispatching of Slovakia. It’ll be a battle, but on paper, the blue-and-yellow squad is better-positioned to make the final.
Prediction

Sweden 5, Finland 3: Hosts’ weak PK opens door for Swedes, top Finnish line scores but not enough
RUSSIA-USA (20.00, Hartwall Arena)

In the movie Miracle, which depicts the U.S.’s upset victory over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, the late legendary coach Herb Brooks says: “I’m sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have.” If that line was updated for the 2016 World Juniors, it might read: “I’m sick and tired of losing to the Russians in the medal round.”

It is a risky affair to pick the Americans to beat Russia at this stage. It’s not just that they’ve lost two straight quarter-finals to the Russians, with Nikita Zadorov scoring twice with a two-man advantage in 2014 (5-3) and goalie Igor Shestyorkin making 39 saves in 2015 (3-2).

The U.S. has actually never defeated Russia in a medal round game – in six tries – since the IIHF instituted the playoff system for the World Juniors in 1996.

And yet, this could be the year that finally changes. Relying on skill and speed, the Americans have done just about everything right this tournament. They lost 1-0 to Sweden, but that was due to a jaw-dropping 46-save performance by goalie Linus Soderstrom.

Phenom Auston Matthews (7-4-11) is right there in the Best Forward (and possibly MVP) conversation with Jesse Puljujarvi and Patrik Laine. His hat trick in the 7-0 quarter-final romp over the Czechs was the definition of timely scoring. Top blueliner Zach Werenski has been a tower of strength at both ends of the ice for coach Ron Wilson.

Meanwhile, the Russians couldn’t bring themselves to take underdog Denmark seriously. They barely averted a quarter-final disaster with a 4-3 overtime win, thanks to Vladislav Kamenev’s two goals. This is not a good sign.

Granted, the Russians have had their fair share of narrow escapes and still medaled in recent years. But for instance, when they took their last gold under coach Valeri Bragin in Buffalo in 2011, it was Finland and Sweden that they needed extra time to beat in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. Not Denmark.

Considering that Russia eked out 2-1 victories over the Czechs and Slovaks and played run-and-gun to beat Finland 6-4, it's arguable that their only truly solid effort here has been a 4-1 win over now-relegated Belarus.

Kamenev and Artur Lauta (five points) have stepped up of late. Yet this Russian team still can’t match the U.S.’s depth up front, with Sonny Milano (six points), Christian Dvorak (five points), and Nick Schmaltz providing great secondary scoring behind the Matthews line.

When it comes to defence, the Americans have also excelled. They’ve conceded just five goals to Russia’s 10, allowing one or fewer in each game since the opening 4-2 win over Canada. The U.S. has shown great discipline, taking just 12 penalties, which means that Russia’s third-ranked power play (33.3 percent) may not prove to be that big of a factor.

If there’s one hallmark of the post-Soviet Russian teams, it’s their unpredictability. You can never count them out in a situation like this, but it’s hard to tell what kind of team will show up today.
Including round-robin action, the Americans haven’t defeated Russia since 29 December, 2007, but their steady excellence in Helsinki has given them a great opportunity for revenge and a shot at their first gold since Ufa 2013.

Prediction
U.S. 3, Russia 2: Americans survive bursts of Russian pressure, Matthews delivers the goods again

Semi-finals madness

Two of international hockey’s greatest rivalries take centre stage in Monday’s World Junior semi-finals. Revenge is in the air. Who will prevail in Helsinki?

worldjunior2016.com

NY RANGERS/WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS NOTES

Three New York Rangers prospects will represent their country in the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. Brandon Halverson (United States), Adam Huska (Slovakia), and Aleksi Saarela (Finland) will participate in the tournament, which takes place in Helsinki, Finland from December 26 to January 5.

Halverson, 19, has appeared in 21 games with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season, posting a 9-10-1 record. The Rangers’ second round pick (59th overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft has made 30 or more saves in 11 appearances this season, and he has posted a 4-1-0 record, along with a 2.40 GAA and a .928 SV% in his last five appearances with the Greyhounds. Last season, Halverson became the first Rangers draft pick in franchise history to earn 40 or more wins in one season of junior hockey.

The Traverse City, Michigan native also represented the United States in the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship. Halverson stopped all 14 shots he faced to earn his first career international win/shutout while making his international debut on Dec. 28, 2014 against Germany.

Huska, 18, has appeared in 17 games with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) this season, posting an 11-6-0 record, along with a 1.65 GAA, a .942 SV%, and 4 SO. The Rangers’ seventh round pick (184th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft leads the USHL in GAA, SV%, and SO, and ranks fourth in the league in wins in 2015-16. In his last 15 appearances in the USHL, he has posted an 11-4-0 record, along with a 1.39 GAA, a .952 SV%, and 4 SO, and he has allowed one goal or fewer in 10 of the 15 contests over the span.

The Zvolen, Slovakia native has represented his country in several tournaments. Last season, Huska posted a 3.01 GAA and a .913 SV% in five appearances while representing Slovakia in the 2015 IIHF U18 World Championship. He was named one of the top three players on Slovakia in the tournament.

Saarela, 18, has skated in 27 games with Ässät of Liiga this season, registering ten goals and five assists for 15 points, along with a plus-four rating and 12 penalty minutes. The Rangers’ third round pick (89th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft is tied for first among all players younger than 20 years old in Liiga in goals in 2015-16, and he is tied for 11th among all players in the league in goals this season.

The Helsinki, Finland native has represented his country in several tournaments. This season, Saarela registered two assists and posted a plus-three rating in three games while representing Finland in the Four Nations Tournament, and he helped Finland post a 3-0-0 record in the tournament. Last season, Saarela registered three goals and five assists for eight points, along with a plus-six rating in seven games while helping Finland capture a silver medal in the 2015 IIHF U18 World Championship.

 NY Rangers Alumni Michael Nylander's Son and Leafs top prospect William Nylander takes shot to head in WJC game

Toronto Maple Leafs management, coaches and its fan base are holding its collective breath right now as it awaits word on the health of the club's top prospect.

Swedish world junior forward William Nylander, who stars for the Leafs' farm team, suffered an injury Saturday in a game against Switzerland.

Swiss forward Chris Egli levelled Nylander with a shot to the head near centre ice halfway through the first period.

The 19-year-old left the game and did not return, which Sweden won 8-3.

A team doctor neither confirmed nor denied Nylander had a concussion. He will be monitored at the team hotel overnight.

Nylander, selected eighth overall by the Leafs in the 2014 NHL draft, is considered one of the main attractions at the Helsinki-hosted championship tournament.

His 34 points in 27 games this season for the Toronto Marlies leads all American Hockey League players.

Canada stumbles in opening loss to U.S. at WJC 

HELSINKI - This was always going to be a challenge.

In previous years, Canada began the world junior championship against non-contenders like Belarus and Denmark, the equivalent to dipping your toe in a cold lake. This year, they had to jump right in and play the United States.

In some ways, it was a litmus test. The Americans, who are led by 2016 top draft prospect Auston Matthews, are considered one of the favourites to win this tournament. Canada is too. So playing them on Boxing Day — rather than on New Year’s Eve, as has typically been the tradition — allowed everyone to see where they stood.

And by the end of a tightly contested, back-and-forth battle, Canada got a taste of things to come.
The U.S. scored three goals in the third period — including two goals in a span of 37 seconds — to defeat Canada 4-2.

Though the game showcased a major weakness with the Canadians — goaltender Mason McDonald allowed four goals on 19 shots — there was a lot to be happy about. Canada was in this game the whole time. They drove possession and had plenty of chances to score and actually came back after being down 2-1 in the third period. But in the end, the U.S. had too many offensive weapons to contend with.

After a scoreless first period, Matt Barzal gave Canada a 1-0 lead five minutes into the second period. But the U.S. went ahead 2-1 on goals from Colin White and Zach Werenski.

Down 2-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining in the third period, Dylan Strome tied the game on the power play. Taking a feed from Mitch Marner, the Arizona Coyotes prospect walked into the slot and ripped a wrist shot past Alex Nedeljkovic’s glove hand.

But the U.S. never quit and goals from Louis Belpedio and Matthews, who also picked up an assist, scored twice in 37 seconds sealed the victory.

Canada faces Denmark on Monday at 1 p.m. EST.