(Nhlmedia.com)
Day 2 of the USA Hockey's Summer Evaluation Camp saw 2 New York Ranger prospects do what Ranger fans hope to see when they are wearing Broadway Blue.Steven Fogarty (2011 3rd) scored what proved to be the game winning goal and J.T. Miller (2011 1st) showed off some nice passing skills as Team Blue defeated Team White 4-3.
Regular readers here already know about Fogarty's ability to score clutch goals as 10 of his 33 regular season goals last season with Penticton were game winners and in the BCHL playoffs 2 out of his 4 goals were game winners. There are just some skills that you can't teach a player and making big plays is one of them.
Between Fogarty (10), J.T. Miller (6), and Michael St. Croix (8), the Rangers just may have found themselves part of what was missing last season; the big goal to win games. There are not that many players who when you walk away from that you get the feeling that here is something special but Fogarty is that kind of player for me.
Fogarty's goal came in the 2nd period as he was able to put a wrist shot just underneath the cross bar for was Team Blue's 4th goal. Like I said it proved to be the game winner.
I am pretty confident that by the end of the 2012-2013 season, Steven Fogarty won't be the unknown prospect. As for J.T. Miller playing for Team White; Miller showed off a side of him that most Ranger fans don't know about which is his passing skills.
Miller set up Stefan Matteau for a first period goal by faking a shot to draw everyone in then fed Matteau for an easy one timer. Those folks who are thinking Miller will be a 3rd line player are sadly mistaken.
Got some video of Miller courtesy of USA Hockey to share with you guys
Miller looks to be in very good shape as he appears to have improved his upper body while toning up the rest of his body. What I can't wait to see is Miller in action because I thought people underestimated his strength last season.
The game recap also courtesy of USA Hockey:
USA Blue Edges USA White, 4-3, at the 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp
August 5, 2012
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – USA Blue scored the first two goals and the last two goals in its 4-3 win against USA White in the final intrasquad games at the 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp at Herb Brooks Arena. For USA Blue Sean Kuraly (Dublin, Ohio) scored twice, Colin Blackwell (North Andover, Mass.) had a goal and an assist and Matt Grzelcyk (Charlestown, Mass.) had two assists.
"I think in these two games we've made a step in the right direction as far as implenting our systems and team concepts," said Phil Housley, head coach of the 2013 U.S. National Junior Team. "I'm pleased with the competitive level that the guys have brought. I think we're looking forward to the competition against Finland and Sweden when they can hit someone besides their teammates. That will be another evaluation piece for us."
A total of 41 players saw the ice on day two of the weeklong audition for the U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship , Dec. 26, 2012-Jan. 5, 2013, in Ufa Russia.
The first two goals by USA Blue were scored by Kuraly at 5:29 and 9:03 of the first period to make it 2-0. For the first, Kuraly sped through the neutral zone, split two defenders and flipped in a backhand shot. Minutes later, he dragged the puck through the left slot and snapped the puck high into the goal.
USA White cut its deficit in half with a power-play goal at 11:42. Vince Trocheck (Pittsburgh, Pa.) received a cross-ice pass from Joakim Ryan (Rumson, N.J.) and fired a shot into the right side of the net. With 2:43 remaining in the first period, USA White tied the game when J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio) faked a shot in the left circle before passing to Stefan Matteau (Chicago, Ill.) for an easy one-timer.
USA White carried momentum into the second period, taking a 3-2 advantage at 4:22. JIm Vesey (North Reading, Mass.) stole the puck in USA White territory and capitalized coming out of the right corner.
USA Blue knotted the game at 3-3 on Blackwell's rebound goal at 12:52. Jacob Trouba (Rochester, Mich.) earned the primary assist with a blast from the right point that ricocheted into the right slot.
Steve Fogarty (Chambersburg, Pa.) delivered the game-winning goal for USA Blue with 1:26 to play in the second period. Crossing into USA White territory, Grzelcyk led Fogarty into a seam down the middle, which Fogarty used to wrist a shot under the cross bar.
The scoreless third period featured a strong showing by USA Blue's John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and USA White's Garret Sparks (Elmhurst, Ill.). Gibson, who did not allow a goal in 29:44 of action, made 14 of his 21 saves in the final period. Sparks stopped all nine shots he faced in the last 20 minutes for a total of 11 saves on 13 shots.
Up next at the U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp are games against Sweden and Finland. USA Blue takes on Finland at 1 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 6. USA White faces Sweden just hours later at 4:30 p.m. ET.
GAME SUMMARY
Scoring By Period
USA Blue 2 2 0 4
USA White 2 1 0 3
First Period – Scoring: 1, BLUE, Kuraly (Carrick, Grzelcyk), 5:29; 2, BLUE, Kuraly (Blackwell, Schmaltz), 9:03; 3, WHITE, Trocheck (Ryan, Welinski), 11:42 (pp); 4, WHITE, Matteau (Miller, Broadhurst). Penalties: BLUE, Samuelsson (hooking), 9:36; WHITE, Matteau (high sticking), 9:44; BLUE, Grzelcyk (hooking), 11:27.
Second Period – Scoring: 5, WHITE, Vesey (unassisted), 4:22; 6, BLUE, Blackwell (Trouba, Noesen), 12:52; 7, BLUE, Fogarty (Grzelcyk), 18:34. Penalties: BLUE, Paliotta (delay of game), 1:24; WHITE, McCabe (checking from behind), 5:01; WHITE, Mike Reilly (tripping), 7:07; BLUE, Grzelcyk (tripping), 9:01.
Third Period – Scoring: none. Penalties: WHITE, Miller (high sticking), 4:56; WHITE, Murphy (slashing); BLUE, Schmaltz (delay of game), 16:14; BLUE, Haar (delay of game), 17:41.
Shots by Period
USA Blue 9 12 9 30
USA White 10 13 14 37
Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 Total
USA Blue
Gillies, 30:16 8/10 6/7 0/0 14/17
Gibson, 29:44 0/0 7/7 14/14 21/21
USA White
Stolarz, 30:16 7/9 8/8 0/0 15/17
Sparks, 29:44 0/0 2/4 9/9 11/13
Power Play: USA White 1-6; USA Blue 0-5
Penalties: USA White 5-10; USA Blue 6-12
(Stick Tap to the folks of USA Hockey for the work here)
Original Story:
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August 04, 2012
