The US trailed 2-0 to Norway in the team’s second game of the World Championships but ended up winning 4-2 thanks to four third period goals.  Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, and Chris Kreider all tallied assists during today’s game.

Stepan has garnered tremendous reviews for his play during the tournament, and has recorded three assists during the tournament.  Stepan has also been a staple on the power play.  Obviously Stepan played against higher level competition this season with the Rangers, but it’s good to see him producing on the pp no matter who the opponent is.  Stepan may just be the best playmaker the Rangers currently possess, on their NHL roster or in the pipeline, so he’ll be expected to play a bigger role on the man advantage going forward.  Any and all good experience is a positive thing for Stepan.

Kreider has picked up a goal and an assist in the tournament and has drawn rave reviews.  This tournament has been his first action since breaking his jaw, and it looks like he’s beginning to take the next step.  The big knock on Kreider has been that he has yet to dominate at Boston College, and that it might not be the wisest decision to promote him to higher level competition until he does so.  Kreider’s coach at BC has stated that Kreider will return to school for his junior season, but that’s still no sure thing.  Our own Jess Rubenstein believes that the Rangers are lobbying hard to get Kreider signed.  Go here for Jess’s full explanation, but he thinks that the contract handed out to Ryan Bourque will influence Kreider, and that Stepan is acting as an ambassador for the organization during the tournament.  Jess believes that Kreider could well be influenced by the prospect of getting to play with his good friends Stepan and Bourque and that the threat of another injury could be enough to push Kreider to sign. 

Marian Gaborik went scoreless in two games during the World Championships for Slovakia.