Avangard Omsk is two-for-two in pre-season tournaments after winning today’s final match in the Viktor Blinov Memorial Tournament, hosted annually in Omsk. Omsk defeated Sibir Novosibirsk 6-5 in a shootout after squandering 3-0 and 4-2 leads. Anton Kuryanov, who’s been centering a variety of right wings while Alexei Cherepanov is in the Czech Republic with Team Russia, scored two goals, giving him five points to lead the tournament in scoring. Jaromir Jagr’s linemate Pavel Rosa was named the tournament’s top forward. Jagr picked up his third assist in the tournament in today’s game, but was on the ice for three of four Novosibirsk goals. Video highlights and a photo gallery from the game are available at the Avangard web site. This was the final pre-season match for Omsk before the KHL season starts on September 2nd.

Photo: Avangard Omsk

In the Czech Republic, Alexei Cherepanov and the Russian junior team got off to a good start in the 3-day Four Nations Tournament, defeating Team Finland 4-3. Islanders 2008 3rd round pick Kiril Petrov lead Russia with a hat trick. Alexei Potapov was credited with the fourth Russian goal. The only information available on the game right now is a three sentence blurb on the Russian Hockey Federation web site, so who else factored in the scoring is unknown.

Steve Zipay at Blue Notes has released a list of 19 prospects and first- and second-year pros who will represent the Rangers in the Traverse City Prospect Tournament, scheduled for September 13 through September 17 in Traverse City, Michigan. This is the third season the Rangers will participate in the tournament, which is hosted annually by the Detroit Red Wings. This year’s tournament will pit the Rangers’ top prospects against squads from the Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning. A full tournament schedule is available at Red Wings Central.

A year ago, the Rangers prospect squad went undefeated en route to taking home the tournament title, thanks to strong performances by Alex Bourret (3-4-7), Brandon Dubinsky (3-4-7), Artem Anisimov (2-1-3) and Lauri Korpikoski (2-0-2). The defense was buoyed by the likes of Marc Staal, Mike Sauer and Bobby Sanguinetti. Of the players listed, only Anisimov and Sanguinetti will return to Michigan this September, and they’ll be looked upon to lead the team, along with second-year pros Brodie Dupont, Tommy Pyatt, and Vladimir Denisov. Other notables missing from last year’s line up include Corey Potter, David Kveton and Michael Busto, who attended the Rangers’ summer development camp, but who’s status within the organization seems to be in question based on this exclusion.

The defense, which includes only five players so far, is the biggest area of concern, though the organization is likely hoping for big things from 2008 first round draft pick Michael Del Zotto and 3rd round pick Tomas Kundratek, the top-rated Czech in the draft, who’s signing was finally confirmed by the club yesterday. Up front, 2008 draft picks Evgeni Grachev, Dale Weise, and Chris Doyle will get their first chance to represent the team that drafted them, while Tomas Zaborsky and David Skokan will look to improve on noteworthy performances at the tournament last fall as they each prepare for their first full pro season. In goal, Matt Zaba will make his debut at the tournament, while Antoine Lafleur will return for a second shot at the tournament title. Forwards Sergei Demagin, who’ll make his North American debut at the tournament, Rangers 2007 7th round pick Skokan, and Mike Taylor, who picked up four points in an 8-game tryout with the Hartford Wolf Pack last spring, and defenseman David Urquhart, who graduated from McGill University in May, are all signed to AHL contracts and are set to play the upcoming season in Hartford. Twenty-one year old free agent signee Justin Soryal rounds out the roster as it stands currently after completing a 4-year career with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League.

The Rangers also provided the names of 5 players who have been invited to rookie camp on a tryout basis. Most notable among them is the eldest son of former Ranger Captain Mark Messier, 21-year old Lyon Messier. He’ll join three other defenseman, including 6′5″, 225lb 20-year old Tysen Dowzak, 19-year old Czech David Stich and 20-year old Nick Pageau, who impressed enough at the Rangers’ summer development camp to earn himself a tryout. 19-year old right wing Matt Meropoulis will join the four defensemen in trying to earn an invite to the prospects tournament, and, if that goes well, main camp. Expect at least two defenseman — from that list or elsewhere — to supplement the currently shorthanded blueline corps in Traverse City.

Forwards
Artem Anisimov
Joe Barnes
Sergei Demagin
Chris Doyle
Brodie Dupont
Evgeny Grachev
Ryan Hillier (injured)
Thomas Pyatt
David Skokan
Justin Soryal
Mike Taylor
Dale Weise
Tomas Zaborsky

Defensemen
Michael Del Zotto
Vladimir Denisov
Tomas Kundratek
Bobby Sanguinetti
David Urquhart

Goalies
Antoine LaFleur
Matt Zaba

2007 Prospects Tournament Roster

2007 Tournament Box Scores
Rangers 6 – Lightning 4
Rangers 5 – Thrashers 3
Rangers 3 – Detroit 2
Rangers 5 – Blue Jackets 1

In a sure sign that hockey season is just around the corner, the Hartford Wolf Pack have announced their pre-season schedule for the 2008-2009 season.