Rangers Prospects on the Rise: Cornell's Kempf and Omaha's Mancini Make Waves
'Meanwhile, the Cornell Big Red are making moves, jumping to number fifteen in the PairWise Rankings after scoring big wins in the ECAC conference this weekend against Princeton University and Quinnipiac University.
Junior defenseman Hank Kempf, a seventh-round pick in 2021, was a crucial part of Friday's 6-2 victory, racking up one shot on goal and boasting an impressive +5 rating. He also made two critical blocked shots and earned a +1 rating in Saturday's 3-2 overtime win despite facing a couple of penalties.
Kempf isn't precisely known for lighting up the scoreboard, with just one goal and three assists in seventeen games this season. He's tallied two goals and twelve assists throughout his NCAA career, spanning 80 games.
Yet the lone goal this season was a game-changer, coming in a 4-1 upset win against Arizona State on January 16th. Kempf charged in from the blue line unleashed a shot from the left faceoff circle and beat the Sun Devils' goaltender at 15:10 of the first period. He finished that game with three shots on goal and a stellar +3 rating.
In Friday's nail-biting 3-2 overtime victory, Kempf didn't snag any stats but still held his ground on the ice, even if he ended up with a -2 rating.
Let's discuss Victor Mancini and his weekend with the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks. Unfortunately, it wasn't the best run for them as they faced off against the Denver Pioneers and came up short twice.
On Friday, Mancini put up a good fight with three shots on goal and two blocked shots but ended the game with a -1 rating. However, he did manage to dish out an assist, showing his playmaking skills on the ice.
Saturday was a bit brighter for Mancini, as he fired off two shots on goal and earned a +1 rating. Despite the team's losses, his performance showed some promising moments.
With that assist, Mancini bumped up his season totals to three goals and seven points in 22 games.
Let's rewind to the Desert Hockey Classic, where Omaha faced off against the Arizona State Sun Devils. It was a tight battle, but unfortunately, Omaha fell short as Arizona State clinched the championship with a thrilling 2-1 overtime win.
The crowd at the Mullet Arena went wild when Kyle Smolen sealed the deal with his goal, leaving Omaha hungry for redemption in the games to come. Mancini and the Mavericks are gearing up to bounce back stronger despite the setbacks.