Washington Capitals 2019 third-round pick and WHL scoring phenom, Aliaksei Protas represented Belarus in this year’s Division 1A World Junior Championship. The hulking center led his country in scoring on the way to a bronze medal in world junior hockey’s second tier of the championship.

The Belorussians beat Norway to claim bronze and the Austrians beat Latvia to claim gold and a spot in the top tier competition next year.

Protas served as an alternate captain for his team and was the fourth-leading scorer of the tournament overall with seven points (four goals, three assists) in five games.

Protas has starred for the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL this season, a majority of the time leading the entire league in scoring. Prtoas returned to the WHL last week after missing six games due to the tournament. He’s tallied five points in two games for Prince Albert including a goal and an assist Friday.

Spencer Moe opens the scoring midway through the second to put the Raiders up 1-0. Nice pass by Protas on the play. Usau gets the other assist. pic.twitter.com/PVIxSYsPWd

— Kyle Kosowan (@kyle_kosowan) December 28, 2019

SCORES! The Viper strikes! @protas_21 circles the zone and snaps a shot past Maier!

5-3 them. 50 seconds to play in the second.#GoRaidersGo #SASvsPA pic.twitter.com/wd67Tb74wH

— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) December 29, 2019

Headline photo: @aliaksei_protas