Kingston Frontenacs forward David Mazurek's new year's resolution was to use his six-foot-three, 193-pound frame to his advantage.

Mazurek, after a sit-down talk with coach Todd Gill, brought his re-tooled game out against the Ottawa 67's and experienced some smashing success.

Debuting on a line with Tyler Brown and Petr Beranek — the unit could be coined the car-pool gang because they arrive at the K-Rock Centre that way for practices and games — Mazurek had the first two-goal game of his 82-game Ontario Hockey League career on New Year's Day.

"I'm a bigger guy out there. If I don't bring my presence every night, it's just a waste of a big frame," said Mazurek, whose team begins a home-and-home series against the Petes on Thursday night in Peterborough (7:05, Cogeco Ch. 13, 88.7 FM)

"My motive going into (the game versus Ottawa), even before I saw the lineup and saw I was up with those guys, was to keep it simple and use my body to my advantage."

Mazurek's goals — just his third and fourth of the season — came after he was a healthy scratch in last Friday's 5-2 loss to the Oshawa Generals.

Although coach Gill said Mazurek, one of only three 19-year-olds Kingston has playing, was a healthy scratch only for the purpose of keeping a younger player in the lineup, he liked the way the player responded.

"He's got pride and no 19-year-old likes to sit out. He went out and played a real solid game for us, got some goals and made some good plays," Gill said.

The key word for Mazurek now is consistency, Gill said.

"We need him to continue to throw his weight around. He's a big man and skates very well," Gill said.

"He got both goals going to the net. He needs to be a presence in front of that net and if he does, he'll have success."

Mazurek's move up to a line with Brown and Beranek is mostly due to the trade-deadline move general manager Doug Gilmour is poised to make with his top asset, Ryan Spooner.

The offensive void that will be created by Spooner's departure can't be filled, but some patch work has to be applied.

Mazurek, after his meeting with Gill in which his play was reviewed, is appreciative of the opportunity he is getting.

"Obviously, we are losing some depth up front so guys have to step up," Mazurek said.

"I'm lucky to get the opportunity. I obviously want to make it count."

Gill, for his part, wanted to see more of the Mazurek who came to training camp in September, anxious to earn a spot on the team after being away from the OHL for a year.

The Brantford native, drafted in 2008 by the Barrie Colts, played in 44 games in the 2009-10 season, scoring three goals.

"At the start of the year, he had a real good training camp for us and then (his play) kind of fell off after that," said Gill, allowing that there still will be times in the team's final 31 games when Marurek or another older player sits out to benefit a younger starter.

"We just have to play that fiddle as we go along here. We have to do what is right going forward for our future," said Gill, who felt captain Brown had his best game since losing Spooner as a linemate on Sunday.

"Brownie's a character kid. I'd love to have 20 players like him. He is able to adapt to any situation he's asked to. He just finds different ways to be successful," Gill said.

Mazurek certainly appreciates being on a line with Brown and Beranek.

"Playing with guys like that makes it so much easier. I just have to drive to the net and keep my stick on the ice," he said.

"It was good flow with the three of us. Everything seems to be clicking."

Thursday night's game in Peterborough is just the second of six between the East Division rivals this season.

The Petes (40 points), who come to the K-Rock Centre on Friday night, aren't totally out of sight of the Frontenacs (24 points), especially with the five games left between them.

"Everyone is talking in the long run of how good (Kingston) is going to be but I think we really have something to prove over the last stretch, too," Mazurek said.