A genius with the puck capable of making opponents look foolish at any moment, the supremely gifted 17-year-old is singularly focused on the world junior hockey championship.
He’s also on the verge of rewriting Canada’s record book at the event.
And one of the game’s greats Bedard just equalled has taken note.
“Don’t just break the record,” Eric Lindros posted to social media Sunday. “Smash it!”
Bedard tied the Hall of Fame centre’s mark of 31 career points at the men’s under-20 event with 18 over just four games in a jaw-dropping display of speed, skill and creativity.
The North Vancouver, B.C., native got there in just 13 contests compared to the 21 it took the player known as the “Big E” during his dominant playing days.
Connor Bedard ties pair of Canadian records in win over Sweden
Bedard is re-writing Canada’s record book as he notches three assists in the 5-1 victory.
“Pretty cool he even knows who I am,” Bedard said with a grin after learning of the tweet. “That’s awesome to hear that. Him wanting me to beat it is cool.
“A few more games, so hopefully I can.”
All-time goal-scoring mark in sight
That quest continues Monday when the tournament hosts face Slovakia in a quarterfinal matchup at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Bedard not now only sits next to Lindros, he’s also tied Jordan Eberle for the most all-time goals at the world juniors by a Canadian with 14.
Connor Bedard makes history at the World Junior Championship
Connor Bedard scores his 14th goal in 12 games of World Junior play which ties the record help by Jordan Eberle, to lead Canada to a lopsided 11-0 victory against Austria.
The list doesn’t stop there.
The presumptive top pick at the 2023 NHL draft has equalled Dale McCourt and Brayden Schenn for the most points by a Canadian in a single tournament.
He’s also tied Jaromir Jagr for the most points by a player aged 18 or younger.
“Amazing to play with,” Canadian defenceman Ethan Del Mastro said. “And it’d be pretty tough to play against him.”
Slovakia will take their shot Monday.
Connor Bedard leads Canada past Germany at the world junior championship
Projected number 1 draft pick Connor Bedard scored three goals and four assists, leading Canada to an 11-2 victory over Germany at the world junior championship.
Selected No. 2 overall at the 2022 draft by New Jersey, blue-liner Simon Nemec said his team will look to make life difficult for Bedard, who had an assist and took four minor penalties in a pre-tournament game between the countries.
“Best player here,” said Nemec, the tournament leader in ice time averaging over 26 minutes per game. “We need to skate with him, we need to be closer to him.
“He’s strong, but a physical game is not good for him.”
‘He goes about every day the same’
Bedard’s gaudy offensive numbers are getting all the attention — and why wouldn’t they? — but head coach Dennis Williams said what he noticed during a four-assist performance in Saturday’s emphatic 5-1 victory over Sweden was how the team’s best player celebrated Canada’s first goal after just 57 seconds.
Bedard rarely shows emotion on the ice when he scores. But even he couldn’t contain himself after setting up Joshua Roy’s opener in front of a raucous New Year’s Eve crowd on home soil.
???????? <a href=”https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@HockeyCanada</a> strikes first as Joshua Roy bangs it in on the rebound. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/CANSWE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#CANSWE</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WorldJuniors</a> <a href=”https://t.co/NkcuZoaVeA”>pic.twitter.com/NkcuZoaVeA</a>
“You saw how much he cares,” Williams said. “He’s playing with what I call ‘silent confidence’ because you don’t even know about it. He goes about every day the same. Talking to him this morning, he’s the same Connor Bedard.”
“I was pretty fired up,” Bedard said. “The most excited I’ve got this tourney.
“I probably get more excited when someone else scores. At that moment you’re pretty juiced.”
Complete game
Bedard also demonstrated he’s not only a threat going forward.
The five-foot-10, 185-pound centre with the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats threw his weight around and was keen to track back into the defensive zone when needed.
“Something I want to do,” Bedard said. “Parts of games that go unnoticed.”
His teammates certainly notice when he’s putting in the same effort at both ends of the rink.
“You see his production and that deserves to be recognized,” Canadian defenceman Brandt Clarke said. “He’s done phenomenal things in the offensive zone. He’s not just an offensive player. He cares about the whole ice.
“That’s just the winning mindset that he has.”
Canadian captain Shane Wright said Bedard’s vision and ability to deceive might be among his greatest attributes.
“Unbelievable,” said the Seattle Kraken prospect. “The way he sees the game unfold, it’s almost like everyone else is moving a step slower than him. He reads the game so well. He understands the situation, understands what’s going on around him.
“Pretty impressive.”
Lindros, and countless others, can’t look away.
Thomas Milic makes great toe save to preserve Canada’s lead over Sweden
Milic went full extension to deny Sweden’s Jonathan Lekkerimaki with a fantastic stop.
Beck replaces Dach
Colton Dach’s misfortune means Owen Beck will get a world junior taste he didn’t envision when he sat down to watch Saturday’s game.
Dach suffered an apparent shoulder injury early in the third period, ruling the bottom-six forward out for the rest of the tournament.
Beck, who was cut from selection camp, knew as soon as Dach was helped to the locker-room in agony he might be getting the call.
It came shortly thereafter and the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads centre was on a Sunday morning flight to Halifax.
“Knowing I was right there, it’s a pretty cool feeling,” Beck said of not making the team and then getting an unexpected reprieve. “This is gonna be awesome.”
Dach’s injury is also added motivation for Canada.
“We all feel so bad for him,” Bedard added. “A huge loss for us.”
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
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