HALIFAX — Brandt Clarke was manning his position on the blue line early in the second period when the action abruptly stopped. The Canadian defenceman knew Connor Bedard just had the puck on his stick.
Then he didn’t.
There were gasps and cheers moments later Thursday night from the red-clad crowd inside Scotiabank Centre when they – along with the officials and Bedard’s teammates – realized what happened.
The 17-year-old phenom had perfectly placed a shot from a tight, near-impossible angle under the crossbar on the unsuspecting Austrian netminder for his first of two goals in what would turn into an 11-0 romp.
“Very sudden,” Clarke said when asked his perspective following Friday’s practice. “Then you look at the replay and you’re like, ‘What in the world?’ It was literally a puck-width of space and he put it in there only like he can.
“Pretty remarkable.”
It has, quite frankly, been a remarkable week at the world junior hockey championship for the 2023 NHL draft’s presumptive top pick.
Bedard has 14 points to lead the tournament – linemate Logan Stankoven is second with seven – and he’s tied Jordan Eberle’s national record of 14 career goals at the men’s under-20 event.
The North Vancouver, B.C., native also knotted a Canadian single-game mark with seven points in Wednesday’s 11-2 drubbing of Germany before putting up six more against Austria.
“Pretty special,” said forward Dylan Guenther, a member of the Arizona Coyotes loaned to Canada for the tournament.
“You don’t see that – ever.”
Except you might when No. 16 is on the ice.
And Clarke, a member of the Los Angeles Kings, believes Bedard could play in the NHL right now.
“He’s got the drive, he’s got the skill, he’s got determination,” Clarke said. “There’s not exceptional status for the NHL.
“But if there was, he’d be the No. 1 candidate.”
The star centre for the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats – coincidentally where Eberle played – is also just four points back of the record 31 put up over three world junior tournaments by Eric Lindros.
It’s unlikely, however, the event will ever see Bedard again with a straight-line path to the NHL coming after this season.
The world junior records are nice, but what Bedard really craves is a moment like the one Eberle is truly remembered for – his dramatic tying goal in the dying seconds of the 2009 semifinals in Ottawa against Russia.
“If you ask anyone in the country, they’d want to be scoring that goal,” Bedard said. “It would be nice to score a big one like he has.”
With the tournament hosts set to meet Sweden on Saturday in a New Year’s Eve matchup with massive seeding implications, Canadian head coach Dennis Williams said Bedard would trade each of his points for another gold medal after also winning August’s pandemic-delayed showcase.
“Everyone loves scoring goals and being on the scoresheet,” Williams said. “But getting to know him deep down, he’s here for one thing – he wants to repeat.
“He’ll do whatever it takes.”
That drive comes, at least in part, from Bedard’s appreciation of his dad’s profession.
Tom Bedard is a logger in B.C., often starting his days before dawn and spending hours on the road getting to and from his gruelling job.
“Pretty hard worker,” Connor said of his father, whose birthday is Saturday. “His schedule’s probably tougher than most. He comes home and he’s still the most positive guy.
“Realizing what he does makes me feel so lucky just to play hockey.”
And Canada feels lucky to have Bedard.
“First played with him at the under-18 tournament,” said defenceman Jack Matier. “He was the quiet kid. Coming back here, I really notice his confidence, but also his humility off the ice.
“And a very special player on the ice with his highlight-reel goals and all the skill in the world.”
Clarke was asked what he thinks pushes Bedard, a player already being mentioned in the same breath as Connor McDavid.
“People get motivated in different ways,” he said. “A guy that knows his abilities, likes to put on a show for people, likes to make plays with the puck, has the utmost confidence in himself. The drives him. He wants to be better than he was last game.
“Just the kind of person he is.”
His country couldn’t ask for anything more.
SEEDING SCENES
Canada enters the final day of Group A action with six points from three games. Sweden leads with eight, followed by Czechia with seven.
Canada dropped its opening game to Czechia. A regulation win for the Canadians over the Swedes would guarantee them second place ahead of Monday’s quarterfinals.
Czechia – the country commonly known as the Czech Republic – takes on Germany in its round-robin finale.
MILIC GETS THE CALL
Williams announced Thomas Milic would start in goal ahead of Benjamin Gaudreau.
The only player not drafted when eligible on the Canadian roster – Bedard and Adam Fantilli get their turn in June – the 19-year-old netminder has used that as fuel.
“I’m pretty proud,” Milic said of backstopping a star-studded roster. “(Not being drafted) is always something that’s in the back of my mind. But right now my top priority is this tournament and helping the team.
“If you’re playing good, you’re playing good. That’s all that matters in tournaments like this.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2022.
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.
