Connor Bedard puts on another show, Canada thumps Austria at world juniors

“And obviously trying to contribute.”

The presumptive first pick at the 2023 NHL draft is going about that work with assassin-like precision — including a goal against the Austrians from what should be an impossible angle.

“Phenomenal,” Canadian forward Adam Fantilli said. “What he’s been doing is so special, and the way he’s doing it is amazing.

“Absolutely nothing but smiles for him right now.”

Bedard has scored six times in three games to tie Jordan Eberle’s all-time Canadian mark of 14 goals at the men’s under-20 event, and his 27 total points at the world juniors are just four back of the national record held by Eric Lindros.

“His ability to score goals is (among) the best I’ve ever seen,” said captain Shane Wright. “He’s always creative with the way he shoots the puck and where he can release it.

“Really impressive.”

The North Vancouver, B.C., native’s seven points in Wednesday’s 11-2 victory over Germany also tied four others for the most by a player sporting the Maple Leaf at the tournament.

Bedard leads the world juniors with 14 points — seven more than linemate Logan Stankoven, who’s at No. 2.

“Just enjoying my time on the bench watching him play,” Canadian forward Nathan Gaucher said with a laugh. “Unbelievable.”

Stankoven added a goal and three assists Thursday, while Gaucher and Joshua Roy each scored and set up two others. Fantilli, with a goal and an assist, Wright, Dylan Guenther, Zach Dean, Nolan Allan and Tyson Hinds provided the rest of the offence.

Benjamin Gaudreau made 12 saves for the shutout.

Benedikt Oschgan stopped 36 shots for the overmatched Austrians, outscored 31-0 through their three games.

“The score is what it is, but I couldn’t be prouder of the group,” said Nova Scotia-born head coach Kirk Furey, whose largely no-name roster held a powerhouse opponent to one shot through the game’s first 14 minutes. “We gave up one odd-man rush at the end against a team with … everybody.”

Canada was embarrassed 5-2 by Czechia in Monday’s opener before rebounding with that emphatic victory over Germany.

Sweden leads Group A with eight points, followed by the Czechs’ seven and Canada’s six with one game to go for each.

The Canadians meet the Swedes on New Year’s Eve, while Czechia — the country commonly known as the Czech Republic — will take on the Germans.

Bedard scored four times against Austria in an 11-2 triumph a year ago in Edmonton before those world juniors were shelved until August because of COVID-19 outbreaks.

The Austrians lost 11-0 to Sweden in their opener before dropping a 9-0 decision Tuesday to Czechia, but were full marks for their start Thursday.

A roster stacked with nine first-round NHL draft picks, plus 2023 top prospects Bedard and Fantilli, Canada had a tentative opening against the European lightweights.

“We came out a little sluggish and a little careless with the puck,” head coach Dennis Williams said. “They’re a hard-working team, they’re a disciplined team. They stayed inside the dots, we didn’t want to go inside the dots.

“We wanted to play on the outside perimeter and if you’re not willing to get there and get pucks through and traffic then that’s what happens.”

The Canadians then went to their first power play and never looked back.

Guenther scored a hat trick against Germany — all off Bedard feeds — and got things started after a no-look, between-the-legs pass from Brennan Othmann.

Dean snapped his first of the tournament before Wright scored his third on another man advantage from a Bedard setup for a 3-0 lead through 20 minutes.

“We got a good talk in between the first and the second — imposing our game, our style of play,” Gaucher said. “We were a bit too soft.”

Roy scored his second after the restart before Bedard, who had three goals against Germany, went to work on another highlight-reel effort when he roofed a shot upstairs that had to be confirmed by video review.

“I’ve seen him do that so many times,” Fantilli said. “He’s pretty auto with that.”

Bedard knew right away the puck was in.

“It was kind of weird,” he said. “Everyone kind of stopped playing. I think they knew they were gonna go check it.”

Allan made it 6-0 and Stankoven added his second from in tight on another sequence that required video review.

Fantilli scored his first on a power play early in the third to stretch Canada’s lead to 8-0.

“You don’t want to start slow,” Bedard said. “But to be able to turn it around like we did … I thought in the second and third, we played a lot harder.

“We played a lot more to our system.”

Gaucher added his first before Bedard bagged his sixth, and 14th overall, on a play where Stankoven pushed the puck forward on an offensive zone faceoff to his diving linemate. Hinds then completed the rout with his first off a scramble.

But the night — just like 24 hours earlier — belonged to Bedard.

“He’s just in another world,” Furey said. “It’s a pretty special moment to be behind the bench while he’s on the ice, and for our players to experience that.

“Because they’re not going to get that experience ever again.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2022.

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Follow @JClipperton_CP on Twitter.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Connor Bedard puts on another show, Canada thumps Austria at world juniors

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