The 2022 World Juniors, which was closed last December due to Covid concerns, restarted this week. Here’s what you need to know from Canada’s beginnings. (Getty)
Connor Bedard did not disappoint as Canada dropped Latvia 5-2 in their first game of the resumed world junior tournament after the tournament was suspended last December due to COVID-19 concerns.
The WHL star had a goal and an assist with a team-best eight shutouts, while Canada’s player of the game, Ridley Grigg, also had a goal and an assist.
Despite the score and a dramatic advantage in shots on goal, Canada looked fairly nonchalant during extended stretches, while Latvia struggled early on skating behind strong goaltending. At one point, Latvia even briefly pulled even after falling behind, a first for the nation in games against Canada.
Here are three things to know after the tournament opener for Canada on Wednesday night.
Big game Bedard
Conor dishonor is very real, folks, as Conor Bedard stole the show for Canada on Wednesday. Bedard was consistently among Canada’s most dangerous players on the ice, looking elusive with the puck and displaying strong rim work and hockey IQ.
His most impressive attribute, however, was undoubtedly his rocket wrist shot. TSN’s broadcast duo of Gord Miller and Mike Johnson compared the 17-year-old’s release to Joe Sakic, and it’s not hard to see why. Bedard’s slide-and-release to break the ice for Canada was reminiscent of right-handed Auston Matthews as he flicked the puck past Latvian goaltender Patriks Berzins at breakneck speed.
As shared on the show, Bedard is among the top junior scorers in Canadian history with his appearances representing Canada as an U18 and U20 player. In 14 games across the two tournaments, Bedard posted a mind-boggling 18 goals and 28 points, including a four-goal game during last winter’s postponed tournament.
Needless to say, there are still parts of Bedard’s game that he will need to work on, as any player of his age does, but to see him work his magic against Latvia was hugely exciting and will be fantastic to see how he will raise his game against the much tougher competition that the other world junior powers will provide later in the tournament.
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Berzins went out
Latvian starting goalkeeper Patriks Berzins, who played in Latvia’s men’s professional circuit last season as an 18-year-old, channeled his inner Kristers Gudlevskis and stole the show for Latvia in long stretches of this one. Despite the vast skill gap between the two teams, Berzins was as solid as could be as Latvia was dramatically outplayed by Canada’s laundry list of NHL-bound prospects.
Berzins kept Latvia in the mix during the Canada-dictated first period and kept Latvia in it until late in the second period when Canada scored three quick goals on five shots. Despite that barrage, however, Berzins remained composed, including a dramatic save on a breakaway Canadian that saw the Latvian netminder show his right pad on a cross attempt to close the net and keep it 4-1.
His 39 saves were surprisingly not enough to lead Latvia to victory, but his strong performance was worthy of admiration (and Latvia’s man of the match honors) despite the loss.
Good first impressions
Canada’s defense looks a lot different than it did in the 2022 winter edition of the tournament. 2021 first-overall selection Owen Power has opted out of the tournament for the Buffalo Sabres’ rookie camp, while winter edition captain Kayden Guele misses out this tournament due to injury.
However, early results from the new groups have been generally positive, especially from an offensive standpoint. Defenders Lucas Cormier (VGK 3rd, ’21) and Olen Zellweger (ANA 2nd, ’21) got on the scoresheet with one goal each. Canada’s defensive play was also strong, albeit against a team that only qualified for this tournament due to the exclusion of a Belarus team that originally qualified for promotion last fall.
That will likely leave Canada with some questions as the pace of the tournament picks up and the competition gets more intense, but for now, getting some input from some of their questionable lineup is undoubtedly a big win.
Canada’s next test is Thursday at 6 p.m. ET against Slovakia, who are without 2022 first selection Juraj Slafkowski for the tournament.
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