'No one can stop them': Bedard, McTavish chemistry sparks Canada

TSN SportsCentre Reporter Mark Masters reports on the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship.  Team Canada players enjoyed a day off in Edmonton on Friday ahead of their game against Czechia on Saturday afternoon.

Mason McTavish and Connor Bedard played together at the under-18 World Championship last year helping Team Canada win the gold medal. They roomed together at that event in Texas. They were also roommates at the December World Juniors before being reunited, again, this summer. 

"We're 13-0 together," said McTavish. "We're great buddies. Same personalities, I guess."

"Even when we're back home, we're talking lots," said Bedard. "It's good to have that guy giving you advice."

McTavish and Bedard have skated on the same line since Team Canada opened training camp on Aug. 1. 

"It was obvious when I saw them at the World Juniors [in December] that there was a bond there," said coach Dave Cameron. "I think that was established at the under-18 [event] in Dallas and in a short tournament if you can get any kind of advantage with a bond between players with chemistry you just act on it."

That chemistry was on full display on Thursday as McTavish and Bedard pulled off a pretty give-and-go to open the scoring against Slovakia. 

"He made a really nice pass to me," said McTavish. "I sliced through their two wingers and he had quite a bit of speed so I knew he would be around the backdoor area. I feathered one through and he had a great finish." 

"Saw he was going into an area and put it there," said Bedard. "I was screaming at him to try and get it back to me and it was a good pass by him."

That play set the tone for Canada in what became a dominant 11-1 win. 

McTavish leads the tournament in scoring with four goals and four assists. Bedard has two goals and two assists. 

"Their chemistry on and off the ice, they act like brothers," observed Team Canada defenceman Donovan Sebrango. "No one can really stop them right now."

Czechia will be the next team to try. Defenceman David Jiricek, who is Czechia's ice-time leader, was asked what it will take to slow down Bedard in Saturday's showdown. 

"I think he's the best player in this tournament," Jiricek said, "and with McTavish also in the first line it's tough for us. We [have to] play good in the defensive zone."

Bedard, who plays for the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League, is projected to be the first overall pick in the 2023 National Hockey League draft. McTavish, the third overall pick in 2021, played nine games in the NHL last season with the Anaheim Ducks.

"We have similar hockey minds," said McTavish, who helped the Hamilton Bulldogs reach the Memorial Cup championship game in June. 

"Both are really good players," noted Cameron, "and all really good players have high hockey IQ." 

That hockey sense allows them to maximize their weapons. 

"He's really big [6-foot-1, 207 pounds] and strong and can go get pucks and I can find the quiet areas for him," said Bedard. "We're reading really well off each right now."

"He's obviously got a great shot," said McTavish. "I noticed his shot got quite a bit better than last time [we played together] so just looking for him to find space and giving him the puck."  

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The Slovaks did their best to try and get under the skin of Bedard on Thursday, but the 17-year-old refused to retaliate and actually drew a penalty at the end of the first period.

"If I get in their heads a little and it creates offensive chances for us it's good," the 5-foot-9 phenom said. "They gave us four minutes of five-on-three so I'm going to take that for a couple shots. I got a fishbowl on so I'm not really feeling it much if they're punching me in the face."

In the second period, Bedard absorbed a big hit in the neutral zone to spring McTavish and Joshua Roy. 

"I saw it was going to be kind of a sandwich [hit], but if you see a two-on-oh then you'll take a big hit for that," he said. "I mean, I prefer them to step up and try to kill me if it will get us a two-on-oh. It worked out well."

Bedard may not be the biggest player on the ice, but he's solid at 181 pounds. 

"He definitely likes the physical side," McTavish said. "He's got a lot stronger over the summer too."

"Definitely stronger," Bedard confirmed. "I've been in the gym for a while now and obviously you're at your strongest in the summer ... you have that just-came-out-of-the-gym feeling. I feel pretty strong."

Bedard isn't shy about initiating contact. He's willing to crash the blue paint. 

"Me and [Regina teammate] Tanner Howe kind of like to go and mess with the goalie and stuff like that," he said with a grin. "It's kind of fun and gets you into the game a little."

"He's an all-around player," said Team Canada left winger Brennan Othmann. "That's something super underrated. It's always, 'His shot's great! His playmaking's great!' But he's an all-around player. He hits. He gets under the skin of guys. He's blocking shots. He's trying to fill out that all-around game for the next level."

"We talk about his shot, which is elite," echoed Cameron, "but he's also willing to get into those tough areas and, to me, that's a sure sign of maturity."

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Bedard is looking forward to facing off with Regina defenceman Stanislav Svozil on Saturday.

"It's exciting," he said. "We've been talking about it a lot, me and Stan. I remember playing him last year [at the World Juniors] and he had a really nice goal against us. Luckily, we were able to win. He thinks they'll win, but we'll see. It's always good to go up against a good friend."

Canada rallied from 3-1 down to beat Czechia 6-3 on Boxing Day. 

Does Bedard know what he'll do if he's in a one-on-one situation against Svozil?   

"He's a pretty good player," he said with a smile. "Maybe pass to the other guy." 

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Othmann lined up beside McTavish and Bedard in the third period on Thursday replacing Roy. 

"Without sounding too cocky, we had the game in hand so it gave me some leeway to try some stuff that we had talked a bit about amongst the coaches," Cameron explained. "Mix and match a bit." 

Othmann played and lived with McTavish while with Olten in the Swiss League during the 2020-21 season when the Ontario Hockey League was on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We have good chemistry on and off the ice," Othmann said. "Great to be able to play with him again and reconnect."

Othmann set up McTavish's fourth goal of the night and finished with a goal and two assists. It was a strong response after he was a healthy scratch in the opener. 

"I've never sat out a game," he said. "It was my first time. Sometimes it’s good to watch from above and see everyone play."

Othmann started on the fourth line on Thursday night. 

"I can produce a lot of energy," he said. "I'm able to hit. I'm able to score. So, whatever role or situation I'm put in I can succeed whether that's a checking and forechecking role or playing with Mason and Connor and scoring and maybe opening some ice for those guys. Either scenario, I can succeed."

Othmann scored 50 goals in 66 games for Flint this season, but also racked up 65 penalty minutes. He took a pair of penalties in Canada's pre-tournament game against Sweden. 

"What we have to keep in mind as we move forward here is that the games are going to change in terms of the amount of mistakes you're allowed to make," said Cameron. "I'm comfortable leaving Mac and Connor together, but it will still be a work in progress to see who comes up and plays in that other position. You want to put a guy there who's going to play his game as opposed to trying to get into that skill game that Mac and Connor play."

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Othmann has been getting advice from good friend Shane Wright, who was his teammate in minor hockey. 

"We're talking every day," Othmann said. "He watched last night's game and said I played well. He's always giving me little tips and stuff like that. I wish he was here, but obviously he wants to get ready for camp and Seattle."
What's the best advice from Wright? 

"Have fun and enjoy the moment," Othmann said. "He says, 'The connections you build are something special. Just build connections and enjoy the moment.'"

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Third-line centre Ridly Greig was held out of the third period on Thursday for precautionary reasons. Cameron says there's a "real good" chance the Ottawa Senators prospect will be able to play on Saturday. 

Kamloops goalie Dylan Garand will get the start against Czechia.