Bedard ties Eberle's record as Canada steamrolls Austria at World Juniors

Connor Bedard scored two goals in Canada's lopsided 11-0 win over Austria Thursday night in Halifax, matching Jordan Eberle's Canadian record for goals at the World Junior Championship with 14.

The projected No. 1 overall pick in next summer's NHL Draft led the offensive charge with six total points as Canada reached the double-digit goal mark for the second straight night. He tied the record on a third-period goal off an assist from Logan Stankoven.

You can watch every game of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship LIVE on TSN, TSN.ca and the TSN App.

“Every time he has the puck on his stick, something’s coming from it," Canada head coach Dennis Williams said of Bedard after the game.

"Their creativity and skillset, you’re seeing some chemistry between himself, [Stankoven] and [Joshua] Roy there. So, it’s nice to see and obviously they’re building confidence throughout these games.”

Bedard heaped heavy praise on his linemate for setting him up to match the record.

“I wasn’t thinking about it too much, but I think some of the guys kind of mentioned it there in the third. Obviously a good play by [Logan Stankoven] there in the third, I think anyone could have put that one in. He made it pretty easy to get it," the 17-year-old Regina Pats star said.

Bedard had a hat trick and four assists in Canada's 11-2 victory over Germany Wednesday night.

He scored four goals at the original 2022 World Junior Championship before it was postponed and recorded another four at this past summer’s rescheduled tournament, giving him eight. He got his ninth in Canada’s 5-2 loss to Czechia to open the 2023 tournament before reaching 14 in Canada’s two latest games. 

“We’re really happy for him. That’s such an accomplishment, it’s so cool. He’s been playing great this tournament. I don’t think anybody in the room is feeling anything but joy for him now,” said Adam Fantilli of his teammate.

Bedard has 27 points in his World Juniors career, four back of Eric Lindros' Canadian record of 31 from 1990 to 1992. 

While the Canadians flexed their muscles in every aspect of Thursday's round-robin matchup, it did take them some time to get going. Williams' squad managed no shots on net through the opening 12 minutes, but Dylan Guenther got the tournament hosts on the board with a power-play goal off a nifty between-the-legs feed from Brennan Othmann. Just under two minutes later, Zach Dean fired a shot from the high slot that got through Austria netminder Benedikt Oschgan to double Canada’s lead. 

Shane Wright then scored Canada's third goal to push their lead to 3-0 after the first 20 minutes.

Canada picked up right where they left off in the second as Joshua Roy tucked one home to make it a four-goal lead. Less than a minute later, Bedard beat Oschgan with a picture-perfect wrist shot from an odd angle for his first of the night and maybe his best of the tournament thus far. 

Chicago Blackhawks prospect and defenceman Nolan Allen got his first goal of the tournament soon after and Logan Stankoven added another as Canada continued to build on the lead and finished the second frame up 7-0. 

Fantilli scored his first of the tournament while Quebec Ramparts centre Nathan Gaucher, Anaheim Ducks prospect Tyson Hinds and Bedard all added goals in the final frame as Canada padded their lead. 

Fantilli, also expected to be a high pick in next summer's draft, said he was pleased to get one on the board.

“I was just happy to get that first one. The first power play has been buzzing so much that we didn’t really get a chance to get out there but we got out there and I’m glad we capitalized. Try to keep it rolling into Sweden," the University of Michigan product said.

Ben Gaudreau got the start in net for Canada, his first action since being yanked and replaced by Thomas Milic in Canada’s first game of the tournament. He stopped all 12 shots he faced Thursday.

Canada has nine first-round picks and three NHL players on their roster while Austria entered Thursday’s matchup having lost both its games by a combined 20 goals.

The Canadians sit third in Group A with six points, trailing Sweden (eight) and Czechia (seven). Canada dropped their opening-game of the tournament to the Czechs on Boxing Day, the first time they’ve lost their opener with the tournament on home soil.

They rebounded in a big way on Wednesday, hammering Germany behind hat tricks from Bedard and Guenther. Bedard also had four assists, matching the Canadian single-game points record of seven also held by Dave Andreychuk (1983), Brenden Morrow (1999), Mike Cammalleri (2002) and Gabriel Bourque (2010).

Next up for Canada is Sweden on New Year’s Eve to conclude round-robin play. The top three teams in each group will advance to the medal round. Finland (seven points), USA (six) and Switzerland (four) are the current top three teams in Group B.

Canada has a day off Friday and Williams said his team is looking forward to getting a break after games on back-to-back days.

"The guys are looking forward to a break. We won't do much video tomorrow, just get a mental day away and try to get them ready for the next game."