Record Watch: Bedard falls off Forsberg's pace, close to second-best WJC ever
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Despite a stunning performance against Slovakia, which included his highlight-reel overtime winner, Connor Bedard has fallen off the pace to beat Peter Forsberg's record for points in a single World Juniors tournament.
The 17-year-old star, however, appears poised to finish with the second-best single tournament performance in history, needing four more points to claim second outright.
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Entering Canada's semifinal against the United States (LIVE Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on TSN), Bedard has eight goals and 21 points in five games, making him the first player in 30 years to cross the 20-point mark and just the seventh ever.
Forsberg's 31 points in seven games at the 1993 World Juniors is seven more than any other player has ever recorded at the annual event. Forsberg's teammate that year, Markus Naslund, is tied for the second most points at a World Juniors tournament with 24 along with Finland's Raimo Helminen, who set the record there in 1984.
Bedard is on pace to finish with 29 points in the tournament with two games to play for Canada, who will either play for gold or bronze after their semifinal.
The 17-year-old has already rewritten the record book in several categories at this tournament, setting five new records in Canada's 4-3 win over Slovakia on Monday.
The projected first-overall pick in 2023 set a new record for points by a Canadian in a single tournament (21), assists by a Canadian at a single event (13), and passed Jaromir Jagr for the most points by a player aged 18 or younger. He also owns the all-time Canadian records for career goals and points at the World Juniors.
"I'm not focused on personal success here," Bedard said after Canada's quarter-final. "I want another gold medal … and that's all I want."
His must-see overtime winner against Slovakia, in which he walked through three defenders to deke the goaltender and score, will likely go down as the goal of the tournament and likely the defining moment of Bedard's historic run.
"I always want the puck," Bedard said of the goal. "It's still hockey, I'm still out there doing what I love. The moment's big. But I've done that same move, I've done the same shot I took a million times in my basement … in practice, by myself on the ice.
"I'm out there playing hockey."