Spencer Thomas/Staff reporter
Canada has won gold at back-to-back 2022 and 2023 world juniors. Adding 2 gold medals to the already impressive 18 over the years.
Canada won gold against Czechia with a 3-2 over time win. Canada was the stronger team for the first two periods being up 2-0 at the start of the second period. Czechia scored two goals in less than one minute around halfway through the third period to tie the game. Dylan Guenther, who had a previous goal in the first period, finishes the game off in overtime with a 2 on 1 play to win Canada gold.
Star player, Connor Bedard broke countless number of records both in Canada history but also tournament history at age 17. Bedard finished the tournament with 23 points (fourth in tournament history, first in Canadian history) with most of his points coming from assists. He did not earn a point in the final game against Czechia to tie him with second in tournament history. Reported by
“I’m not talking about my self right now, we are not talking about me. We just won one of the biggest tournaments in the world and I love this team and I love this country.”
Connor Bedard when interviewed on TSN after 3-2 win for gold.
Bedard with be fun to watch grow and improve into the 2023/24 NHL season, as he is projected to go first overall in 2023 draft. If Bedard plays in the 2024 world juniors he will need 7 points to hold most total points at the world juniors. Projected by Mike G. Morreale at the NHL
Players to watch out for in coming years on this Canadian team are Joshua Roy, Logan Stankoven, Adam Fantilli and Guenther. Roy and Stankoven had 11 points and Guenther had 10 finishing the tournament. All 4 of the players have played in the NHL or will be in the upcoming years.
Canada faced their rivals the USA in the semifinal. USA started out hot with a 2-goal lead in the first, but Canada came back with fire as Bedard scored Canadas first goal and set them on the way to win 6-2. Canada scored 6 unanswered goals in the game against USA.
Canada’s 2023 juniors team finished second in their group with Czechia toping it with a win over Canada in the first game of the tournament. Canada did not lose any more games, leaving them with 6 wins and 1 loss.
| Canada: 2 | Canada: 11 | Canada: 5 | Canada: 4 | Canada: 6 | Canada: 3 |
| Czechia: 5 | Austria: 0 | Sweden: 1 | Slovakia: 3 | USA: 2 | Czechia: 2 |
This Canadian team has broken records across the board this year, with more to come in the upcoming year and NHL season. If Canada wins gold next year there will be many players with 3 gold medals at under 20 years old.
Sources
Featured image TSN
Conner Bedard Wiki