Connor Bedard gets Canada started in tight win over Latvia at world junior tournament

EDMONTON—Connor Bedard got things going, and Canada skated off a with a 5-2 win over Latvia on Wednesday night in a closer-than-expected opener for the Canadians in the beleaguered summertime edition of the 2022 world junior hockey championship.

Bedard is the 17-year-old phenom from the Regina Pats who is a lock to be the first pick in the 2023 draft. He exploded into national consciousness with a four-goal game Dec. 28 in the winter version of this event. But the tournament was cancelled the next day due to a COVID outbreak.

So Bedard, now on Canada’s top line with Mason McTavish and Josh Roy, picked up where he left off by getting Canada’s first goal with a shot through traffic on a rush to beat Latvian goalie Patriks Berzins.

Rainers Darzins tied the game for Latvia, who stayed with Canada for the first half of the game. The Latvians feature three players drafted into the NHL. Canada’s entire lineup — save for Bedard, who isn’t old enough — have been drafted, eight of them in the first round.

The game was predictably choppy, with most of the Canadians not having played a meaningful game in months. Players overskated the puck, fanned on shots, and didn’t quite make those crisp passing plays athletes of their skill level expect.

At one point, with the game tied 1-1 in the second period, the Canadians treated the puck a bit like a hot potato during a power play, almost scoring on themselves twice.

But there were still moments of unpredictability and excitement that go hand-in-hand with junior hockey.

Canadian defencemen Lukas Cormier and Olen Zellweger connected on consecutive power plays while forward Ridly Greig finished off a singular rush up the ice to establish a comfortable three-goal margin heading into the third.

Bedard finished with two points, adding an assist on Zellweger’s goal. McTavish had two assists.

Bogdans Hodass scored on one of three consecutive Latvian power plays to make things a bit tight in the third, until Canada’s William Dufour put the game away with 5:16 to go.

It was Canada’s first game of the tournament, Latvia’s second. The Latvians lost the tournament opener Tuesday, 6-1 to the Finns.

Attendance was sparse, perhaps 3,000 at Rogers Place, and somewhat subdued. It’s a far cry from what this tournament is used to seeing on Canadian ice, with average attendance at more than 17,000 for Canada games at the last pre-pandemic tournament (2019) in Vancouver and Victoria.

Organizers knew lower numbers were coming, draping off the upper section of the rink, which has a capacity of 18,500 for Edmonton Oilers games.

There’s a certain lethargy that comes with this being held in the summer. Around town, locals have been saying the summers in northern Alberta are short enough, and few want to give up what is ideal weather to go into a cold hockey rink.

Plus there is a backlash against Hockey Canada for its mishandling of an alleged sexual assault by members of the 2018 world junior team, making it hard for some to want to cheer for the jersey until the organization cleans up its act. Even Edmonton’s tourism department is not promoting the event.

That’s all added up to a distinct lack of buzz for one of the biggest hockey tournaments in what is normally a hockey-mad country.

“People have a choice,” Canadian coach Dave Cameron said. “That’s what life’s about. You have a choice whether you want to attend this tournament. And I know we’re enthusiastic. I know the guys in that room are enthusiastic. We’re excited. We’re going to enjoy it the same, whether it was in December or whether it’s in the summer or whether it’s here, whether it’s in the U.S., wherever. We’re just really excited.”

Canada plays again today, against Slovakia, which lost its opener 5-4 to the Czechs. Dylan Garand is expected to get the start in net for Canada after Sebastian Cossa played the opener.

Latvia was invited to the world juniors to replace Russia, ousted due to its pariah state status for its invasion of Ukraine.

The was the third time Canada met Latvia at the world junior level. The first two contests were not even close. Taylor Raddysh had a four-goal game in a 10-2 win in 2016. And Gabriel Bourque tied the single-game record with seven points (three goals, four assists) in a 16-0 decision in 2009.

The Latvians have some talent including 17-year-old defenceman Nik Fenenko (Baie-Comeau), Bruins prospect Dans Locmelis (119th overall in the 2022 NHL draft), Florida prospect Sandis Vilmanis (157th in 2022) and Tampa Bay prospect Klavs Veinbergs (224th in 2022).

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