WORLD JUNIORS: Bedard Wins 2023 World Junior Gold As Canada Beats Czechia 3-2 In OT
Halifax, N.S. – Connor Bedard and Canada captured their second straight IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship gold medal with a 3-2 overtime win over Czechia on Thursday night. With the loss, Stanislav Svozil and Czechia get silver, who earn their first medal since 2005. Additionally, congratulations to equipment manager Gord Cochran on winning a gold medal with Canada.
RECAP — | Canada 3, Czechia 2 (OT)
Canada took a 1-0 lead as Dylan Guenther scored on the power play from the top of the slot with 7:19 to go in the first period. Canada led 1-0 after one. Early in the second, Shane Wright would give Canada a 2-0 lead on a beautiful backhander into the top corner.
CAPTAIN CANADA 🚨
Shane Wright gives Canada a 2-0 lead with an absolute beauty.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/r3klt4Hx84
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 6, 2023
Late in the third, Czechia would tie game game as Jiri Kulich and Jakub Kos found the back of the net 54 seconds apart.
THIS GAME IS TIED 🚨
Jakub Kos strikes for 🇨🇿 Czechia 54 seconds after Kulich's goal.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/49QxCBn5rk
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 6, 2023
This contest needed overtime and Dylan Guenther would receive a pass from Joshua Roy, and he flipped in his second of the game to give Canada the gold medal.
DYLAN GUENTHER IS THE OVERTIME HERO 🚨
CANADA WINS GOLD 🥇#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/6jbHJ8TwaM
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 6, 2023
Dylan Guenther was named player of the game for Canada and Jakub Brabenec was named player of the game for Czechia.
Connor Bedard led the tournament in points (23), goals (9) and assists (14) in seven games. Bedard now owns the Canadian record for goals in a World Junior Championship with 17, passing the mark held by Jordan Eberle (14). Bedard also became the leader in career points by a Canadian player, passing Eric Lindros’ record of 31 from 1990 to 1992 as well as the Canadian WJC single-tournament mark owned by Dale McCourt (1977) and Brayden Schenn (2011) at 18. The North Vancouver, B.C. product now has 36 career points at the World Juniors.
Meanwhile, Stanislav Svozil finished with eight points in seven games (1G-7A).
AROUND THE WORLD JUNIORS – Jan. 5
U.S.A 8 vs. Sweden 7 (OT) – Scotiabank Centre (Halifax)
