After a slow start from the blocks, the only possible scenario finally materialized for Team Canada junior, Thursday evening, during an announced domination against Austria, at the count of 11 to 0.
Marked by a general disorganization of Canada, the first 14 minutes of the game frankly did not bode well.
The Scotiabank Center crowd in Halifax was not at all involved in the match, even less perhaps than in the third period of the loss against the Czech Republic earlier in the week.
“Our start to the game was certainly shaky. I found us a bit soft with the puck, even with the 3-0 priority. But in the second, we challenged them a lot more,” observed head coach Dennis Williams.
“Australians are a hard-working and disciplined team. They forced us to raise our level after a slow start. »
“Obviously, you do not want to start a game slow, but it was good to be able to turn things around and play the way we did in the second and third. We played a lot harder and focused on our systems more, and now we need to continue to do that for full 60-minute games. From here on out, games are going to be tough and we have a huge game against Sweden to prepare for on Saturday.
Then, the inevitable quietly began to creep in.
Not surprisingly, the prodigy Connor Bedard was central to the Canadian offensive explosion that began late in the first period.
The gifted Canadian added five more points to his record, including four assists, to bring his total points to 12 in the space of 24 hours.
The 17-year-old superstar continues to methodically climb the list of all-time Maple Leaf leading scorers, as he single-handedly finished seventh with 21 points, one more than John Tavares .
The next former CJS player Bedard could surpass is Jason Allison, who has 24 points, one more than Ryan Ellis and Dylan Cozens.
“I don’t really care [aux records], but it’s pretty cool to match him, especially since it’s Eberle, who is a former Regina Pats. That part of the team brand is interesting, but I don’t think about it too much.
A first penalty was imposed on the big underdogs of this match, and it was the launching pad that ECJ needed to fly away for good.
Despite this victory, Canada (2-1-0) can hardly hope to finish first in Group A, with its collection of six points. Sweden, which has eight points, as well as the Czech Republic, with seven, are ahead of the maple leaf.
In two days, the Czechs will play the Germans in their final round robin game.
After a fourth goal from Dylan Guenther in the space of two games, which seemed to free Canada from a weight, Zach Dean of the Gatineau Olympiques doubled the Canadian lead.
Captain Shane Wright then skillfully completed a superb backhand pass from Bedard to make it 3-0.
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The Quebecers did well in this duel, as Nathan Gaucher and Joshua Roy amassed three points each.
Another Sherbrooke Phoenix representative, defender Tyson Hinds, also put his name on the scoresheet at the very end of the game.
From the first minutes of the middle period, Roy added his two cents by deflecting a fine pass from Brandt Clarke into the back of the net, for his second goal of the tournament.
Barely a few seconds later, Bedard returned to the charge. He fired a wrist shot with surgical precision to increase Canada’s lead to five goals.
A few minutes later, Nolan Allan added a sixth Canadian goal thanks to a shot from the blue line, while the Austrian goalkeeper had his eyesight.
Then, with just under six minutes left in the middle period, Logan Stankoven hit the target, on an assist from Bedard, after a replay concluded that the puck had narrowly penetrated .
From the first minutes of the third period, Adam Fantilli took advantage of a power play to unlock and score his first goal.
Relieved, we could see the product of the Wolverines of the University of Michigan pronounce a “Finally! » felt good when he moved the ropes.
“I feel like I’ve worked hard and the right way since the start of the tournament,” Fantilli said. So I was happy that one of my shots finally entered the goal. It was a relief because I got plenty of chances in the other two games. It was good to play with [Gaucher et Dean]. They work hard and we have built a great chemistry. They bring pucks to the net, and stay in front of goal for deflections. »
The Quebecer Nathan Gaucher also opened his counter, later in the third period, when he completed the staging of Colton Dach.
As tradition dictates, Canada will conclude its preliminary round by playing on the evening of December 31st. He will then face the Swedish formation