HALIFAX | A few months following Kent Johnson, Dylan Guenther is the new hero of Canadian junior hockey. The forward scored the game-winning goal in overtime on Thursday as Canada’s junior team beat the Czechs 3-2 for a second consecutive gold medal.
• Read also: World Juniors: Bronze to the Americans
• Read also: First place in Group A: a first in 22 years for the Czechs
Team Canada Junior seemed to be heading for the 20th gold medal in its history but blew a 2-0 lead by giving up twice in the space of 54 seconds in the third period to revive the Czechs.
But the national team saved their honor in extra time when Joshua Roy came two once morest one with Guenther, before handing him over, and the latter did not miss his chance.
“All I remember is that I didn’t throw my gloves on right away,” laughed Guenther. I almost forgot we were in overtime and then I saw Roy throw his gear in the air. »
In his case, it was a particular feeling that he didn’t expect to experience. Last year, he was part of the team in December when the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19. An injury had deprived him of the recovery in August.
“It’s so special to me. I didn’t know if I would have this chance once more and to be here, in front of these supporters, it might not have ended in a better way. »
Record pour Roy
In Roy’s case, it was another big play at a big time, finishing the competition with 11 points in seven games.
“I found that the defender launched himself quickly on the ground so I thought it was sure that we would have a two once morest zero. I was just patient and gave it to Guenther and he capitalized. Then I saw the puck and everyone started screaming. It was an incredible moment,” he said.
With a total of 19 career points, in two tournament appearances, Roy also became the most productive Quebec player in the history of this tournament, surpassing Jonathan Huberdeau’s mark.
“After the third period, I told the other coaches that I felt like the game was going to come from Josh Roy. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen him do this overtime. It takes calm and patience,” added assistant coach Stéphane Julien.
Unsurprisingly, Connor Bedard was named the striker of the tournament but also its player par excellence. He finished the competition with 23 points in seven games. David Jiricek was named the defender of the tournament while Adam Gajan of Slovakia was awarded the goaltender par excellence award.
Happy Birthday Shane
While Guenther was the hero of the game with two goals, captain Shane Wright unquestionably played his best game of the competition. He scored a beautiful goal in the second, which made it 2-0.
All this on the night of his 19th birthday.
“It’s a special moment and I don’t fully realize it yet,” Wright admitted, proudly holding the world champion trophy in his hands. It’s my birthday and I just won the gold medal at the World Juniors. It’s just amazing. »
On loan from the Seattle Kraken, Wright, like several other Canadian forwards, had had a rocky tournament.
“Shane Wright played quite a game today. He scored a big goal. I think Bedard took up a lot of space at the start of the tournament. Did that somewhat diminish the internal atmosphere? Maybe. And Bedard is a very quiet guy, but the media was so all over him that I think guys, it took a while for everyone to fit in there. Today we saw 22 players who were dedicated to winning until the end. »
jitters
The gold medal almost made you forget that ECJ had a lot of fun. In control of the game for more than 50 minutes, they let their opponents come from behind, cooling the ardor of the crowd at the Scotiabank Centre.
“I won’t hide that we felt doubts settle in the heads of the players but I think that returning to the locker room following the third period did us good. It brought us together, we placed our things and the guys saw this victory in the locker room. We started from scratch and I think we dominated the extension, ”said Stéphane Julien.
“Obviously we had to tighten up our defensive game. We had to get the puck out better since we had made two errors at this level on their two goals. It was the watchword in the locker room. We also said to ourselves that we had to have confidence in ourselves,” mentioned Nathan Gaucher, who admitted that the victory once morest the Czechs was even sweeter considering that they had beaten them in the first match of the group stage. .
To which Julien agreed.
“It motivated us a lot. I get it, teams want to beat Canada in Canada. On the other hand, the guys remembered what happened following the game. We are not far between the two locker rooms so to hear the other team shouting, that motivated them. »
The King of the World
Only Connor Bedard was missing gold to complete what will probably be remembered as the most dominant display for a Canadian player at the World Juniors.
Yes, there were others: Eric Lindros in 1991, John Tavares and Jordan Eberle in 2009 or even Mason McTavish, last August.
But it will be difficult to find arguments once morest the tournament that Bedard has just experienced. The record is unequivocal: 23 points in seven games and many shattered records.
Angular stone
One only has to wonder where Junior Team Canada would be without Connor Bedard to realize the full extent of the impact he had on the Canadian roster. This team, which many saw as one of the best on paper the country had ever seen, was eventually dragged by the 17-year-old wonderkid and, admittedly, his line completed by Logan Stankoven and Joshua Roy.
Fortunately, in Thursday’s final, the two forwards on loan from their NHL teams, Dylan Guenther and Shane Wright, were impact players. Wright had his best game of the competition, by far. But their tournament was mixed. The defensive squad also suffered from hiccups at times in the tournament that might have cost the Canadians a chance for the gold medal, had it not been for Bedard and the brilliance of goaltender Thomas Milic.
Moreover, Bedard and Milic stole the quarter-final match from Slovakia, which had played a better game collectively than Canada. There is no other way to say it.
First in class
If there were any doubts regarding Connor Bedard’s legitimacy as the world’s best prospect for the next draft, they have been dispelled. No, they were eclipsed. Adam Fantilli, whom many saw as his closest rival, had a difficult start to the tournament before concluding in a good way. The Swede Leo Carlsson has certainly increased his rating with recruiters.
But no one approaches Bedard. He will be the very first choice in Nashville on June 28.
To Montreal ? The Canadiens’ recent troubles are increasingly giving life to that possibility. Let’s bet that Bedard would not say no to joining Roy in the organization of the CH, having qualified him as “one of the most intelligent players with whom I played. »
Somewhere in his office, Kent Hughes is crossing his fingers.
