Canada dominates Sweden for third-straight World Juniors win

After blowing out Germany and Austria, Canada faced a much stiffer test in Sweden on New Year’s Eve at the World Juniors in Halifax.

It didn’t matter.

Team Canada dominated their round robin finale, beating Sweden 5-1. They scored twice in the opening 2:08 of the game, and took a 3-0 lead by the 11:45 mark. Connor Bedard factored into each goal, picking up assists on the goals scored by Joshua Roy, Brennan Othmann, and Tyson Hinds.

JOSHUA ROY!! Canada gets the party started 57 seconds in! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Jbf1NcbbS1

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 31, 2022

Shane Wright to Brennan Othmann! Canada strikes on the power play and they lead 2-0! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/UJBnfAWbG8

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 31, 2022

Ludvig Jansson scored before the end of the first period to close the gap for Sweden, but Othmann scored again early in the third period to regain Canada’s three-goal lead.

Bedard picked up a fourth assist on Kevin Korchinski’s third-period goal. It gave Bedard 31 all-time points at the World Juniors, which ties Eric Lindros’ Canadian record.

Connor Bedard at the #WorldJuniors:

– Tied for the most goals ever by a Canadian at the World Juniors
– Tied for the most points ever by a Canadian at a single tournament
– Tied for the most points ever by a Canadian at the World Juniors

Incredible. pic.twitter.com/F7BQI4iyc5

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 1, 2023

Canada finished second in Group A, and will play Slovakia in the quarter-final on Monday. Czechia, who beat Canada on Boxing Day, finished first and will play Switzerland.

Other quarter-final matchups include USA vs Germany and Finland vs Sweden.