If shooting stars are considered rare and spectacular, then Connor Bedard is out of this world.
At the end of a grueling BC Division Road trip, the 17-year-old hockey prodigy and the consensus number one pick in the 2023 NHL Draft wowed a sold-out CN Centre on Friday, notching two goals, pacing the Regina Pats to a convincing 5-1 win over the Prince George Cougars.
“I thought we played a pretty complete game. We did so in Vancouver too where I thought we created a few more chances. The response (following a 9-3 loss to Kamloops) was really good, it’s been a tough trip, but I am not making any excuses. We were the second-best team by a mile in Kamloops.”
“But I am very happy with this effort,” said John Paddock, Pats head coach.
Bedard on going 4-1 on the BC Division road trip with the @WHLPats beating @PGCougars 5-1 on Friday #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #itsgotime pic.twitter.com/xQiNQE6ugE
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) December 3, 2022
Like a Hollywood movie script, the raucous crowd of 6,027 fans were given a thrill right off the bat as misplay at the Cougars blueliner by Pats defenceman Corbin Vaughn led to a 2-on-1 rush where Caden Brown made no mistake on a Carter MacAdams feed to make it 1-0.
Like any hit film, there is always a protagonist and an antagonist. For the Pats, Ty Spencer took some of the wind out of PG’s sails, cashing in on a juicy rebound that was conceded by Ty Young to even the score at 1-1.
While on a Cats power-play, Bedard sent the crowd into an immediate frenzy, stripping ex-teammate Cole Dubinsky of the puck, leading to a shorthanded breakaway only to be stopped by Young from point-blank range. Bedard, like a dog on a bone, then followed that chance up with a bank shot behind the Cougars net that was also turned aside by the arm of Young.
Less than four minutes later, the dazzling puck movement of the Pats top line continued to mesmerize the Cats as Tanner Howe finished off a three-way scoring play that included Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Stanislav Svozil and Borya Valis, allowing Regina to hold serve after 20 minutes 2-1.
Similar to a 15-round prize fight, the fans were treated to some end-to-end action to begin the second period as well as an early turning point.
It only took Bedard twenty seconds, to cap off some puck wizardry as he gained the Cougars blueline, used Keaton Dowhaniuk as a screen, and rifled a wicked wrist shot past Young for a 3-1 edge.
📽️ HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT 📽️
Don’t blink.@WHLPats | #WHLHoN | #CB98 pic.twitter.com/mQtDmeId7Y
— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 3, 2022
At the 2:11 mark Dubinsky was assessed a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct after striking Pats goalie Drew Sim.
The temperature of the game rose several more degrees thanks to a pair of contested fights.
The first one saw Layton Fiest drop the mitts with Ryker Singer inside the Pats zone while the second tilt occurred less than two minutes later as Corbin Vaughn tangled with Bauer Dumanski.
With their chances of winning sinking faster than the Titanic, the Cougars looked to their power-play for an offensive jolt early in the third after a pair of infractions from Parker Berge and Riley Ginnell of the Pats.
Needless to say, the Cats looked disconnected on both man advantages and were unable to solve Sim, let alone trim the deficit to a single goal.
Bedard finally put the game out of reach with his second of the game, an unassisted effort, which sent a small fraction of the sold-out crowd to the exits, braving the long cold walk to their chilly vehicles.
Welcome back.. to the Connor Bedard show!@WHLPats | #CB98 | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/QmzMxDbbGK
— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 3, 2022
Easton Armstrong added a late tally for Regina to cap off a near perfect road effort, improving to 13-12-1-1.
PG outshot Regina 31-29 overall but it was their power-play that let them down going 0-for-7.
Cougars head coach and general manager Mark Lamb categorized the defeat as another bump in the road for a team still learning how to win.
“I thought it was very similar to the Kamloops game. We didn’t have a lot of puck support, we didn’t have a lot of life, we were a little bit dead, and the emotion wasn’t there. Not sure if it’s too much practice time, you would think after the first period you would find your legs, but we stood around and watched.”
However, Lamb would not call the less-than-stellar efforts against Regina and Kamloops a huge concern.
“I wouldn’t call it concerning. We know we have a good team; we are still learning how to win. We don’t like to lose games at all, but we have to regroup and move on.”
Sim backstopped the Pats to a 30 save performance, improving on his career-best season with nine wins and a goals against average of 2.86.
Bedard also extended his point streak to 27 games and is leading the entire WHL in scoring with a whopping 59 points – 16 ahead of Kelowna Rockets sniper Andrew Cristall.
Not to be outdone, Washington Capitals prospect Alexander Sudzalev now has points in 12 of his last 13 games and leads the WHL in power-play goals with 11.
In addition, the point-streak of Svozil’s was extended to seven games after his two-assist performance. During this stretch, he has had two goals and 14 assists.
The B.C. road swing by the Pats, has resembled a rock star feel to it with Bedard as the front man everyone wants to see – selling out all five arenas.
Paddock stated it’s been a unique experience, especially for the players who haven’t been on a road trip of this calibre in a couple years.
“I think it’s very good for our team. I think this points us back to life before COVID. We have not had full houses anywhere, so it’s been fun and exciting – it’s been great overall,” added Paddock.
Lamb, like the rest of the crowd was in awe of Bedard labelling him “as advertised,”
“He could have had seven. Bedard was real good tonight, we did not have an answer for him, and I thought Young did have an answer a couple time, he was our best player. Hockey is always something you learn from, you don’t see these guys again, which can be bad because you have to feel the competition, but we didn’t catch up to the competition the entire game.”
“That was pretty special (speaking of Bedard’s performance). Not only did he hit a few posts and made a couple big shots that everybody saw but his edges, hockey sense and passes were Bedard-like, that’s why he is number one and he deserves to be number one. Another thing you see is his high hockey IQ. Some of the plays he is making, he is not looking – it’s high-end special stuff,” added Lamb.
“I think it was good for our guys to see that.”
.@WHLPats forward Connor Bedard after 5-1 over @PGCougars on Friday #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #itsgotime pic.twitter.com/26RoFf47DZ
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) December 3, 2022
With the loss, the Cougars are four points back of the Kamloops Blazers for the BC Division crown, after the Blazers blanked the Vancouver Giants 3-0.
Speaking of the Giants (9-11-3-2), that is who the Cougars will play next at the Langley Events Centre on Sunday.
The attendance of 6,027 is unofficially the largest crowd to see a Cougars home game.
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