THURSDAY COMMENTARY – THERE’S STILL TIME

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

IF IT WASN’T FOR THE SAD ATTENDANCE, I’D VOTE FOR A SUMMER WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE HELD EVERY YEAR!

THAT’S HOW MUCH FUN THE 2022 RESCHEDULED EVENT HAS BEEN HERE IN EDMONTON, AND WITH THE NHL AND THE REST OF THE HOCKEY WORLD AT THE LAKE, THE WORLD JUNIORS HAVE HAD THE SPOTLIGHT TO THEMSELVES.

IF ONLY MORE PEOPLE IN NORTHERN ALBERTA COULD BE CONVINCED, AS TEAM CANADA’S GAMES ARE BEING PLAYED IN A HALF-EMPTY ROGERS PLACE WHILE ANY GAME NOT INVOLVING CANADA HAS DRAWN FLIES.

BUT THERE ARE SOME EMERGING STORIES WHICH MAY CAUSE YOU TO PICK UP AND WATCH THE SEMI’S AND MEDAL GAMES THIS WEEKEND IF YOU HADN’T PLANNED TO ALREADY.

17-YEAR OLD PHENOM AND TOP NHL PROSPECT CONNOR BEDARD HAS NOT GOTTEN BETTER AS THE TOURNEY HAS GONE ON. THE REGINA PATS STAR WAS BENCHED IN MONDAY’S WIN OVER FINLAND AND WAS HELD POINTLESS IN WEDNESDAY’S 6-3 QUARTERFINAL WIN OVER SWITZERLAND.

THE TSN PANEL WAS RELUCTANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BENCHING BUT FINALLY HAD TO, AND AS THE INTENSITY HAS PICKED UP IN GAMES, BEDARD HAS LOOKED MORE CONFUSED.

NOT TO WORRY. HE’LL FIGURE OUT, AND HE’S STILL GETTING PRIME OPPORTUNITIES ON CANADA’S TOP LINE. BUT IT STRUCK ME THAT CONNOR’S NEVER REALLY HAD A LOT OF ADVERSITY IN HIS YOUNG HOCKEY CAREER AS YET, AND THIS IS A PRETTY BIG STAGE TO HAVE TO LEARN SOME TOUGH LESSONS.

BUT HE’S UP TO IT.

AND NOW CANADA PLAYS THE UPSTART TEAM CZECHIA IN A 2 PM SEMIFINAL ON FRIDAY AND THE FORMER CZECH REPUBLIC HAS GAINED A LOT OF FANS AS THIS TOURNEY’S GONE ON.

INCLUDING ME, WHO GOT THE CHANCE TO INTERVIEW CZECHIA GOALIE COACH AND FORMER NHL’ER ONDREJ PAVELEC ON WEDNESDAY’S RP SHOW AND HAD A BALL.

SWEDEN WILL PLAY FINLAND IN THE OTHER SEMIFINAL ON FRIDAY IN A CLASSIC HOCKEY RIVALRY.

IT ALL SETS UP SATURDAY’S GOLD MEDAL GAME IN THE CITY OF CHAMPIONS AS CANADA LOOKS TO FINISH OFF AN UNBEATEN RUN.

THERE’S STILL TIME FOR YOU TO GET HERE.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET & 10 pm PT on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)