TUESDAY COMMENTARY – NOW THE FUN BEGINS

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

TODAY WE RETURN TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED HOCKEY COMMENTARY.

WE ARE INTO WEEK 2 HERE AT THE WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP IN EDMONTON AND AS HOCKEY NEWS WRITER STEVEN ELLIS SAID ON MONDAY’S RP SHOW AT ROGERS PLACE, “NOW THE FUN BEGINS.”

DID IT EVER MONDAY NIGHT.

IN CANADA’S FINAL GAME OF THE ROUND ROBIN, FINLAND PUT UP THE BIGGEST FIGHT OF ANY CANADIAN OPPONENT YET.

WHILE CANADA PREVAILED 6-3, THE FINS WOULDN’T GO AWAY AND PUT UP QUITE A FIGHT IN THE THIRD PERIOD.

AS USUAL, SEVERAL OBSERVATIONS STRUCK ME WHILE SITTING IN MY SEATS AT ROGERS PLACE:

1 – APOLOGIES TO CONNOR BEDARD, BUT TEAM CANADA CAPTAIN MASON MCTAVISH IS THE TEAM MVP. HE NETTED 3 MORE POINTS MONDAY NIGHT AND IS LEADING THE TOURNAMENT IN SCORING.

HE’LL BE CAPTAIN OF THE ANAHEIM DUCKS ONE DAY; PERHAPS EVEN THIS YEAR FOLLOWING THE RETIREMENT OF RYAN GETZLAF.

2 – MCTAVISH IS ALREADY A CANADIAN HOCKEY STAR AND HOUSEHOLD NAME, YET HE HASN’T EVEN PLAYED A GAME IN THE NHL.

3 – CONNOR BEDARD IS THE ONE EVERYONE’S PAYING TO SEE. HE HAD TWO POINTS ON MONDAY AND HIS GOAL IS WHAT WE CALL A “GOAL SCORER’S GOAL”. WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS IF YOU CAN.

4 – RIDLY GREIG OF THE BRANDON WHEAT KINGS WAS NAMED PLAYER OF THE GAME FOR CANADA MONDAY NIGHT. HE MADE ME WISH THERE WAS A WORLD JUNIORS SKILLS COMPETITION AND HE WOULD ASSUREDLY WIN THE FASTEST SKATER COMPETITION.

AND RIDLY WILL BE THE BEST PLAYER ON THE OTTAWA SENATORS WITHIN TO YEARS. THREE MAX.

SO CANADA GETS A DAY OFF ON TUESDAY HERE IN EDMONTON AND THEN THE PLAYOFFS BEGIN WEDNESDAY WITH A QUARTERFINAL MEETING BETWEEN CANADA AND SWITZERLAND.

THAT SHOULD BE A CAKEWALK, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.

AND MR. ELLIS WAS RIGHT. NOW THE FUN BEGINS.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY