Connor Bedard shines at Calgary WHL game, leads Regina to shootout win
Calgary's Scotiabank Saddledome was packed to the rafters with fans eager to take a look at Canadian phenom Connor Bedard and the 17-year-old did not fail to impress.
The Regina Pats faced the Calgary Hitmen in the latter team's third of five straight games on Wednesday night.
Blake Heward opened up scoring for Calgary, but that was soon matched by an unassisted goal from Bedard.
The second period, however, was dominated by the Hitmen, following a late first period power play goal from Carter Yaremchuk.
Tomis Marinkovic made it 3-1 for the Hitmen going into the third period, with the home team outshooting Regina 39-24.
But that's when Regina began its comeback, with Tanner Brown and Alexander Suzdalev helping tie the game. The Hitmen's Sean Tschigerl regained the lead with his 16th goal of the season, but Braxton Whitehead evened the score again for Regina.
The third period wrapped up with two more goals – one for each team – from London Hoilett for Calgary and another from Whitehead for Regina.
The game's overtime was scoreless, making both teams settle the game with a shootout, where Bedard scored the only goal, winning it for the Pats 6-5.
The Saddledome was a packed house for the game, with the Hitmen saying 16,700 tickets had been sold by the afternoon.
Usually with Hitmen games, just the lower bowl of the arena is open to fans, but this time it opened up seats all the way to the press level.
The Western Hockey League game, also televised on TSN, offered the largest in-house audience of Bedard's career.
"I'm pretty sure that would be the most," Bedard said in a pre-game meeting with media at a downtown Calgary hotel.
"It's a lot, so it's exciting for all of us to have that and I think that's something you don't really get tired of."
The Hitmen's next game will be on Saturday against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
The event will be the team's Every Child Matters game, held in partnership with Siksika Health Services.
(With files from the Canadian Press)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.