Connor Bedard once again took center stage during Team Canada's 11-0 thrashing of Austria at the world juniors Thursday night.

The projected 2023 first overall pick tied Jordan Eberle for the most all-time career goals by a Canadian at the world juniors after scoring his 13th and 14th in the host nation's second straight victory.

Bedard's first goal of the contest came from a very sharp angle in the second period, and he went on to match Eberle's feat while getting knocked down late in the final frame.

The 17-year-old tied another Canadian world juniors record for most points in a single game Wednesday versus Germany after putting up a hat trick and four assists.

Bedard chipped in with six more points Thursday, giving him 27 total in just 12 career games at the world juniors. He has now taken sole possession of second place on Canada's all-time points list and is only four back of Eric Lindros for the lead.

Despite Bedard's dominance, teammate Logan Stankoven was named Canada's player of the game after recording one goal and three assists against Austria.

It took about 14 minutes for the first goal to be scored, but the Canadians never looked back after Dylan Guenther capitalized on his team's first power-play opportunity.

Canada netted four goals in each of the next two periods and outshot Austria 47-12 overall. Goaltender Ben Gaudreau earned the shutout after being pulled from Canada's tournament-opening loss to Czechia.

Ten different players lit the lamp for Canada in the rout. Zach Dean, Nolan Allan, Adam Fantilli, Nathan Gaucher, and Tyson Hinds each scored their first goal of the tournament, while captain Shane Wright and Joshua Roy also tallied for the reigning gold medalist.

Austria had been outscored 20-0 by its opponents entering Thursday's matchup and surrendered 11 goals for the second time this tournament.

Bedard's next chance to break Eberle's record will come Saturday against Sweden, while Austria will take on Germany on Friday.

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New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere will be a healthy scratch Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Blueshirts head coach Gerard Gallant said, according to USA Today's Vincent Z. Mercogliano.

Gallant dropped Lafreniere to the fourth line for Tuesday's game against the Washington Capitals, which New York lost 4-0.

"I want him to be better," Gallant previously said when asked to explain the demotion. "He's got some chances to play with good people, and he's played well at times, but it's the inconsistency."

Lafreniere struggled Tuesday night, registering only one shot on goal and committing a pair of giveaways in only 13:14 of ice time. He's notched four assists in his last seven games but managed only four shots on goal in that span with none in three of those contests.

The 21-year-old forward has collected only five goals and 12 assists across 36 contests this season. He's in his third campaign with the Rangers, who drafted him first overall in 2020.

Many experts viewed Lafreniere as a generational talent when he was a prospect. He's shown flashes of his potential at the NHL level but hasn't had sustained success. The former QMJHL superstar has produced 36 goals and 33 assists in 171 career NHL games after hitting triple digits in points for the Rimouski Oceanic in consecutive campaigns.

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Just call him "Officer Sid."

Sidney Crosby's home country gave him one of its highest honors Thursday, elevating the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar to the Order of Canada.

Governor General Mary Simon named Crosby one of 32 new officers and 99 new appointments to the Order "for being one of the greatest hockey players of all time and for supporting community service initiatives for youth."

Crosby has long been one of the NHL's brightest stars. The future Hall of Famer has a lengthy resume of accomplishments, including many on the international stage. Most memorably, he scored the "Golden Goal" in 2010, helping Canada defeat the United States in overtime to win that Olympic tournament.

The 35-year-old also helped the Canadian squad win the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 and served as captain for the 2014 Olympic team that repeated as champions. He became a member of hockey's "Triple Gold Club" (Olympic, World Championship, and Stanley Cup titles) when he led Canada to victory at the worlds one year later. He also became the only player to captain all three gold-winning teams.

Crosby also won gold with Canada's national junior team in 2005. On the NHL stage, he's won the Cup three times, including back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017. The Nova Scotia-born center has also won the Hart, Conn Smythe, "Rocket" Richard, and Art Ross trophies twice, and his peers voted him the Ted Lindsay Award winner as MVP in their opinion three times.

He's done a considerable amount of charitable work throughout his career. Crosby donated 100,000 meals through the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank in 2020 and partnered with CCM to donate 87 sets of hockey equipment to under-represented Nova Scotia communities in 2019.

The Sidney Crosby Foundation's goal is "proudly supporting charities that improve the lives of disadvantaged children."

The Penguins drafted Crosby first overall in 2005.

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We split our shot props Wednesday night. Alex Pietrangelo came through with a first-period hit against the Anaheim Ducks, but Nikita Kucherov let us down with a dud at home to the Montreal Canadiens.

We'll set our sights higher as we dig into three standout plays for Thursday night's busy slate of games.

Cale Makar over 3.5 shots (-105)

The Makar train continues to chug along sans Nathan MacKinnon. Makar registered at least four shots on goal in eight of 10 games since MacKinnon went down with an injury. He also hit the over in six consecutive games, averaging nearly five shots in that span.

This hot streak is by no means smoke and mirrors. Makar attempted more than eight shots per game over the last 10, slotting him third in the NHL during that span. Only snipers David Pastrnak and Mikko Rantanen generated more volume in that time.

Makar is a much more prolific shooter without MacKinnon and does his best work on home soil. The Avalanche blue-liner averaged 8.2 attempts per game in Colorado this season, compared to just 6.6 on the road.

Unsurprisingly, he hasn't enjoyed nearly as much success away from home - his hit rate is 15% lower than it is in Colorado.

The Los Angeles Kings are generally not a team to target for shots on goal, but Makar is playing so many minutes - and being asked to carry so much of the offense - that I see value here anyway.

Timo Meier over 4.5 shots (+115)

Meier was seemingly automatic to start the season, recording five shots or more in eight of his first nine home games.

The San Jose Sharks winger hit five shots in just three of 10 home dates since that point, appearing to cool off immensely. However, Meier actually averaged 8.6 attempts per game in San Jose during that span, which is more than his season average at home (8.2).

He's still generating a lot of shots - they just haven't hit the net at the same clip. I doubt Meier magically forgot how to shoot on target, so as long as the volume is there, he's still a priority for me.

What I love about Meier tonight is the matchup. The Philadelphia Flyers rank 25th in shot suppression over the last 10 and, on the road, 29th for the season. They give up a ton of shots, and I expect Meier to be the primary beneficiary.

Jason Robertson over 3.5 shots (-125)

Robertson has some of the most insane home/road splits you'll see, and he's generally not someone to play outside of Dallas.

But tonight, Robertson finds himself in a sneaky spot against the Minnesota Wild. Their games featured a ton of special teams play of late, with the Wild averaging around 46 minutes of five-on-five time over the last 10 games.

Robertson is very reliant on the power play and has the ability to quickly pile up shots in bulk on the man advantage. He has 81 attempts on the man advantage this season, nearly double that of his closest Dallas Stars teammate, Miro Heiskanen (44). Clearly, Robertson is option Nos. 1 through 3 on the man advantage. Against an opponent that's been lending itself to a lot of special teams play, he could do some real damage.

He also has a strong history against this Wild team. Robertson recorded at least six shots in all three meetings against Minnesota this calendar year.

Look for his shooting success to continue.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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Thursday features a busy 11-game NHL slate. Let's waste no time in getting to our best bets.

Red Wings (+140) @ Sabres (-165)

The Red Wings deserve a lot of credit for their comeback road win against the Penguins on Wednesday night - but they're still a team to attack.

Detroit has played poorly of late. The team has controlled just over 38% of all high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five over its last 10 games, better than only the Canadiens and Ducks.

The Red Wings have struggled at both ends of the ice over that span, ranking bottom five in both chance generation and prevention.

Though the Sabres aren't contenders, they're certainly capable of causing Detroit problems.

Buffalo's defense is surprisingly potent when healthy, so the imminent return of Owen Power will be huge. Led by Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, and Rasmus Dahlin, among others, the Sabres are also making noise on offense - especially on home ice.

Buffalo ranks second in goals per 60 minutes at home this season and is averaging a whopping 3.98 tallies through 17 games at KeyBank Center. After a taxing overtime victory, the Red Wings now have to travel and try to slow that offense down.

That's a difficult task, especially after starting netminder Ville Husso played against the Penguins - at least until they chased him; he isn't as fresh as he normally would be heading into a start.

This underrated Sabres offense is going to cause all kinds of issues for a pedestrian and fatigued Red Wings defense.

Look for Buffalo to take care of business in 60 minutes.

Bet: Sabres in regulation (+100)

Rangers (+110) @ Lightning (-130)

The Lightning enter this contest fresh off a Wednesday win over lowly Montreal, but the Rangers appear to be hitting their stride. They've won eight of their last 10 games and rediscovered the formula that made them so successful last season.

While their overall numbers still leave plenty to be desired, the Rangers are excelling in a few key areas.

New York has played well defensively during this winning spell, ranking top 10 in high-danger scoring chances against per 60 minutes at five-on-five. It's very difficult to score on Igor Shesterkin when opportunities are few and far between.

The power play has also found new life. The Rangers have averaged more than 10 goals per 60 minutes on the man advantage over their last 10 outings. It's a small sample size, but that rate is higher than it was last season when New York's power play was among the league's best.

The Rangers' power play is clicking right now, and Tampa Bay sometimes struggles with discipline; that could create opportunities for New York to make some noise with the man advantage.

The Rangers should also benefit from a substantial edge in goal. Shesterkin hasn't been as dominant this season as he was last year, but he remains one of the NHL's best netminders. His Lightning counterpart, Brian Elliott, owns an .894 save percentage on the year and has conceded 20 goals over his last six games.

With a hot power play, a superior goaltender, and a rest advantage, the Rangers offer value as healthy underdogs in this game.

Bet: Rangers (+110)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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We're a few days out from the end of 2022, so it's time to get reflective.

Here, we'll look back on the 10 most electrifying moments on the ice in the past 12 months.

10. Warning: Watching Kaprizov may cause dizziness 😵

April 29, 2022

The year wouldn't be complete if Kirill Kaprizov didn't do his Kirill Kaprizov thing at least once.

It felt like the Minnesota Wild star had the puck for half an hour. It must've felt even longer for Kaprizov's unsuspecting victims, the Colorado Avalanche and Josh Manson. He skated in a complete circle in the offensive zone before finally getting the look he wanted with Tyson Jost burying the fantastic feed from the slot.

When you're as skilled as Kaprizov, you can take as much time as you'd like to set up the perfect play.

9. Point takes it to the Kraken 😳

Dec. 13, 2022

Apparently, Brayden Point really, really wanted to make it onto these rankings.

With just a couple of weeks remaining in the year, the Tampa Bay Lightning stud jetted into the offensive zone against the Seattle Kraken. He got a step on forward Andre Burakovsky and easily evaded the sticks of defensemen Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson. Netminder Philipp Grubauer didn't have any hope of stopping the nasty backhander that followed.

Point's approach to the net is so smooth, we could cry. We wouldn't want to be those Kraken defenders, though.

8. A quick gymnastics lesson from Markstrom 🤸‍♀️

Nov. 12, 2022

We're going to lightly accuse Jacob Markstrom of being just a tad flashy on this save, but it was so cool we couldn't bear to leave it out. He must take gymnastics lessons on the side.

The Calgary Flames goaltender essentially did a cartwheel to rob Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele, knocking the puck aside with his glove while one of his legs was sticking up in the air.

It's a little tough to catch in real time, so we recommend slowing down the playback speed to help you get the full sense of Markstrom's limber feat.

7. Zegras, you'll always be famous 🤩

Jan. 27, 2022

It's no surprise to see Anaheim Ducks phenom Trevor Zegras back into the fold after he and his bonkers lacrosse-style assist held the No. 1 position on our 2021 rankings, although it's a few spots lower than he's used to.

What helped him make the cut this time around was - shocker - a Michigan goal. Seriously, he could write a step-by-step manual on how to score a lacrosse goal by now. Somehow, he pulled this one off against the Montreal Canadiens - and an unsuspecting Sam Montembeault - without even breaking stride.

Is a list compiling the top 10 plays of the calendar year even valid without an appearance from Zegras? We think not.

6. Witness Thompson's rise 📈

Nov. 28, 2022

We'll start this one off with a prediction: Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson will claim a higher spot on these rankings next year. He's too good not to.

There are so many moments we could've chosen for Thompson, from his five-goal game to his first six-point contest of the season. However, we settled on his decimation of the Lightning. First, he intercepted Erik Cernak's pass and protected the puck from Cole Koepke with a spin move. Then, he dangled the pants off Brian Elliott to give himself a nice, yawning cage to dump the puck into. That's quintessential Thompson.

Thompson's emergence has been one of the league's most compelling storylines, so he had to be represented here.

5. Sorokin's sensational stick stop 🙅

March 17, 2022

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin!

When you watch Sorokin's save on New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin in slow-mo, it looks like he's floating. Of course, it looks awesome in real time, too. Sorokin showed off every ounce of his athleticism as he lunged across the crease after Frank Vatrano's perfect pass found a wide-open Panarin.

Fortunately for the Islanders, Sorokin swiftly defused the situation by stopping Panarin's shot with a stupendous, perfectly angled stick save. Sorokin more than earned a spot in our top five.

4. Athanasiou went full sicko mode 🤢

Oct. 30, 2022

Except for Chicago Blackhawks fans, hands up if you expected Andreas Athanasiou to submit an early candidate for the best goal of the 2022-23 campaign.

Athanasiou knew his team was shorthanded, he just didn't care. He casually picked up Patrick Kane's pass in the neutral zone before sending Wild veteran Matt Dumba to the shadow realm by artfully undressing him. To cap it all off, Athanasiou beat future Hall of Fame goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury on his backhand.

Nasty, nasty stuff.

3. McDavid imposes his will 💪

May 14, 2022

We'd love to include the time Connor McDavid singlehandedly destroyed the Rangers, but that happened in 2021.

Luckily for us, the Edmonton Oilers superstar had plenty of tricks up his sleeve in 2022. We're spotlighting this one from Game 7 of the Oilers' first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings because it was ... well, rude. Not only did McDavid deliver the killing blow to the Kings' dreams of the second round, but he also did it in a way that is going to haunt them on highlight reels forever.

McDavid stormed through the offensive zone, impervious to Sean Durzi's attempts to stop him and drawing a penalty in the process. He picked up the puck behind the net and, after a couple of tries, he corralled the rebound in his skates to put it past a down-and-out Jonathan Quick. Apparently, McDavid didn't feel like waiting to set up the power play before scoring.

2. Makar takes no prisoners 🗡️

Jan. 4, 2022

Obviously, we had to give the reigning Stanley Cup champions their flowers.

Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar couldn't have set the tone for his dominant 2022 any better than this. He put the Blackhawks in the torture chamber just four days into the new year.

Makar took a swing around the back of Chicago's net in overtime, looking like he may pass the puck, before breaking Kirby Dach's ankles along the half wall by spinning and slamming on the brakes. For his next trick, he cut to the net and went forehand, backhand, top-shelf on Fleury. With plays like this, it's no wonder Makar would go on to win the Norris Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy, as well as set a new NHL record by becoming the fastest blue-liner to hit 200 points later on in the year.

However, the No. 1 spot on this list goes to his teammate.

1. MacKinnon, destroyer of worlds 🌋

May 25, 2022

How can you not give Nathan MacKinnon a standing ovation for this goal?!

MacKinnon was on another planet during Game 5 of the Avalanche's second-round matchup, and he capped off his hat trick in sickening style. He cruised through the defensive and neutral zones entirely unimpeded like he was taking out his brand-new sports car for a rip. MacKinnon then dangled past Blues defenseman Nick Leddy with ease and put the puck up top past Ville Husso.

This goal also topped out our list spotlighting the 10 best plays of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it's also hands down the best thing we've seen in the past 12 months.

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Connor Bedard tied the Canadian world juniors record for most points in a single game after putting up seven in the host country's 11-2 rout of Germany on Wednesday.

Bedard's dazzling performance featured a hat trick and four assists. The 17-year-old now has 12 career goals at the tournament and is two tallies away from matching Jordan Eberle for the most all-time by a Canadian.

Bedard's dominant night came exactly one year after he became the youngest player to score four goals at the world juniors during Canada's win over Austria prior to the 2022 event being postponed.

More to come.

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