National Sports

HALIFAX — Connor Bedard added his name to New Year's Eve lore at the world junior hockey championship — and placed himself alongside one of the sport's most dominant forces in the process.

DENVER (AP) — Michael Bunting had two goals, Auston Matthews and T.J. Brodie scored 24 seconds apart in the second period, and the Toronto Maple Leafs spoiled Nathan MacKinnon’s return with a 6-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night.

BARRIE, Ont.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored almost at will against the Montreal Canadiens and moved a few steps closer to Wayne Gretzky's NHL goal record.

MONCTON, N.B. — The U.S. wrapped round-robin play at the world junior hockey championship Saturday with a decisive 6-2 victory over Finland.

CHICOUTIMI, Que. — Marshall Lessard scored his second goal of the day 2:44 into overtime Saturday, lifting the Baie-Comeau Drakkar to a 6-5 victory over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play.

SEATTLE (AP) — Connor McDavid had a goal and four assists, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Seattle Kraken 7-2 on Friday night. Zach Hyman and Klim Kostin each scored twice as Edmonton won for the third time in four games.

WINNIPEG — Daniel Hauser earned a 23-save shutout as the Winnipeg Ice defeated the Saskatoon Blades 2-0 on Friday. Evan Friesen and Ty Nash scored for Western Conference-leading Winnipeg (27-5-0).

HALIFAX — Brandt Clarke was manning his position on the blue line early in the second period when the action abruptly stopped. The Canadian defenceman knew Connor Bedard just had the puck on his stick. Then he didn't.

Friday's Scoreboard World Junior Hockey Championship Preliminary Round At Halifax Germany 4 Austria 2 At Moncton, N.B.