'The biggest rivalry': Bedard, Canada set for world junior semifinal against U.S.

Brandt Clarke was a month short of his sixth birthday.

The moment, however, remains etched in his memory.

John Tavares scored a dramatic hat trick for Canada against the United States in a wild 7-4 victory on New Year's Eve at the 2009 world junior hockey championship in Ottawa.

Clarke and his family were in the building — hanging off every shot, save and hit from the stands.

"The electricity in the building," he said of what still resonates some 14 years later. "The red jerseys all the way to the top ... 20,000 people, winning the game against the Americans.

With another mouth-watering instalment of the bitter rivalry set for Wednesday thanks to Connor Bedard's overtime heroics for Canada in the quarterfinals, Clarke is confident his teammate and the country's best player — just like Tavares that frigid night in the nation's capital — will rise to the occasion.

"I don't expect him to take any steps back," the Los Angeles Kings defenceman said following Tuesday's brief practice. "All I've seen so far is him take steps forward. Even when it's hard to imagine him still being able to take steps forward, he's done it.

"I don't think that'll change."

Bedard has not only changed a couple lines in record books at the men's under-20 tournament.

He's torn it to shreds.

The presumptive first pick at the 2023 NHL draft set five national or tournament marks early in Monday's triumph against Slovakia before a breathtaking solo effort in OT nearly blew the roof off a frothing Scotiabank Centre.

Bedard has registered the most goals (16) and points (34) all-time by a Canadian at the tournament. He's also set the national record for points (21) and assists (13) at a single event, and has the most points ever by a player under age 18 from