Connor McDavid is the best hockey player in the world. Even though he isn’t participating in the NHL playoffs, he’s still doing highlight reel stuff for Team Canada at the World Hockey Championships.
Connor McDavid is absurd. pic.twitter.com/nHHwuDK7ID
— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) May 14, 2018
Under a minute into overtime, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got the puck to a streaking McDavid who navigated around the Latvia defender before scoring one of the more ridiculous goals you’ll see over the course of this tournament. McDavid worked past the defender, tried to wait out the Latvian goalie Kristers Gudlevskis, then bounced his own rebound out of mid-air for the game-winning goal.
Gudlevskis himself made an excellent save on the first shot as McDavid had completely worked him out of position, but the reigning Most Valuable Player from the NHL showed patience at the side of the net to bat the puck in for the win.
Canada outshot Latvia 33 to 15 over the course of the game but incredible goaltending from Gudlevskis kept Latvia alive. This game was much reminiscent of one from the 2014 Olympics in which a Canadian squad outshot Latvia 57 to 16 but only won 2-1 because of Gudlevskis’ absurd goaltending.
Canada now owns a 3-1-1-1 record through six games with one more match against Germany remaining in the tournament’s round robin. McDavid, who has 11 points through six games, has been far and away Canada’s best player at the tournament.
