It was a productive day on the international stage for the Flyers’ Olympic representatives, with all three players involved in victories for their respective countries.
Rasmus Ristolainen and Finland opened the day with an impressive 4–1 win over Sweden. Finland got right back in the saddle after Slovakia completed a 4-1 upset in their opening game, and Ristolainen logged steady minutes on the blue line (logging 19:58 in total ice time), contributing to a disciplined defensive effort in a storied rivalry matchup.
Later in the day, Dan Vladar got the start in goal for Czechia and found himself in the middle of one of the tournament’s more dramatic games so far. Czechia surrendered an early deficit to France before rallying with four straight goals in a 6–3 comeback win. Vladar faced 12 shots and stopped nine, weathering a difficult stretch early before settling in as his team seized control. While not a high-volume outing, the win keeps Czechia well positioned heading toward the medal rounds.
Travis Sanheim also entered the lineup for Canada in its 5–1 victory over Switzerland. Skating 10:17, Sanheim finished a plus-2 in a controlled performance from a Canadian team that dictated pace throughout. Canada continued to roll its defensive pairings, and Sanheim provided efficient, low-event minutes in support of a convincing win.