The first pair of games of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off have concluded after plenty of build up and excitement leading into the event.
Canada defeated Sweden in a 4-3 overtime thriller in Wednesday’s tournament opener before the United States crushed Finland 6-1 on Thursday.
Let’s check in on how the Philadelphia Flyers’ representatives fared in their first games.
TRAVIS KONECNY – CANADA
(Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Travis Konecny primarily skated on Canada’s fourth line with Lightning forwards Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel. Konecny took just 16 shifts and skated for 10:20, the lowest shift and TOI total of any Canadian forward. He was also -2 with 3 hits in the contest.
Panthers pest Sam Bennett took Konecny’s place in the forward group at practice on Friday, indicating the Flyers’ leading scorer will be scratched for Saturday’s highly anticipated matchup against the United States.
TRAVIS SANHEIM – CANADA
(Vitor Munhoz/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)
Travis Sanheim sat out Wednesday’s opener against Sweden but will be suited up for all of Canada’s upcoming games as Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore left the victory with an upper-body injury and was ruled out for the rest of the tournament afterwards.
Sanheim was skating on a pair with Kings veteran Drew Doughty on Friday, but Cale Makar was also missing from practice due to illness, so we’ll see where Sanheim slots in on Saturday.
SAM ERSSON – SWEDEN
(Vitor Munhoz/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)
Sam Ersson did not suit up for Sweden’s 4-3 overtime loss to Canada as Filip Gustavsson (Wild) made 24 saves and Linus Ullmark (Senators) looked on as the backup.
Ersson should once again be relegated to third-string duties and sit in the press box on Saturday against Finland unless injuries or poor play end up plaguing the other goalies of Tre Kronor.
JOHN TORTORELLA – UNITED STATES
(Vitor Munhoz/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)
John Tortorella, serving as an assistant on Penguins coach Mike Sullivan’s staff for the tournament, saw his Americans crush Finland in a 6-1 rout to take the early lead in the tournament table. Matthew Tkachuk (Panthers) and Brady Tkachuk (Senators) each scored twice, and Matt Boldy (Wild) and Jake Guentzel (Lightning) also chipped in with a goal each. Blue Jackets blueliner and Norris Trophy contender Zach Werenski up 3 assists, tied for the most ever by a defenseman in a best-on-best tournament. The last defenseman to do so was former Flyer Shayne Gostisbehere at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
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