Four of the Flyers' five Olympians are in an action in day three of preliminary round competition in Sochi. Here is a synopsis of how the players and their teams fared:
CZECH REPUBLIC 4 - LATVIA 2
Flyers right winger
Jakub Voracek scored the game winning goal for the Czech Republic in an uneven 4-2 win over Latvia earlier today. With the score tied 2-2 nearing the midpoint of regulation, Voracek made a nifty one-handed deflection of a point shot by Zbynek Michalek to put the Czechs ahead to stay.
Earlier in the game, the Czechs took a pair of short-lived one-goal leads.
Martin Erat scored a long-range five-hole goal against Latvian netminder Edgars Malsalskis to forge a 1-0 lead midway through the first period. About three minutes later, Janis Sprukts answered with a power play goal from the slot that quickly went in and off of the net off the camera mounted inside the cage. After a replay delay, the goal was awarded.
In the final minute of the opening period, former Flyers right winger Jaromir Jagr roofed a vicious wrist shot high to the long side for a power play goal that restored a one-goal lead for the Czechs. Marek Zidlicky and Tomas Plekanec earned the assists.
Early in the second period, veteran forward Herberts Vasiljevs took advantage of a Czech defensive miscue to snap a right circle shot in off the post against Ondrej Pavelec (18 saves on 20 shots) as the Winnipeg netminder took himself a bit off the angle.
After Voracek put the Czechs ahead by 3-2 on his deflection goal, Zidlicky pinched in to tuck home a loose puck and add an insurance goal late in the period. Zidlicky paid the price for scoring the goal, getting drilled into the post and knocking the net off its moorings. The puck was already over the goal line by that point.
The Czechs outshot the Latvians for the game, 39-20. Voracek had four shots on goal in 10:51 of ice time. He did not receive much power play time (nor did David Krejci), occasionally getting some time on the second unit.
Apart from Voracek and ex-Flyer Jagr, former Flyers defenseman Lukas Krajicek (dressed for game but did not get a single shift) is on the Czech squad. Former Flyers defenseman Oskars Bartulis skated 23:21 for the Latvian side, finishing a hard-luck minus-three on the day.
SWEDEN 1 - SWITZERLAND 0
See my separate
Team Sweden blog for full game details and analysis.
Flyers defenseman
Mark Streit was on the ice for Daniel Alfredsson's game-winning goal in the third period but was not at fault at all on the play. He defended the initial shot by Erik Karlsson well but Swiss goaltender Reto Berra -- who otherwise played an excellent game in opposition to Swedish counterpart Henrik Lunqvist -- left out a bad rebound on the routine shot by Karlsson. Alfredsson pounced on the puck on the other side. and stashed it home for the game's only goal.
Overall, Streit played 19:24 of ice time. He had one shot on goal. The Swiss, who have played well thus far but struggle to finish, will need Streit to generate more point shots going forward in the tournament. He has one shot in the two games. Switzerland's best blueliner in this game was Nashville's Roman Josi, although Streit also played well.
The Swiss team also features a former Flyers draftee in Kevin Romy. The team employed him as a netfront forward on the power play but he is more of a speedy two-way type who does not have elite hands. Romy had a scoring chance moments before the Swedes countered on the winning goal.
FINLAND 6 - NORWAY 1
The Finns had little trouble blowing out a Norwegian team that lacked the energy it had in pushing Canada for two-plus periods in their first game. Teemu Selänne, Lauri Korpikoski (two goals), Jori Lehterä. Olli Jokinen and Olli Määttä scored for Finland. Kari Lehtonen made 20 saves. Longtime Modo power forward forward Per-Åke Skröder broke up Lehtonen's shutout bid early in the third period for the lone Norwegian goal.
Flyers defenseman
Kimmo Timonen did not record a point in this game, after earning a power play assist in the Finns' first match. He skated 17:52 of ice time, was plus-one and was credited with one shot on goal.
Apart from Timonen, the Finnish team features former Flyers defensemen Lassi Kukkonen (9:33 TOI, plus-one against Norway) and partner Ossi Väänänen (11:48 TOI, plus-one). The Norwegian side has former Flyers forward Patrick Thoresen (who scored his team's lone goal against Canada and had three shots on goal in 18:06 of ice time against Finland) and defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (25:13 TOI, minus-three).
CANADA 6 - AUSTRIA 0
Team Canada had no trouble whatsoever shredding one of the tournament's biggest underdogs. The Canadians led 2-0 at the first intermission and 6-0 after the second period before idling the engines a bit in the final period.
Former Flyers forward Jeff Carter scored a natural hat trick for the Canadians in the second period. Canada also got first-period goals by Drew Doughty and Shea Weber -- both of whom scored in the opener against Norway -- and a second-period goal from Ryan Getzlaf. Roberto Luongo notched a 23-save shutout.
Flyers forward
Michael Raffl was one of the few Austrian players who did not look overwhelmed by the Canadians. He generated two scoring chances in the game for his side, and backchecked hard. He finished the game as a minus-three in 15:32 of ice time but that was a reflection of the disparity of the two teams and not of Raffl's play.
Former Flyers forward Andreas Nödl (13 minutes of ice time, 0 shots, minus one) skated on the third Austrian line, along with Thomas Raffl (Michael's older brother).
TOMORROW'S GAMES
Slovakia (Andrej Meszaros) vs. Slovenia: 3:00 a.m. (MSNBC)
USA vs Russia: 7:30 a.m. (NBCSN)
Czech Republic (Jakub Voracek) vs. Switzerland (Mark Streit): Noon (NBCSN)
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