Slovakia opened the tournament against expected medal contender Finland and stunned the field with a commanding 4-1 victory. Ruzicka and Slafkovsky combined for three goals as Slovakia dictated the pace throughout. Tatar recorded one assist in the win, logging 16:33 of ice time, adding a shot on goal and a penalty, and finishing plus-two. While his stat line was modest, his physical play and steady presence set the tone.
