Lin and Canada Fall in Shootout to Finland in Youth Olympics Bronze Medal Game
PHOTO BY: JOEL MARKLUND/OIS
Gangwon, South Korea – Vancouver Giants prospect Ryan Lin and Team Canada finished fourth in the men’s ice hockey tournament at the Youth Olympic Games, following a 5-4 shootout loss to Finland in the bronze medal game on Tuesday.
Canada flew out of the gate in the game, grabbing a 3-0 lead with three goals in 41 seconds, but Finland responded quick with a pair of goals less than two minutes later. The Finns eventually took a 4-3 lead, before Canada tied it in the third period.
Lin had a very noticeable tournament, finishing with four points in four games, including an incredible shorthanded breakaway goal, scored during a 5-on-3 kill in a round robin game versus Finland.
An absolute back breaker for Finland as @WHLGiants prospect Ryan Lin breaks in alone on a 5v3 penalty kill and buries it.
3-0 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/8Rhlbsqjme
— Austin Robson (@ARobScouting) January 29, 2024
Additionally, Lin had the primary assist on Canada’s game-tying goal in the third period of the bronze medal game. The Giants first selection in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, sixth overall, zipped a pass from the bottom of the left circle to the front of the net, where Mathis Preston one-touched it home to make the game 4-4.
LIN ➡️ PRESTON, AND WE'RE ALL TIED UP 🚨🚨🚨@DeltaWildHockey | @OkanaganHockey | @WHLGiants | @SpokaneChiefs pic.twitter.com/JWR7UCJKZo
— CSSHL (@CSSHL) January 31, 2024
The tournament format and game format at the Youth Olympic Games were different from typical tournaments. Each period was 15 minutes instead of 20, and there was no overtime played, just a shootout.
Canada beat Korea (8-0) and Finland (4-1) in their two round robin games, before falling to the United States in the semifinal (6-5 in a shootout). The U.S. won the gold medal, 4-0 over Czechia.
Lin is playing for Delta Hockey Academy’s U18 Prep team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League this season, where he is T-5th in scoring amongst defencemen in the U18 division with 26 points (7G-19A).