U18 Round Robin: Preston & Lin Shine for Canada in 7-0 Win over Finland
WHL Vancouver Giants

U18 Round Robin: Preston & Lin Shine for Canada in 7-0 Win over Finland

Published on April 27, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


Trenčín, SVK - Vancouver Giants forward Mathis Preston and defenceman Ryan Lin combined for five points in Canada's convincing 7-0 win over Finland on Monday morning at the IIHF U18 World Championship.

Preston notched a pair of goals on four shots on net and was +3, while Lin tallied a goal and two assists, was +2 and skated 20:39. Lin was named the Player of the Game for Canada.

Both Giants are now top-10 in tournament scoring. Lin leads all defencemen in points with six (1G-5A) through four games and is also first in plus-minus (+7). Preston has three goals and two assists for five points, currently tied for seventh in tournament scoring.

Canada finished the round robin in second place in Group A with nine points (three regulation wins, one regulation loss) and will now face Sweden in the quarter-final. Sweden finished third in Group B with two regulation wins and two regulation losses.

The quarter-final will be played on Wednesday, April 29 at 5 a.m. PT.

Canada struck four times in the opening period and three times in the third to finish off their round robin on a high. All seven goals were scored at even strength.

Adam Valentini got things started just over two minutes in, followed by Red Deer Rebels forward Beckett Hamilton just passed the 11 minute mark of the period. Preston made it a 3-0 game when he entered the Finnish zone down the left wing and snapped a shot from the top of the circle that beat the Finnish goaltender over his left shoulder.

Hamilton scored again off a great pass from Lin with under two minutes remaining in the opening frame.

While no goals were scored in the second period, Preston made it a 5-0 game early in the third period when he one-timed a shot from the right circle off a pass from Keaton Verhoeff.

Dima Zhilkin extended Canada's lead to 6-0 before Lin added one more tally on a wrap-around to make the final score 7-0. CANADA UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Quarter-Final, Wednesday, April 29 - 5 a.m. PT - Canada vs. Sweden

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 27, 2026


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