Patrick Chan puts Canada into third in inaugural Olympic team event

SOCHI, Russia – Canada’s Patrick Chan finished third in the men’s short program Thursday to kick off the inaugural Olympic figure skating team event.

The 23-year-old from Toronto scored 89.71 points, doubling a planned triple toe loop and stumbling out of the landing of his triple Axel.

Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan finished first with 97.98 points.

Russian veteran Evgeni Plushenko was a surprising second, scoring 91.39 points in his first major international event since the 2010 Olympics.

Each first-place finisher receives 10 points, with second place getting nine points, and so on.

Canada’s pairs team of Meagan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford of Balmertown, Ont., were scheduled to skate the short program later.