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Stojko leads men's competition
"It wasn't perfect like I'd like it, but it's getting there," the three-time world champion from Richmond Hill, Ont., said of his 2 1/2-minute performance to Japanese taiko drums. "It's coming together.
"It's great to be back."
Russian Evgeny Plushenko was second.
Jeff Langdon of Barrie, Ont., had the fourth-best short program, which was outstanding given the world's eighth-ranked man sprained his left ankle one month ago.
Jason Denommee of Asbestos, Que., was seventh among 11 skaters.
The free-skating final is Saturday night.
This is the second competition for Stojko, 26, since he won silver at the Nagano Olympics last February, when he competed despite a painful groin injury. He eased back into action with a fourth-place finish at Skate America last week in Detroit, which reigning world champion Alexei Yagudin of Russia won.
Stojko landed a triple Axel-triple toe loop jump combination, which wasn't quite up to his high standard, added a bang-on triple Lutz, and displayed the best spins. He didn't try a four-revolution jump. He'd fallen on a quad attempt in Detroit. He'll try a quad on Saturday.
Stojko estimated he's skating at 75 to 80 per cent. Omitting the quad attempt in the short was a strategical move.
"We went through the stress process of testing the body and the mind last week, and this time we wanted to concentrate on getting a good feeling out there instead of going for the gusto here," he explained. "We're going to build towards the nationals and get the quad (in the short) more consistent with where I want it to be.
"We were looking to get a good, clean performance here. I really felt over my feet. Everything felt good."
Coach Doug Leigh was pleased.
"Elvis certainly made another step from last week," Leigh said. "To continue to gain footing gives you confidence and when you've got confidence and your health works its way back to being 100 per cent then all of a sudden the auto pilot is running and you can do your job without thinking about it."
Stojko said he'll be happy when he's no longer questioned about the recovery from the groin injury, and when the judges put it in the past, too.
"In the back of the judges' minds, there's still, 'He had an injury and he's still coming back. Is he as on top of his game was he was before?'
"Once the injury doesn't become a focus anymore people will say, 'Oh, he's back. He's on top of his game.' That all plays a part in the marks."
Plushenko also did a triple-triple combo, and he took a stab at a quad, pulling out before the required fourth revolution.
Plushenko, who turned 16 on Tuesday, will be a contender for years to come. He was the 1997 world junior champion, and he snatched the bronze medal at the '98 senior worlds, when Stojko stayed away.
He's still capable of striking Skate Canada gold.
Plushenko, Yagudin, 1998 Olympic champion Ilia Kulk, 1994 Olympic champion Alexei Urmanov -- Russian figure skaters seem to be under every stone.
"Russian kids, whether they're hockey players or figure skaters, they've always been good," said Leigh. "I've got nothing but respect for those guys."