QUICK START HELPS ATLANTIC TO SEVENTH PLACE

IROQUOIS FALLS, Ont. – Not even a power outage could stop Atlantic from achieving its highest finish at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in four years.

After finishing eighth and ninth at the last two U17 tournaments, Atlantic got a goal and an assist from Ryan Tesink and strong goaltending from Jordan Kennedy as it beat West 4-2 on Sunday in a game delayed 15 minutes at the start of the third period due to a power outage at the Jus Jordan Sports Complex.

Brandon Boutilier and Michael Clarke gave the easterners a 2-0 lead after one period, Tesink made it 3-1 late in the second and Bruce Hornbrook put the game away shortly after the lights came back on as Atlantic finished higher than it had since 2006, when it was sixth in Regina, Sask.

Kennedy was on his game while earning his second win of the tournament, making 34 saves as Atlantic was outshot 36-32 by West. The westerners outshot Atlantic in every period, including directing 15 shots at Kennedy in the third period, when it pressed to get back into the game.

Zachery Franko and Michael St. Croix scored for West, which had not finished as low as eighth since 2004.

Team Ontario will face Russia and Sweden will take on Team USA in semi-final action Sunday.

Click here for the World U-17 webpage.