DEKORT BLANKS ATLANTIC AS ONTARIO STAYS UNBEATEN

LASALLE, Ont. – Jordan DeKort (Markham, Ont./LaSalle, GOJHL) made 17 saves for the shutout in his first start as Ontario remained undefeated at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge with a 3-0 win over Atlantic on Sunday night.

DeKort earned the clean sheet in front of his home fans in LaSalle, where he has fashioned a 12-9-1 record with a 3.51 goals against average in 24 games with the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Vipers so far this season.

Ryan Kujawinski (Iroquois Falls, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal five minutes into the second period and Cole Cassels (Columbus, Ohio/Oshawa, OHL) made it 2-0 late in the middle frame before Stephen Harper (Burlington, Ont./Erie, OHL) capped it off into an empty net in the final minute of play for Ontario (3-0).

Jacob Fancy (Lower Sackville, N.S./Halifax, NSMMHL) made 35 saves for Atlantic (1-2), which was outshot 18-4 in the crucial second period, when Ontario broke open a scoreless tie with a pair of goals.

Ontario will look to wrap up a perfect preliminary round against Quebec on Monday night in Windsor (7 p.m. ET), while Atlantic will meet the Swedes in the early game at WFCU Centre (2 p.m. ET), needing a win to keep its playoff hopes alive.