Titans Help Team Atlantic To Best Finish Since 2005

For the first time since winning bronze in 2005, Atlantic has cracked the top half of the final standings at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Taylor Burke’s goal at 12:06 of the third period stood up as the game winner as Atlantic scored a tight 2-1 win over West in Monday night’s fifth-place game at the PCU Centre.

The game marked the second year in a row the two teams matched up in a placement game; last year they met for seventh place in northern Ontario, a game won 4-2 by Atlantic.

A defensive battle throughout, both goaltenders were tested often, but neither was beaten until Atlantic’s Devon Oliver-Dares broke the scoreless deadlock 1:31 into the second period, burying a loose puck behind West goaltender Chris Dreidger.

That goal was the only one of the game until Burke’s, which gave Atlantic a little breathing room and became the game winner when West’s Brendan Leipsic beat Atlantic netminder Brandon Whitney at 14:19 of the final frame.

Whitney proved to be the story, making 34 saves as West outshot Atlantic 35-19.

West did damage to its comeback chances with a pair of too many men on the ice penalties in the third period, the second coming with just 1:35 to go, leaving it shorthanded for the final 95 seconds.