ONTARIO INTO SEMIS AFTER WIN OVER GERMANY

COURTENAY, BC – The defending champs will have another opportunity to go for gold at the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Ryan Spooner had a goal and two assists as Ontario clinched a semifinal spot with a 5-1 victory over Germany on Thursday afternoon at the Comox Valley Sports Centre. The Ontarians will finish either first or second in Group A, based on the results of the last two days of preliminary-round play.

Nathan Chiarlitti, Steven Shipley, Tyler Seguin and Gregg Sutch scored the other goals for Ontario, who scored three times in the second period to break open a 1-1 game. Mark Visentin got his first start of the tournament between the pipes for the Canadian side and made 26 saves for the win.

Cory Mapes had the lone goal for Germany, who have just a single point from three games in Group A play thus far and are in danger of playing in the ninth-place game for the sixth consecutive U17 event.

Ontario will look to wrap up first place in its group when it faces Pacific at the Alberni Valley Multiplex on Friday night (7 p.m. PST), while the Germans will travel to Parksville to face Russia (2 p.m. PST), trying to avoid a winless preliminary round.