‘Fantastic weekend’ in Iqaluit as hockey clubs share glory at Twerdin tournament

The Rankin Inlet Falcons broke Iqaluit’s three-year winning streak Sunday with a 2-1 win over the Kangiqsujuaq Penguins in the A division final of the Brian Twerdin Toonik Tyme Memorial Hockey Tournament.

“It was a tight game,” said Falcons captain Roger Tagoona as about 300 spectators cheered the team’s championship victory in Iqaluit’s Arctic Winter Games arena.

“But the only reason we entered was to win. There was no other thing we wanted, and that’s what we did.”

In B division final, Iqaluit’s Tulugak team won 7-0 against Team Todd from Rankin Inlet.

Teams were divided into A and B divisions based on their skill level.

The Qikiqtaaluk Fisheries Corp. team from Iqaluit won the A division title in 2025 and 2024, defeating the Grinding Brewins both times. The Canadrill team won in 2023. None of those teams made the final this year.

“It sucks,” said Robert Comeau, a defenceman for the Qikiqtaaluq Fisheries team and president of the Iqaluit Hockey League, which organized the tournament.

“But I am happy teams from outside of town decide to spend money and come here for the tournament. It means that we are succeeding.”

The annual Toonik Tyme tournament has been running since the 1980s. In 2023, it was was renamed to honour Brian Twerdin, a longtime businessman and volunteer in Iqaluit.

“This is good quality hockey,” said Dwayne Twerdin, nephew of Brian Twerdin.

“Probably some of the best hockey north of 60.”

This year, for the first time organizers sold tournament-themed merchandize including hoodies, baseball caps and noise makers.

The tournament ran from April 15 to 19 with 10 teams competing.

“It was a fantastic weekend,” Comeau said. “The weather was crappy, but the stands were still packed.”

Heavy snowfall in Iqaluit put the city under a weather advisory Sunday.