Photo: Iqaluit Icemen take the Qaqsauq Cup

The Iqaluit Icemen celebrate as champions of the inaugural Qaqsauq Cup in the Arctic Winter Games Arena in Iqaluit, Dec.7, after winning a close battle against Yellowknife, 4-2. The home team overtook the Ottawa Redwings by the same score earlier in the day to make it to the finals. Iqaluit’s Nunavut rivals, Rankin Inlet, went undefeated in the three-day tournament until Yellowknife edged them out 5-4 in the semi-finals. The hockey tournament honours the memory of eight Iqaluit men who drowned in Frobisher Bay in 1994 when their vessel Qaqsauq overturned in a storm. Pitseolak Alainga, far right in red, one of two survivors of the disaster, presented the trophy to team captain Dwayne Twerdin, front centre, who also earned the Fred Coman memorial award as the tournament’s most valuable player. (PHOTO BY PETER VARGA)