Arviat players William Uppahuak, left, Thayer Komakjuak, Mark Kalluak, Ryley Komakjuak and Dexter Kalluak celebrate after winning gold in the Polar Bear Plate hockey tournament in Rankin Inlet on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Jim MacDonald)
Arviat takes Polar Bear Plate hockey gold in Rankin Inlet
Team takes title with shutout win over hometown club
A ban on air horns and blow horns inside the Agnico Eagle Arena in Rankin Inlet didn’t stop fans from raising the roof during the Polar Bear Plate hockey tournament this past weekend.
“The games were fantastic and quite loud with the bells and the cheering,” said Jim MacDonald, a local hockey fan. “It’s always loud. Everyone just starts cheering and clapping.
“That’s how Rankin always is, we just raise the roof.”
The annual tournament, established in 1999, attracts teams from across the Kivalliq region. Players’ ages ranged from 15 to 21, and this year’s event opened Thursday and wrapped up Sunday.
Arviat beat the hometown Rankin Rock 3-0 to earn gold in the championship game Sunday afternoon.
“They did a very tremendous job as a team,” said Arviat coach Gleason Uppahuak. “There’s no secret to the team’s success this weekend. We practised every day. We skated every day. We played hockey every day.”
Rankin Inlet had to play short-handed early after being called in the first period for interference but was able to kill off the penalty. Much of the action throughout the rest of the scoreless period took place in Arviat’s end.
Arviat made it onto the scoreboard midway through the second period when Dexter Kalluak scored on a rebound.
Cam Kaludjak scored Arviat’s second goal seven minutes into the third period, then added another goal two minutes later to put his team ahead 3-0.
Rankin pressed hard to get back in the game, but Arviat held on for the shutout victory.
“Defence first, that was our priority,” Uppahuak said.
As the game-ending buzzer sounded, Arviat players flung their gloves and sticks to the ice and celebrated with goalie Tucker St. John, knocking the net out of the crowded crease in the process.
The crowd cheered and rang cowbells in celebration.
Meanwhile, in Sunday’s bronze medal game for third place, Salliq from Coral Harbour beat Naujaat 2-1 with a goal five minutes into overtime.
Other teams that competed in the tournament included the Rankin Canucks, Baker Lake and a Kivalliq team.
(0) Comments