‘This is trash talk now’: Friendly Iqaluit tournament brings out hockey fans

6 teams compete for gold at the Iqaluit Hockey League Christmas tournament

Team Jens celebrates after winning the Iqaluit Hockey League Christmas tournament on Dec. 29. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)

By Arty Sarkisian

Updated on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. ET

Kylie Ipeelie-Dunphy and her father Nick Dunphy were on opposing sides as Team Tyler and Team Jens went head-to-head in the Iqaluit Christmas hockey tournament Sunday at the Arctic Winter Games arena.

The game determined the tournament champion.

Is it tough to play such a game against your father on the opposing team?

Nick Dunphy poses with his daughter, Kylie Ipeelie-Dunphy, at the Arctic Winter Games arena. The two later squared off on opposing teams in the final game of the Iqaluit Christmas Hockey game on Dec. 29. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)

“Nope,” 15-year-old Kylie, who wears No. 16 on the Tyler team, said before the game.

“I know his moves and everything.”

“This is trash talk now,” her dad Nick, wearing number 78 for Jens, responded while proudly showing pictures of his daughter overtaking him on the ice and scoring during an earlier game.

In the final, Team Jens defeated Team Tyler 5-2 to win the tournament title.

The Dunphys were among 63 skaters who signed up for the annual three-day Christmas tournament organized by the Iqaluit Hockey League. Six teams of 10 or 11 players played a total of 15 games from Dec. 27 to 29.

“Last year, that tournament was very successful, so we were hoping to build on that,” said Robert Comeau, president of the Iqaluit Hockey League, which has been organizing the annual tournament since 2017.

Kylie Ipeelie-Dunphy and Nick Dunphy, daughter and father on the opposing teams, looking at one of Tyler players being treated after an injury at the Iqaluit Christmas hockey tournament on Dec. 29. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)

Players of different ages and skill levels paid a $75 fee to play in the tournament.

The captains were able to even up the teams and thanks to that most of the games were determined by just one goal, Comeau said.

It was a friendly tournament, with around 250 people at the arena cheering and making noise no matter which team scored.

Even when the championship game between Team Jens and Team Tyler got a bit more competitive and one of Tyler’s players suffered a leg injury, members of both teams helped paramedics get the player to the ambulance.

“It brings all of the hockey community together,” Comeau said. “And it’s something that the community looks forward to every Christmas time.”

  • Hockey teams Jens and Tyler play at the final game of the Iqaluit Christmas Hockey tournament. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)

Correction: This article was updated to correct Kylie Ipeelie-Dunphy’s age as 15 years old.

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(1) Comment:

  1. Posted by Isaac on

    Way to go Iqaluit! I miss you guys, hockey and holiday spirit with family and community!! Happy holidays!

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