Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Mar 04/02) - In Canada hockey is a religion of sorts.

The game is as much a part of our national identity as maple syrup and muktaaq. Our heroes are hockey stars Joe Sakic and Hayley Wickenheiser. Little girls and boys dream that when they grow up, they'll be NHL players.

That said, it's easy to understand why thousands of Northern eyes tuned in to watch as both the Canadian women's and men's Olympic hockey teams beat the USA to bring gold medals home to Canadian soil.

For the women it was a grudge match that begged to be won following Team USA's victory in Nagano, Japan, four years ago. For the men, it was nothing short of history-in-the-making as Team Canada won the gold medal for the first time in 50 years.

The triumph instilled pride in Canadian citizens everywhere, and here in the North the situation was no different. The victory made us all walk a little taller.

"For today, it sure feels good to be a Canadian," said Iqaluit hockey fan Allison Brewer. Brewer took in the women's game at a local lounge packed primarily with female fans. "The whole bar was into it," said Brewer.

"Every time there was a goal, the whole place just went up. There was great spirit and fun and rejoicing," she said.

Like Brewer, Rankin Inlet's Joachim Ayaruak preferred the women's game over the men's battle.

He said the women worked harder for their goals and played a more controlled game of skill and finesse.

"They'll have that hunger again to win the gold medal in the next Olympics," said Ayaruak.

Ayaruak also said the victories would go far in encouraging Nunavut's youth to play the country's national sport. "Everyone watches hockey here 24/7. I know this will make it better for the kids," said Ayaruak.

The victories convinced avid hockey player Megan Pizzo-Lyall to shoot for the 2010 Olympics.

"I almost started to cry I was so happy," said Pizzo-Lyall, 14, from her home in Gjoa Haven. "Some day I'm going to play on Canada's women's team in the Olympics."

Back in the capital, Abe Tagalik said highlights from the tournaments included watching Team USA's women lose the gold and listening to his children sing the national anthem after the men's win.

"It was good we beat them and got the gold," said Tagalik. "We took it back. That was the sweetest part," he said.

"It's a great thing for Canada," added Glenn Williams.

"This really pulls us together."