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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Fewer people came and donated for this year's Memorial Hockey Challenge between the RCMP and fire department, but organizers said they were not discouraged by it.

Andy MacLellan, left, of the RCMP team, and Richard Makohoniuk of the fire department listen to the referee's call during the memorial hockey challenge Monday. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

"There was certainly less people than we've had in the past, and we didn't have as many raffle items as we've had in the past, and we certainly didn't sell as many raffle tickets as we have in the past, but still, we're not upset with what we raised," said RCMP Sgt. Larry O'Brien.

The total amount of money raised during Monday's game was just over $5,300, far lower than last year's event, which raised about $20,000.

The memorial game fundraiser has been running for three years.

In 2007, the event's first year, the money raised was put towards a cenotaph in memory of firefighters Lt. Cyril Fife and Kevin Olson, who were killed fighting a fire in 2005.

Last year, the money was put towards a university trust fund for Alexis Worden, daughter of RCMP Const. Christopher Worden, who was shot and killed in Hay River in 2007.

The RCMP and fire department set up the Memorial Foundation in honour of longtime Yellowknife firefighter Lt. Clem St. Croix, who died last year of multiple sclerosis.

"We set up a memorial foundation to be used for local people (stricken with multiple sclerosis)," said O'Brien.

"We set up the foundation because we wanted to do something for MS and for Clem St. Croix. There's no (MS) foundation in the North and we didn't want the money to go to Alberta and not be seen in the North. We wanted to make sure it is used locally. We'll do some checking in to how we can best do that now."

The main raffle draw Monday night was for three prizes. The grand prize was two plane tickets to Edmonton, courtesy of First Air. The second prize was a blue airbrushed fire helmet, courtesy of Trail's End Harley Davidson, and the third prize was $1,000 worth of home heating fuel, courtesy of Midnight Petroleum.

Another prize draw was provided by the Home Building Centre: a wooden cabinet for a home entertainment centre.

There was also some hockey to be played.

The RCMP took the lead early and kept it through three periods.

The score was 2-0 for the RCMP at the end of the first period, and the puck spent at least half the time in the fire department's zone.

"I think things are going really well - there's good momentum, both teams are going fast from one end to the other," RCMP coach, Sgt. Mike Brandford said at the end of the first period.

"We're just lucky enough we got two goals. We'll keep up the pressure."

Lt. Ian Whitford, coach for the fire department, kept positive.

"We're not gonna be worried too much right now, we've got a quick team, we're gonna get them back."

In the second period, the fire department picked up their offense and started sinking some pucks into the RCMP net. The RCMP's offense picked up as well, and the Mounties managed to stay two goals ahead of the fire department for most of the game.

The RCMP were winning 6-4 with two minutes left in the game, but the fire department had a power play and the puck was spending a lot of time in the RCMP's zone. The fire department scored a goal and looked geared to score another.

Then, with one minute to go, the fire department got a penalty and lost their power play. The clock ticked away as the puck drifted deep into their zone, leaving the RCMP with the 6-5 win. The team won last year too, by a score of 6-4.

"Talk about a nail-biter. That was a good game," said Brandford, who was happy to win.