INUVIK - Northwind reclaimed the IRC Cup in a dominant 8-1 victory over Tuktoyaktuk's E. Gruben Transport (EGT) in last Sunday afternoon's A division championship game.

It was a rematch of last year's final, except this time around the hometown squad made no mistake, needing only two periods to do it. The mercy rule applied after the end of the second period, when Northwind hit a seven-goal lead.

Northwind, the hometown IRC Cup division A champs, pose for a team shot. Back row, from left are Tim Gordon, Phillip Harry, Greg Connel, Josh Campbell, Mack McDonald, Ray Wainman Jr., Davey Greenway, and Scottie Gordon. In front from left are Chris Gruben, Corey Wainman, Jason Nasogaluak, Thomas Anthony, and Mickey Ipana along with his four-year-old son Derek Ipana. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photos

Tournament MVP Corey Wainman started the scoring with the first of his three goals just minutes into the first period. Though EGT's goalie Joe Campeau appeared a little shaky in net, he got little help from his teammates who appeared sluggish from the start.

With a charged, full-house crowd behind them, Northwind maintained a relentless offensive attack, scoring five goals in the second.

For Corey Wainman the key to the team's success was simple.

"Just desire," he said. "We skated all year long. This was on our minds and it was in our hearts. We wanted it badly and we got it."

As for his most valuable player award, the 34-year-old admitted it came as a bit of a shock.

"For a guy my age, that's pretty unreal," he said.

Wainman acknowledged the team wanted to win for the late Roy Ipana, one of their biggest fans. Three of his sons, Manny, Moses and Mickey, suited up for the squad this year.

In fact Mickey notched two goals in the game, each time pointing skyward as a gesture to his father.

"That's for my old man," he said after the game. "He was in all of our hearts."

Mickey said he couldn't have been more proud of the team's performance.

"At the start of the game we said 'let's have fun.' And we won," he said.

Northwind also got revenge for their shoot-out loss against EGT on Friday evening.

Defenseman Ryan Strain admitted Northwind was the better team this time around.

"They were hungrier than us," he said. "They worked harder than us. The rowdy fans kept them going."

Inuvik's other A division team, Highspeed Auto, came third in the four-team division, beating out the Fort McPherson Gwich'in Flames 10-3 in the bronze medal game.

Inuvik Shockers, a young, fast, talented team lost a heart-breaker against Aklavik in the B division championship game. The boys showed guts, coming back from a two-goal deficit in the third led by B division MVP Corey Baetz.

Baetz offered kudos to his teammates and said he was thankful that a few old timers agreed to play on the team.

Shockers coach Todd Moran heaped praise on the boys.

"It was perfect. If you want to lose a final that's the best way to lose. At least we were in it right to the end."

Inuvik's other B division team, the Old Dogs, failed to make the playoffs in the eight team category that drew players from Aklavik, Tuktoyaktuk, Fort McPherson and Paulatuk.

Tournament organizer Donald Hendrick was pleased with how the four-day tournament went, which was held from Thursday to Sunday.

"It was good hockey, seven games went to a shoot-out," he said. "The competition was great. I'm very happy about that."