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INUVIK
Amid clanging pots, banging cowbells and deafening cheers, Inuvik's Northwind team came through with a 6-2 victory against Tuktoyaktuk's E. Gruben's Transport.

Inuvik Minor Hockey Novice 1 players Lucas Pokiak and Lydell Macnab take a break after playing a game between championship games on Sunday night before a big crowd. - Katherine Hudson/NNSL photo

The pair are no strangers to being in the A pool championship game at the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Native Hockey Cup, having played each other many times for the winning title over the past 24 years the tournament has been in existence.

Most valuable player for the A division went to Northwind's Thomas Anthony, who scored a hat trick, and then an additional goal, totalling four of the six goals scored on Tuktoyaktuk. The other goals were scored by Josh Campbell – who was the top scorer of the A division – and Chris Gruben.

Both of Tuk's goals were scored by its pick-up player Kyle Krutko.

Anthony, 26, said Sunday night's game was made up of "really good hockey."

"It was crazy. Both ways, could have went either way ... Both teams are really competitive and, I don't know, we just tried our hardest."

This was Anthony's 10th year in the IRC Cup. It was easy to pick him out on the ice, not sharing the white and green jerseys of his teammates but wearing a Montreal Canadiens jersey.

"All the Northwind ones are too big for me," he said.

Kurt Wainman, sponsor of the Northwind team, said there was really great competition between the two communities.

"It's always really good to watch and really exciting. Any time it's Tuk and Inuvik playing, it's really interesting games – competitive, really good hockey."

The intensity was felt from the ice to the stands. James Pokiak was there to watch his son, Jacob, play for Inuvik. He said he tries to go to the IRC Cup every year.

"It's getting bigger every year and better. It's really good to see the communities come in, especially teams from Paulatuk and Holman. They really entertain the crowd well," said Pokiak.

Paulatuk Storm beat Aklavik Killer Bees 9-2 in the B division championship game Sunday.

The first game hits the ice on Thursday at 7 p.m. with nine games played on both Friday and Saturday.

Thirteen teams participated from Fort McPherson, Aklavik, Paulatuk, Ulukhaktok, Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik.

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