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TIGNISH, P.E.I.
The Kivalliq Canucks are in Prince Edward Island this week to represent Nunavut at the Maritime-Hockey North junior C championship.

Kivalliq Canucks goalie James Merritt (39) is being counted on to come up big at the Maritime-Hockey North junior C tournament in Tignish, P.E.I., this week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

The event is being held in the community of Tignish from April 11 to 15.

The tourney pits the host community and Nunavut squads against the junior C champion teams from P.E.I., Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Kivalliq defeated the Baffin two games to one to capture the Challenge Cup in Iqaluit this past month and earn the right to represent Nunavut.

The Canucks took the first game of the Challenge Cup 7-3, before Baffin came back to claim the second game 5-4 in overtime.

Kivalliq defeated Baffin 7-2 in the deciding game to take the title.

Kivalliq head coach Donald Clark said the Cup final was a lot closer than the score suggests.

He said the biggest difference between the two teams was goaltending.

"Our goaltender, James Merritt, played really well the whole tournament," said Clark. "Our best game, as a team, was the third game.

"We were able to use all our players because we didn't run into too many penalty problems.

"We had 17 skaters and the guys who hadn't really played all that much really stepped up that final game."

Wendel Kaludjak scored five goals and assisted on another in the final.

Clark said the nicest of the five goals was the one that sealed Baffin's fate.

"They were on the power play and showing a bit of life to get back in the game.

"Wendel won a faceoff at centre ice, took the puck and went in and scored while they had a five-on-three advantage.

"That put us up by three and they couldn't come back from that point."

Clark opted not to pick up any Baffin players for the P.E.I. tournament, opting, instead, to stick with the team that got him this far.

He said injuries to Archie Kolit and Chris Tanuyak has the team going with five defencemen.

"We've never made it to the championship game down there, but we have four balanced lines this year, so we'll see how it goes.

"Losing two defencemen just before heading out isn't what you want to have happen, but we'll adjust.

"We finished fourth every year we made the playoffs and ran into the top team, so, hopefully, we can finish a little higher this year.

"The championship teams we're up against this year, especially Nova Scotia and P.E.I., have pretty impressive records.

"We're going to have to play our game, stay out of the (penalty) box and take it one game at a time."

Merritt said the Challenge Cup was a close series and a good warm-up for the Maritime event.

He said Kivalliq came out flying in the third game and never looked back.

"This is my fourth time going to the Maritime tournament, so I know what to expect," said Merritt.

"The teams play well together and use a lot of set plays they spend a lot of time working on during the season.

"That's always going to be a bit of a disadvantage to us because they play together all year and we're not together that long before we go.

"They also hit our players a lot because we're usually the smallest team."

Merritt said some years the crowds are bigger than others at the Maritime event, so he doesn't know what they'll be like in Tignish.

He said this is the most well-balanced of the four Kivalliq teams he's played on.

"Our team really came together during our time in Iqaluit.

"Everyone was quiet before the first game, but, once that was over, everyone seemed to get comfortable and work well together.

"We'll have to play very well together, as a team, to have a chance down east."

The Canucks will need production from the line of Kaludjak, Butch Sigurdson and Brandyn Airut if it's going to make any noise in Tignish.

Kaludjak said the team had to work hard for its Challenge Cup win in Iqaluit.

He said the Kivalliq team was hungry in Iqaluit and the players will have to stay that way if they're going to have success in Tignish.

"We'll have a good chance there if we all work hard, and don't lose our cool if the other teams start really hitting," said Kaludjak.

"We have to stay confident and skate hard, always moving our feet.

"Archie (Kolit) was one of our best 'D' and losing him hurts, so someone has to step up.

"The out-of-town guys are comfortable with the Rankin guys - so the team has come together - and we need to go there and work as a team to be successful."

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