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INUVIK
The Inuvik Delta Stars will be back next year, and they'll be better.

Inuvik Delta Stars goalie Greg Elias loses track of the puck after making a stop March 8 in a 5-3 loss to Yellowknife. The team finished out of the playoff picture. - T. Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

That was the promise made over the weekend by team representatives after the Delta Stars were eliminated from the Northern Hockey Challenge playoffs in back-to-back losses to Yellowknife. It capped what many might see as a disappointing season, but both team manager Don Hendrick and captain Tim Gordon saw it differently.

"It was an eye-opener, oh definitely," said Gordon, recapping the season that saw the team win its first game and then go on a losing streak, following a 12-3 drubbing March 9 at the Stars' final game of the season.

Both weekend games started in promising fashion for the team, which showed an impressive work ethic and heart. However, the team couldn't hold on to a lead against a powerhouse Yellowknife team.

Hendrick said he enjoyed both games, particularly March 8, which the Stars lost 5-3.

"It was a good game, with a lot of back and forth play," he said. "The boys will forget this soon enough."

Gordon said several factors entered into the team's losses. The most important, he said, was a lack of practice time and the limited availability of some of Inuvik's best players. Many couldn't join the team and league due to other commitments.

Gordon noted the league had come together in about two or three weeks time, leaving all of the teams scrambling to find players and get in some practice time.

That was one of the team's biggest problems, he said.

"We just didn't have time to practice," Gordon said.

Interestingly, he also said the lack of competitive men's hockey in the Inuvik area was a huge disadvantage. Other areas, he said, like Yellowknife, had the advantage of drawing from several competitive men's leagues. That's something Inuvik just doesn't have.

"We were lacking competition to prepare for play at this level," Gordon said. "We play against each other a lot, but it's more shinny games. It'll open some eyes here, and hopefully we'll have a league to prepare people to play in the Northern Hockey Challenge."

He said he hoped to be back next year for another round.

Hendrick agreed with most of the points Gordon made, in a separate interview.

"Our weakness was a lack of practice time," he said. "And a lot of good players in town couldn't commit to play."

The short lead time into league play conflicted with jobs and vacations, both Hendrick and Gordon said, making it impossible for them to rearrange schedules.

Hendrick said he thought the league was a worthwhile initiative, despite those start-up problems.

"This is a good event, and there was lots of hype," he said. "I hope it continues."

Hendrick was mildly critical of the lack of fans attending the games over the weekend.

Unlike the opening weekend in January, which saw a full house in full-throated roar at the Midnight Sun Complex, very few attended either game this time around.

"I wanted to see a few more fans," he said.

Mayor Floyd Roland, an avid hockey fan and recreational player himself, said the same thing. He was disappointed in the turnout for both games.

"We maybe didn't do the best job of marketing it though," Roland said.

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