RANKIN INLET/KIVALLIQ
One period of undisciplined play cost the Kivalliq Canucks a second appearance in the final game of the Maritime-Hockey North Junior C Championship in Hampton, N.B., earlier this month.
Kivalliq Canucks goalie James Merritt turns away a scoring chance by New Brunswick Panther forward Matt Tweedie during action in the MaritimeHockey North Junior 'C' Championship in Hampton, N.B., earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Saunders Sports Photography |
The Canucks ran into penalty trouble in the second period of their semifinal against the New Brunswick Panthers and couldn't recover on their way to a 6-3 loss.
The Canucks were awarded the Challenge Cup Nunavut junior 'C' title when Team Baffin forfeited its series with the Rankin-based squad.
Head coach Donald Clark said it was disappointing not to have any warm-up competition before the Maritime tournament.
He said exhibition games against pick-up players don't cut it when it comes to preparing a team for the Eastern tourney.
"We would have been better prepared for some situations if we'd played in the Challenge Cup, especially our special teams," said Clark.
"The calibre of play was just as good at this year's event as in previous years.
"Nova Scotia had almost the same team as last year, and the two New Brunswick teams and the P.E.I. team were all strong.
"Overall, the games were a lot closer this year."
Clark said although Kivalliq finished second in the round robin, he wouldn't class the Panthers as a lower team.
He said there's not much difference between a team that finishes 2-2 and one that finishes 2-1-1.
"There wasn't much separating second from fourth this year.
"The first place team finished at 3-1 for six points, so everyone matched up pretty good against each other.
"We lost our focus for one period in the whole tournament, and that was the second period of the semifinal.
"We ran into penalty trouble and got off course a bit, and that cost us a chance at going to the final game."
Clark said Nunavut is tentatively scheduled to host the tournament for the first time in 2015.
He said now it's a matter of rejuvenating the Challenge Cup so Nunavut's junior 'C' program survives that long.
"Hockey Nunavut won't allow one team to keep getting direct entry, with no competition, to the Maritime tournament.
"When I look at the midget team they have in Iqaluit. If those kids stay together, they have a really good nucleus for an up-and-coming junior 'C' team.
"They've got a lot of talent to build around if someone's willing to put the time and effort into it."
Clark is in the process of writing his report on this year's junior 'C' program for Hockey Nunavut.
He said once he completes his report, Hockey Nunavut will have to decide what direction it wants to take the program moving forward.
"The big tournament is going to be held in Nova Scotia in 2014.
"I would hope, since Baffin didn't come to Rankin this year, we will host the Challenge Cup again next year.
"As for 2015, I would think Hockey Nunavut would have to ask for submissions from any community interested in hosting the event.
"If we have a committee in Rankin willing to work hard on it, I can see Rankin being eligible to host."
