Turbulent end to battle in the Peg
Coral Harbour squad finishes fourth in wild west shootout
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, April 23 2014
CORAL HARBOUR/WINNIPEG
A benchclearing brawl and a disallowed goal ended the hopes of a team comprised mainly of Coral Harbour players at the Winnipeg Aboriginal Hockey Tournament earlier this month.
The turbulent ending put an exclamation mark on an adventurous trip for the team.
Bruce McKitrick said his son, Daniel, was part of the Ojibway Eagles team that won the 2013 Winnipeg event.
He said that team was comprised mainly of midget AAA and junior A players from northwestern Ontario who barely nipped a talented Iqaluit squad in the final.
"This year, the son of the Eagles' coach was still alive in his junior A playoffs, so he couldn't organize the team," said Bruce.
"We took it over and made it a Coral Harbour team.
"My cocoach, Dennis Bruce, his wife and the parents of the Coral players quickly raised enough money to bring eight players down.
"Daniel brought three AAA Kings - Ontario Hockey League draft pick Chase Stewart, Winnipeg AAA allstar Brad Thrower and Turner Santin - to the team."
The adventure began when Calm Air couldn't land in Coral to get the players and blizzard conditions hit the Kivalliq for the next few days.
The McKitricks, with Daniel driving one vehicle with his teammates and Bruce and his wife in another, were making the eighthour drive to Winnipeg from Thunder Bay.
Bruce was dreading having to tell Daniel all flights had been cancelled and the team was pulling out.
"I planned to stop at a gas station to break the news to Dan, knowing he'd be upset because he was really looking forward to seeing his friends from Coral," said Bruce.
"But, just before we pulled in, I received another call telling me Calm Air was making a special direct flight to Coral, so we kept driving.
"Dennis and I were negotiating all the way so we wouldn't have to forfeit our first game.
"While he begged the pilots to depart Churchill 15 minutes early, I got permission to borrow a female bantam goalie and another player so we could ice five skaters until Coral arrived."
After a wild ride to the arena, some in Bruce's car and some in cabs, the players arrived 10 minutes before the game, which they won 75.
The team played a solid tournament and was one win away from a guaranteed medal, but, as hard as they played, it was not meant to be.
"We fought back from a 51 deficit and appeared to tie the game 66 with just 30 seconds left," said Bruce.
"Unfortunately the referee said the net was off and disallowed the goal, which led to the benchclearing brawl.
"But we're proud of our fourthplace showing, even though I still think we were in the top three.
"Noah Matoo helped Dennis and I coach, with Norman Nakoolak helping too, and Wesley Siutinuar and Ethan Matoo both played exceptionally well."
Bruce said the AAA Kings players from Thunder Bay were impressed with the Coral players.
He said Lenny Emiktowt really stoodout as a playmaker with a tough style.
"Lenny had three assists in the final game and Thrower said he would have been a nice addition to our Thunder Bay team this year.
"Our goalie, Joe Bruce Nakoolak, played very well to keep us in every game.
"They all stepped it up and they should be proud."
