Canucks fall in semi
Nunavut eyed as possible for 2015 championship
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, April 9, 2014
RANKIN INLET
The Kivalliq Canucks fell 65 to New Brunswick's Hampton Hurricanes in a heartbreaking semifinal loss at the MaritimeHockey North junior 'C' championship in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, this past month.
Rankin Inlet's Wendel Kaludjak of the Kivalliq Canucks was named as an all-star forward at the Maritime-Hockey North junior 'C' championship in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. - photo courtesy Chris Larocque |
Kivalliq forward Wendel Kaludjak of Rankin Inlet was named as an allstar forward at the event, while Todd Gardner of Iqaluit was named tournament most valuable player.
Head coach Donald Clark said the Canucks had some bad breaks go against them in their semifinal loss.
He said a pair of mental lapses led to their ultimate collapse, however.
"We had got back into the game and tied it at four when the final two goals New Brunswick scored resulted from individual mistakes, but you play as a team and those things happen," said Clark.
"When you play at that level, mistakes can often end up in the back of your net.
"If we'd played a bit better in the round robin we could have got first place and faced P.E.I. in the semifinal, and we handled them pretty easily in the opening round.
"But you have to be able to beat any of the other three teams in the playoffs, really, to win it, so it doesn't make much of a difference."
The subplot to this year's Maritime-Hockey North junior 'C' championship is that the 2015 event could be held in Nunavut for the first time.
Clark said he met with representatives from P.E.I., Nova Scotia and New Brunswick during the tourney to discuss the 2015 event.
He said they all have plans in place to come to Iqaluit in 2015, but it's not etched in stone just yet.
"I'll be attending Hockey Canada meetings this coming May and sitting down with them again.
"Hockey North and Hockey Nunavut will provide me with all the information to pass along to them.
"The decision will be made at the end of May whether the 2015 tournament will be held in Iqaluit.
"It will all come down to the almighty dollar."
Clark said if the event does come to Nunavut, it will definitely be in Iqaluit.
He said the additional cost of holding it in Rankin, plus the superior facilities in Iqaluit, go against the Kivalliq hosting the event, despite winning the right to represent Nunavut 12 out of 13 years.
"One big plus for holding the tournament here is that we would get to have two teams enter it.
"Iqaluit would be in as the host, plus the winner of the Challenge Cup.
"If Baffin were to win the cup, then the second-place team would also enter the Maritime-Hockey North junior 'C' championship."
Clark said he would still support Nunavut's junior 'C' program 100 per cent, even if Iqaluit doesn't get to hold the Maritime championship.
He said the Challenge Cup gives players something to aim for, and the Maritime event allows them to see another part of the country.
"We had six players from Repulse Bay this year and, for one of them, Rankin was the furthest he's ever been.
"You also see them grow a bit, as individuals, by taking part if the experience."
The Challenge Cup cost about $15,000 to host in Rankin, including the cost of bringing in the out-of-town players from Kivalliq.
"It costs close to $50,000 to take the winning team to the Maritimes when all is said and done.
Hockey Nunavut puts $25,000 toward the junior 'C' program every year.
Its president, Darrin Nichol, said it would be a huge benefit to every team involved if 2015 sees the event in Iqaluit.
He said the Maritime tournament helps tie Nunavut's junior program together.
"We've done work to revitalize our program, and we saw all three regions compete at the Challenge Cup again this year.
"It's a natural progression, from the Challenge Cup, to let the winning team participate at a relatively high-level event.
"Our Nunavut teams are competitive at the Maritime tourney, they enjoy having us there, and it helps complete our cycle in terms of a well-structured program with a series of steps that sees it conclude in an interprovincial championship series."
Nichol said it's an expensive proposition for three Maritime teams to travel North.
He said Hockey Nunavut has strong financial support from the branch, Hockey North, and every avenue is being explored for further help in hosting the event.
"We're working with other potential contributors to the program, in recognition of the high costs of moving people from the south to Nunavut for a hockey tournament.
"Within the next two weeks, hopefully, we'll be able to nail down a cost proposal the southern teams will have to assess and decide upon.
"We're hopeful, with Hockey Nunavut, Hockey North and other potential event sponsors working together, we can do this in a way that's realistic, despite the costs associated with holding a major tournament in the Arctic.
"Rankin has great hockey fans, and the junior 'C' program has been held together at various times by the Kivalliq Canucks, but, if this is going to happen, cost is an overriding factor in it having to be held in Iqaluit."
