IQALUIT
The Iqaluit Icemen found another gear after a tough round robin to claim the inaugural Qaqsauq Cup memorial senior men's hockey tournament in Iqaluit earlier this month.

Yellowknife's Greg Brandford, from left, tries to get the puck past Robert Karetak (9) of Rankin Inlet as Kyle Kugler, Amauyaq Lindell and Kevin Valillee, back, follow the bouncing rubber during the Qaqsauq Cup memorial senior men's hockey tournament in Iqaluit earlier this month. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo

In a rematch between Northern Hockey Challenge finalists, the Icemen got past Yellowknife 4-2 to take the championship.

The tournament is dedicated to the eight men who lost their lives while hunting walrus in 1994 when their boat, the Qaqsauq, went down at the mouth of Frobisher Bay.

Iqaluit defeated Ottawa in one semifinal to advance to the final, while Yellowknife defeated Rankin Inlet in the other semi.

A combined team of Kuujjuaq and Iqaluit players also competed at the event.

Tournament convenor Cody Dean partnered with the Iqaluit Senior Men's Hockey League to make the Qaqsauq Cup a reality.

Dean said the event was a player's tournament.

He said players from the outside communities had a great time, and everyone enjoyed each other's company during the Dec. 5 to 7 event.

"The hockey was a higher level than what we typically see," said Dean.

"The playoff games were very close, and any one of the top four teams could have gone all the way.

"The teams were evenly matched and, going into Sunday's play, we had no idea who would come out on top.

"That made it very exciting for the fans."

Dean said the crowds at the Arctic Winter Games Arena got bigger as the weekend progressed.

He said it was a big, loud home crowd that cheered Iqaluit on in the final.

"If things work out, and we move ahead with the Qaqsauq Cup, we have to promote the tournament better, both within the community and across the territory.

"We wanted a five-team tournament this year, but I won't force the issue next time because it wasn't a true Kuujjuaq team that competed. They only sent five or six players, and the rest were from Iqaluit.

"The idea is to have parity, whatever the number of teams, so it's really a competitive tournament, and that's the way we'll approach it next year."

Dean said Yellowknife, Ottawa and Rankin indicated they'd return again in 2015.

He said it was the first time playing in Iqaluit

during the past 12 years for some Yellowknife players, and as much as 15 years for others.

"Iqaluit got very strong goaltending from Paul Dainton, who used to play in the AHL (parts of three seasons with the Springfield Falcons), and they showed themselves to be resilient, too.

"They only went 1-3 in the round robin, but they were the hungriest team in the playoffs.

"It was a well-deserved win.

"I found it to be a lot of fun, as an organizer and a player, and I'm anxious to move forward with this tournament."

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