Snake bit by Nova Scotia
Canucks lose heart-breaking junior 'C' semifinal 3-1
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
KIVALLIQ
The Kivalliq Canucks were downed by an old nemesis at the Maritime-Hockey North junior 'C' championship in Fredericton Junction, New Brunswick, earlier this month.
Chesterfield Inlet's KJ Putulik, left, accepting the Polar Bear Plate's Best Defenceman award from David Clark, was named to the MaritimeHockey North junior ‘C' allstar team in New Brunswick, earlier this month. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo |
The Canucks went through the round robin of the tournament with a 2-2 record before running into Nova Scotia in the semifinal.
Nova Scotia teams have eliminated the Canucks numerous times at the event.
The Canucks put in a hard-fought battle against Nova Scotia, ultimately falling 3-1 when the third tally was fired into an empty net.
Head coach Donald Clark said the Canucks got solid goaltending from Connor Faulkner and Josh Tartak.
He said the team's penalty killing was also impressive, only allowing one power-play goal the entire tournament.
"Someone said we didn't allow any power-play goals, but I seem to remember being scored on once while we were shorthanded," said Clark.
"The most disappointing thing for me was our inability to keep the lead once we got ahead in a game.
"A little bit of panic seemed to set in at times, and we weren't getting the puck out of our end quickly enough.
"That shortcoming seemed to cost us a lot of goals, and we only went about one for 10 on breakaways, so that didn't help us much either."
The Canucks lost one of their Baffin pickups, Matt Gardner, after just two periods of the tournament, and the team missed his composure and puck-moving ability on defense.
The team also lost defenceman Wesley Siutinuar, when he was turned back in Winnipeg due to identification problems.
Clark said Nova Scotia defeated the Canucks 5-4 in a shootout during round-robin play.
He said had Nova Scotia won in regulation time, the Canucks would have faced New Brunswick in the semifinal.
"Steve (assistant coach Faulkner) wanted to play Nova Scotia, and I would have been happy playing the New Brunswick team, but you never coach to lose.
"We had five midget players, including one complete line, on our roster this year, which is the most we've ever had, so we have a young team that should get stronger over the next few years."
Clark said there's a chance the tournament might come North for the first time in 2017.
He said the provinces involved will make a decision during Hockey Canada's annual general meeting in Moncton, N.B., this coming month on whether the 2017 event will be held in Iqaluit.
"It seems like New Brunswick and P.E.I. are on-board, but Nova Scotia continues to question holding it in the North due to the cost.
"If not Iqaluit, the rotation would take it back to Nova Scotia in 2017.
"If it is held in Iqaluit, that may make our position a little stronger to host it in Rankin Inlet if we ever do get our new facility built.
"It may be something the community would really rally around if we do get a new arena, and we'd do a fantastic job hosting it in Rankin."
