麻豆社区

FAIRBANKS 鈥� In a short tournament like the Arctic Winter Games, finding team chemistry is key to those hoping to earn ulus.

The Yukon men始s midget team is hoping to find some in time for a chance to repeat their gold-medal performance from 2012, when they beat Northwest Territories 2-1 in the championship game.

But the Yukon men stumbled out of the gate in yesterday始s rematch, dropping the opening game of their 2014 tournament 6-3 to their longtime rivals at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks.

Three players who spent the season with the NEBC and Yukon District Trackers led the way offensively for the Yukon.

Jarrett Malchow and Alex Hanson each had a goal and an assist, and Wyatt Gale added one helper, but the offence from the Trackers trio wouldn始t be enough against a tough and talented N.W.T. team.

"We found some lines that had a little bit of chemistry together,鈥� Malchow said post-game. "We went with what we thought would work. They put us together to try and put pucks in the net.

"It始s going to be hard to repeat, because the Midget Mustangs weren始t able to try out,鈥� the 17-year-old right winger added.

The Whitehorse Midget A Mustangs are currently in action at the B.C. provincials.

Down 1-0 after the first period, captain Craig Berube scored the Yukon始s first goal with a seeing-eye wrist shot on a powerplay, followed by a P.K. Subban-like jersey tug in celebration.

The lead was short-lived however, as N.W.T. went up 2-1 on their next rush.

Up 4-3 after two periods, N.W.T. would add two unanswered goals in the third period en route to the win. Brandon Wallis and Zachary Zorn led the way with two goals each.

"If you始re going to have a game like that, the first one始s the best. It kind of gets the bugs out of things,鈥� said Yukon coach John Grant. "This was kind of a wake-up call, but we始re not going to push any panic buttons or anything. We know what we need to do.鈥�

Grant said this year始s team is vastly different from the club that won the gold ulu two years ago.

"This is a really interesting team dynamic, because we始ve only had half the team,鈥� he explained.

"This was the first time we始ve actually had all 17 players on the ice at the same time. We始ve tried to do that instant chemistry, you know 鈥� Just add rice and they始ll be OK.鈥�

N.W.T. captain Josh Bembridge said getting the first goal past Yukon goalie Tomas Jirousek was key to his team始s success.

"The first goal is what every team wants and we got it,鈥� the 17-year-old defenceman said.

Two of the N.W.T.始s goals were scored shorthanded.

The Yukon will attempt to get back on track this morning versus Nunavut.