麻豆社区

The Whitehorse Mustangs organization took advantage of Air North's newest flight connection to form a new rivalry last weekend.

The Yukon capital's rep hockey program hosted the inaugural Air North Hockey Challenge, clashing with three Yellowknife Wolfpack teams while sending one of their own to battle it out in the Northwest Territories capital.

The Mustangs and Wolfpack's female, peewee and midget teams each faced off for four games at Takhini Arena over the weekend, while the bantam club flew into Yellowknife to square off with their newest rivals.

The creation of the hockey challenge came about as a result of the new Air North flight connection between Whitehorse and Yellowknife 鈥� and a bit of Yukon hockey history as well.

In 1905, the Dawson City Nuggets embarked on a remarkable 26-day journey to Ottawa to compete for the Stanley Cup. From dogsleds to trains and with a multitude of delays and difficulties along the way, the team lost resoundingly to the Ottawa Hockey Club.

"This is an amazing piece of Yukon history,鈥� said Allan Moore, Air North's chief operating officer.

"It connected so neatly to the launch of our connection between Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Ottawa that we knew we had to celebrate it. And as we thought about it a little more, the idea of a hockey challenge between Whitehorse and Yellowknife was another piece that just fit.鈥�

"It's been a long time since we last had a head-to-head competition between Whitehorse and Yellowknife,鈥� added Carl Burgess, president of the Whitehorse Minor Hockey Association.

Approximately 160 players on eight teams participated in the weekend hockey tournament.

"One of our key goals is developing or supporting events that encourage our youth to pursue active, healthy lifestyles through sport, culture and lifelong learning,鈥� Moore said.

"It benefits them, and it benefits us all. The well-being of the communities in which we fly is very important to us. We see events like this hockey challenge as helping to achieve that goal.鈥�

The event will be held annually and alternate between Whitehorse and Yellowknife, and there are hopes that it will expand to include Ottawa as well 鈥� making for a truly unique, and truly Canadian, hockey challenge.

"I'd like to salute the volunteer effort in both Whitehorse and Yellowknife, as well as the assistance of our sponsors, including Northwestel and Sportslife,鈥� said Burgess.

"This event has been brought together in a very short period of time 鈥� and I believe it'll become part of the hockey tradition in both communities.鈥�

Yellowknife won the challenge with a combined record of nine wins, eight losses.

In Whitehorse, the Female Mustangs appeared to have their way with their N.W.T. rivals, losing 5-3 to start, but roaring back with wins of 7-2, 5-2 and 4-2.

The Peewee A Mustangs did not fare as well, suffering four straight losses to the Wolfpack by scores of 5-1, 9-3, 3-0 and 6-0.

The KBL鈥圗nvironmental Midget A鈥圡ustangs' games appeared slightly more even, but they ultimately dropped their matchup with a 6-1 loss, 4-2 win, 6-3 loss and 8-0 loss.

In Yellowknife, the Norcope Bantam A鈥圡ustangs finished their weekend with a 4-1 record.

They won 6-1, 3-2, 6-2 and 6-4, with their only loss coming in a shootout, 4-3.