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Hometown pride on the line as Huskies host Flyers this weekend

Takhini Arena will be the scene of a capital showdown this weekend. The Whitehorse Huskies senior men's team is hosting the Yellowknife Flyers for a two-game series. Both teams are completely made up of hometown players.

Takhini Arena will be the scene of a capital showdown this weekend.

The Whitehorse Huskies senior men’s team is hosting the Yellowknife Flyers for a two-game series.

Both teams are completely made up of hometown players.

“Much like the guys over there, we don’t have much of an idea what we’re walking into, but we’re definitely looking forward to it,” said Flyers defenceman and team rep Sam Shannon. “I grew up here in Yellowknife, so I’ve played Team Yukon in the Arctic Winter Games and Canada Games and things like that, but it’s been quite a few years.

“From the little bit of reading I’ve done, it’s nice that it’s all local guys on the team there as well.

“It’ll be nice to hopefully start a northern community rivalry.”

The Flyers, which is a team made up of players from Yellowknife men’s rec hockey league, have already faced a Huskies team this season. They played the Hay River Huskies in a three-game series with Hay River winning two.

The Flyers were formed three years ago and won the Northern Hockey Challenge Cup in April 2013. Yellowknife won the western side of the tournament and met the Iqaluit Icemen in a best-of-five series final that the Flyers won in three straight.

The Huskies will attempt to keep their unbeaten streak going this weekend. The Whitehorse team currently has a 6-0 record with four wins over the Fort Nelson Yeti - two away and two at home - and two wins over the Powell River Regals two weeks ago. Whitehorse defeated the Regals 10-3 and 7-3 in Whitehorse.

The Huskies have been resurrected as a AA team this season after five years of dormancy. The club played the 2009/10 season in AAA, the Huskies’ first season since 1993 when they won the Allan Cup, Canada’s senior amateur trophy.

They have fulfilled the requirement of six regular season games against B.C. AA teams to be eligible for the Coy Cup, B.C.‘s senior men AA championships. The Huskies next have to beat the Fort St. John Flyers at the end of the month to reach the Coy Cup, which is being hosted by Fort Nelson at the end of March.

“This is our final tune-up before we hit the playoffs at the end of the month,” said Huskies head coach Michael Tuton. “We’re missing a couple of key guys with Rob Warner and Derek Klassen - they’re off to the Canada Games (in Prince George) coaching Team Yukon.

“They’re going to go do that and we’re going to try to hold the fort and get the win for us.”

Goalie Rob Young will get his second at-home start for the Huskies on Firday. “Maybe he’ll play both games,” added Tuton.

The action starts at 7:30 p.m. both Friday and Saturday at Takhini Arena with a beer garden in the mezzanine. Tickets are $10 at the door (cash only). Minor hockey players under 12 and wearing their team jersey, get in for free.

“It’s warmed up, so hopefully people get out of the house and come see the Huskies for the last time this year - potentially last time this year,” said Tuton.

Contact Tom Patrick at

tomp@yukon-news.com