The Air North Jets experienced a fair bit of turbulence at Takhini Arena on Sunday.
In a back-and-fourth battle, the Jets defeated the Yukon Brewing Lead Dawgs 5-4 in overtime to win the A division of the 2013 Rendezvous Hockey Tournament.
It was a long and winding road for Air North. The Jets twice fell behind by a goal and also twice took one-goal leads.
Jets’ Robbie Stuckey jumped on a loose puck in front of the Lead Dawgs’ net for the game-winner a minute into overtime. Evan Campbell got the assist.
“It’s nice to win,” said Jets captain Ryan Kinney, who had two assists in the final. “They’re a really good team and it could have gone either way. It was a big goal by Rob Stuckey at the end - it was a big relief.”
Both teams play in the Whitehorse Rec Hockey League’s A division.
The Lead Dawgs, who went into the final undefeated in the tournament, defeated the Jets 5-4 on Friday. The loss was only the Jets’ second of the season.
“We beat them by one goal, so we knew this was going to be a tight one,” said Lead Dawgs team rep Ryan Martin. “We were pretty sure we were going to see those guys again.”
The Jets are currently in first place in the rec league. The Lead Dawgs, who lost in the Rendezvous final last year as well, are in third in the rec league.
Jets Ryan Gleason had a hat trick in the final and Colin Dendys also scored.
Air North had a shootout win over the Roadhouse Saturday night to get into the final.
“We’re a bunch of young guys and we’re here having fun,” said Kinney. “We have a great dressing room and we just like playing and having fun. That’s all there is to it.”
Lead Dawgs Rob Warner had two goals and two assists, playing a part in all four of his team’s goals.
Dawgs Derek Klassen and Aaron Pettitt each had a goal and two assists.
Haines Junction captures B division
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After losing in the semis the last two years, the Haines Junction Huskies topped the Rendezvous tourney’s B division in a 7-4 win over Pelly Crossing’s Selkirk Bears in the final.
It took three years of trying to get the title, “So this is pretty sweet,” said Huskies captain Damon Anderson.
So what made the difference this year?
“Hard work. Fixing mistakes,” he said. “Most of the Junction guys play on different teams in the Whitehorse rec league, so we put ourselves all together for this tournament.”
The Huskies, who went undefeated in six games at the tournament, had six first-period goals in the final to finish the first up 6-2.
Haines Junction’s Ryan Stickle and Cam McKinnon each scored in just the first two minutes to make it 2-0. McKinnon had a four-point game.
“Both the McKinnon brothers (Cam and Owen) are our superstars,” said Anderson. “And everyone played real well and worked real hard.”
Huskies Cam McKinnon and Aren Coates both had two goals and two assists in the final. Teammate Wyatt Drift also had two goals.
“We had a lot of penalties, but we powered through it,” said Anderson.
Bears Brad Keaton had two goals while teammates Chris Vance and Gary Matheson also found the back of the net.
Morris Morrison had two assists for the Bears in the final.
Caught Hooking wins women’s division
Whitehorse league teammates became rivals in the women’s division final of the Rendezvous tournament.
Caught Hooking defeated Here for Beer 3-1 for the title.
Both were Whitehorse-based teams assembled specifically for the tournament with many players from the Whitehorse Women’s Hockey League.
“I think we gelled more as a team,” said Caught Hooking captain Sasha Merrel. “We were able to get our passes going and get our shots going ... Everyone did their jobs.”
Hooking’s Joelle Hodgins scored the game-winner late in the first period, assisted by Laura Grieve, who also assisted a goal by Merrel earlier in the period.
Kylie Bird scored Hooking’s insurance goal in the second of two periods and also had an assist in the game.
Taylor Doonan scored for Here for Beer, assisted by Alyssa Beckett and Veronique Theriault.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Merrel. “It’s nice to get out and play some different people from league play. It was competitive.”
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com