Once again, the Rankin Rock faced defeat in the big game after an impressive tournament run, as the Baffin Blizzard held on for a 4-3 victory to claim the 2019 Polar Bear Plate juvenile-junior tournament in Rankin Inlet on Feb. 17.

It was a particularly tough loss for head coach Donald Clark, who is stepping away from the junior SA国际影视传媒楥SA国际影视传媒� program after he takes NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 team to the Maritime-Hockey North Junior SA国际影视传媒楥SA国际影视传媒� Championship one final time this coming March 27 to 31 at the Ayr Motor Centre in Woodstock, N.B.
Clark said he liked the level of goaltending he saw across the board at the Plate, and he was impressed with a young Whale Cove squad taking bronze at the event.
He said he felt early in the tournament the final would come down to the Rankin Rock and Baffin Blizzard teams.
SA国际影视传媒淭he difference in the final game was that the Baffin finished when they got their chances and we didnSA国际影视传媒檛,SA国际影视传媒� said Clark.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was 4-2 going into the third period and we made it 4-3 on a penalty shot to get close, but we took three or four penalties in the third period and, when youSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to play catch up, you canSA国际影视传媒檛 be taking penalties like that.
SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 especially true when itSA国际影视传媒檚 three-minute penalties in run time, and itSA国际影视传媒檚 hard to go on the offensive when youSA国际影视传媒檙e shorthanded so much.
SA国际影视传媒淚 found the two teams were very evenly matched. We made a few mistakes that ended up in our net and that was that.SA国际影视传媒�
Turning his attention to the junior SA国际影视传媒楥SA国际影视传媒� program, Clark said the lack of funding to support the program was the main reason for his decision to skate away following this season.
He said there was no funding made available for the Challenge Cup this year, which means a new direction will have to be taken to send a Nunavut team to the Maritime-Hockey North Junior SA国际影视传媒楥SA国际影视传媒� Championship.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 a little frustrated over the fact thereSA国际影视传媒檚 no funding from Hockey Nunavut for the junior SA国际影视传媒楥SA国际影视传媒� program this year after we built it up to be such a worthwhile program.
SA国际影视传媒淲e are getting $7,500 in funding from our branch, Hockey North, to help with travelling to New Brunswick.
SA国际影视传媒淪o, to the best of my knowledge, there was no funding given to the Polar Bear Plate, and I know for a fact there was none given to the junior SA国际影视传媒楥SA国际影视传媒� program by Hockey Nunavut.
SA国际影视传媒淪o, itSA国际影视传媒檚 a good time for me to walk away now.SA国际影视传媒�
Clark said what may happen, moving forward, is that the Polar Bear Plate will become the evaluation camp for the team that travels to the Maritimes.
He said he and Baffin coach Todd Gardner made a gentlemenSA国际影视传媒檚 agreement that Kivalliq would go this year and Baffin would go the following year
SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 no restriction on the number of players you can pick from any region, so if I wanted to go to Woodstock with 20 kids just from the Kivalliq, that would be our choice.
SA国际影视传媒淣ext year will be the BaffinSA国际影视传媒檚 turn to represent the branch in the Maritimes and it will be their choice on how they go about it and what players they select for the team.
SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 see the Challenge Cup coming back into play unless Hockey Nunavut agrees to finance it or, at least, a portion of it.SA国际影视传媒�
Clark said itSA国际影视传媒檚 a little ironic that the only reason the Kivalliq is going to the junior SA国际影视传媒楥SA国际影视传媒� championship this year is because they lost the past couple of Challenge Cups against the Baffin.
He said that left the team with money in the bank to help towards making the trip to the Maritimes this year.
SA国际影视传媒淏affin has gone the past two years, so theySA国际影视传媒檙e, pretty much, flat broke right now, so for them to raise $50,000 or more over the next month would be a bit of a stretch.
SA国际影视传媒淪o doing it this way would mean a two-year rotation for each team to go, which would provide a little longer time for fundraising too.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not ideal SA国际影视传媒� youSA国际影视传媒檇 much rather go as the winning team SA国际影视传媒� but if you have to spend $25,000 to fly to Iqaluit, or for them to come to Rankin, for a three-game tournament (Challenge Cup), and then raise another $60,000 or so to go to the Maritimes, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a tough order here now with all the other groups fundraising, as well.
SA国际影视传媒淚 just donSA国际影视传媒檛 have the energy for that anymore, so itSA国际影视传媒檚 a good time for me to leave it behind.SA国际影视传媒�