The Rankin Inlet Falcons defeated the Sagkeeng Braves 5-2 to capture the A-side of the North American First Nations (NAFN) Tournament of Champions in Kenora, Ont., on March 31.
The win earned the Rankin team $25,000 in prize money. The Falcons went undefeated throughout the entire tournament.
The NAFN Tournament of Champions returned to Kenora in 2023, after a four-year hiatus.
Falcons forward Kyle Tattuinee said he found the event to be very similar to Rankin InletSA国际影视传媒檚 annual Terence Tootoo Memorial (TTM) senior menSA国际影视传媒檚 championship when it comes to the overall level of play.
He said, if anything, play at the Tournament of Champions may have been a little faster than at the TTM.
SA国际影视传媒淭he top teams will be the top teams at the TTM no matter what,SA国际影视传媒� said Tattuinee. SA国际影视传媒淒own there, itSA国际影视传媒檚 very similar, but, maybe, a wee bit faster, so you have to think faster. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a totally different atmosphere down there. But, even though youSA国际影视传媒檙e not at home anymore, the game of hockey is still the same.
SA国际影视传媒淭he atmosphere was totally amazing. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 very, very close to the TTM in almost every way.SA国际影视传媒�
The Rankin Falcons are also scheduled to travel to Saskatchewan to compete in the Fred Sasakamoose SA国际影视传媒淐hief ThunderstickSA国际影视传媒� National Hockey Championship in Saskatoon from May 16 to 19.
Tattuinee said the Sagkeeng Braves were a young, fast group of players, who were champing at the bit to defeat Rankin.
He said one of the key elements to RankinSA国际影视传媒檚 win was the level of goaltending they received from Seth Ningeongan in the championship game.
SA国际影视传媒淭heir goalie was a youngster and not quite as experienced as the goalies we had (Ningeongan and James Merritt).
SA国际影视传媒淭hey were an awesome team. We just had guys with more experience than they did. Seth was in net for us in the championship game. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 gained a lot of experience playing in all these different Aboriginal tournaments down south.SA国际影视传媒�
Tattuinee said the Falcons had a number of players who had a good idea of what to expect at the Tournament of Champions.
He said they led the way at the event and came to the tournament with one goal is mind SA国际影视传媒� to win it all and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 how it went.
SA国际影视传媒淭he fans seemed to love the way Rankin played. We were fast and creative, and we obviously had some good goal scorers.
SA国际影视传媒淎ll in all, I think the crowd kind of warmed up to us a little bit. That was probably even more so because we came from so far away compared to the other teams there.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was just awesome, clean hockey from beginning to end.SA国际影视传媒�
The end to this hockey season had a special feeling for Tattuinee, who got to play with his son, Liam, in both the TTM and the Tournament of Champions.
He said itSA国际影视传媒檚 a memory he wonSA国际影视传媒檛 soon forget.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 definitely a young manSA国际影视传媒檚 game today,SA国际影视传媒� Tattuinee chuckled.
SA国际影视传媒淭he highlight of my tournament was playing with my son. I know, as a parent and a hockey player, as you get older, you have that aspiration, or a want, to get to play with your kid at a high level of hockey.
SA国际影视传媒淚 got to experience that at both the TTM and this tournament. And, just to see him grow as a hockey player SA国际影视传媒� the development heSA国际影视传媒檚 gone through with this being his third year playing away from home SA国际影视传媒� and to see how far heSA国际影视传媒檚 come is really quite something. At 17 he has legs for days, I like to say.
SA国际影视传媒淪o, having that experience and winning the tournament was an absolute blast. I even got to play on the same line as him. It was just awesome.SA国际影视传媒�
