A rematch of last year’s A division final ended in the same fashion last night.

The EGT Nanooks from Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., downed the Champagne Aishihik Storm 6-2 in front of a jam-packed crowd at Takhini Arena last night to win their third straight Kilrich Building Centres Yukon Native Hockey Tournament.

This year’s event was the 39th annual.

Last year, the Nanooks downed the Storm, from Haines Junction, 8-3.

The 2016 final got out of hand early, with the Nanooks building up a quick 5-0 lead – including two powerplay markers – which left Storm players shaking their heads in disbelief.

Nanooks blue-liner Thomas Ward-Cardinal scored twice to lead the way, en route to winning top scorer and top defenceman honours.

Also scoring for Tuk were Jordy Alphonse, Andrew Pettitt, Max Kotokak and Trevor Kavanaugh.

Tyler Schantz and Colin Dendys responded for the Storm.

EGT’s Nathan Bruyere was named the tournament’s most inspirational player.

The Storm did beat the Nanooks Saturday night 4-3 in a shootout but couldn’t muster the same type of game for Sunday’s final.

Whitehorse’s Nannock Warriors appeared to have Tuk on the ropes in the semifinal, but the Nanooks came back from a 5-1 deficit to win 6-5.

The loss earned the Warriors a bittersweet bronze.

Storm forward Kane Dawe was named MVP for the A division, while JJ Gainsforth was top goalie.

The team’s coaching staff was also honoured, earning the tournament’s leadership award.

The event attracted some star power, with Philadelphia Flyers alumnus Reggie Leach handing out medals at the closing ceremony and Canadian country singer Aaron Pritchett crooning the national anthem prior to the A final.

Both Takhini Arena and the Canada Games Centre rinks featured wall-to-wall tournament action with 43 teams vying for six age-group titles.

During Friday night’s opening ceremonies, elder Grace Williams of the Tahltan Nation was named most dedicated hockey mom.

Bears down Sabres 7-5 in B division thriller

Vern Cooper scored four times – including a late-game empty-net goal – as the Selkirk Bears downed LJ’s Sabres 7-5 in the B division final.

Nolan Lagace, Burt Stephens and Daniel Cletheroe also scored in the game, but it was Cooper who led the way en route to divisional MVP and top scorer honours.

Evan Tordlep, Cam Creighton, Darien Cardinal, Corey James Soonies and Kirk Sangris all found mesh for the Sabres, but it wasn’t enough.

Sabres goalie Jordan Nighttraveller was B division’s top netminder.

The Fort McPherson, N.W.T., team edged the Bears 3-2 Saturday night, forcing the Pelly Crossing-based club to take a more difficult road to the final.

The Lower Post Eagles took bronze with JJ Lutz winning top defenceman.

The Deline Braves – who chartered a plane from N.W.T. for the event – was named most sportsmanlike team.

Nine teams competed in B play.

Knights edge Falcons in C division final

David McLeod’s goal with 40 seconds left in the game was the difference in a tightly played C division final.

Michael Krengatok also scored twice for the AK Knights, with Brandon McLeod rounding out the scoring.

Divisional top scorer Shane Roy had a pair for the Falcons, while Bailey Apsassin added a single.

The Knights beat the Falcons 5-4 Saturday night to earn a berth in the final, forcing Big Stone to play an extra game Sunday morning versus the Nighthawks, who won both bronze and the most improved team award.

Knights player Davina McLeod was named MVP while Falcons blue-liner Reign Walker and Evan O’Neill earned top defenceman and best goalie honours, respectively.

Ten teams competed in the C tournament – the tournament’s largest division.

Kaska Warriors mercy old-timer Arrows 8-0

The Kaska Warriors won their fourth straight title with an easy 8-0 win over the Whitehorse-based Arrows Sunday.

Kevin Ned’s goal midway through the third saw the game end early due to a mercy ruling.

Curtis Cardinal and Louis Gardiner each scored a pair to lead Kaska, with Adam Lightfoot, Darryl Porter and Charles Brodhagen all chipping in singles.

Rob Green earned the shutout between the pipes.

The Warriors breezed through their three games with lopsided scorelines.

Last year, the Watson Lake-based squad also took victory by a mercy score.

Individual award winners included Kaska’s Gardiner (top scorer) and Lightfoot (top defenceman), and Arrows’ Rick Smith (MVP) and Scott Casselman (top goalie).

The Northwind Inuvik Old-Timers won bronze.

Five teams participated in old-timers play.

Frocklage scores twice in 3-1 jamboree victory

Keelan Frocklage’s two third-period goals helped the Tahltan Selects upset the North Yukon Eagles 3-1 in the jamboree final.

After the division’s top scorer Alex Skinner gave the Eagles an early 1-0 lead, Aaron Chaput knotted things up before the first period ended, setting the stage for Frocklage’s heroics.

Despite the loss, the Eagles took home the lion’s share of the individual awards, with Kaine Comin winning MVP and Ben McClelland earning top defenceman honours.

Tuk Warriors goalie Kenny Semmler was named top goalie after leading his team to a bronze medal and Team Spirit award.

Eight teams competed in the jamboree division, which included players between 14 and 17.

Cuminskey brilliant in youth division final

The Junior Tahltan Selects shut out the Whitehorse Warriors 2-0 to claim gold in the youth division.

Goalie Torin Cuminskey shut the Warriors’ offence down en route to winning tournament MVP honours.

Both Jaiden Loverin and Regan Asp scored for the Junior Tahltan Selects in the first period, paving the way for Cuminskey’s heroics.

Loverin was named the tournament’s top youth defenceman.

Last year, the Dease Lake, B.C., team lost the youth final to the Gwich’in Braves.

Other award winners were Braves sniper Sam Skinner (top scorer), CAFN ‘Lil’ Storm goalie Nevada Joe (top goalie) and Carmacks Lil Wild Ones player Gee Alex (most sportsmanlike), while the Tuk Warriors earned the Team Spirit award.

The Fort Nelson Flyers won the bronze medal.

Seven teams took part in youth division meant for players ages 10 to 13.

See more coverage of this year’s tournament in Tuesday’s Star.