Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by John Tonin

COVERING UP – Friday/Monday goalie Colin Ruttle smothers the puck, ending the scramble in front of the net during the B Division final of the Arctic Backhoe 2020 Whitehorse Oldtimers Hockey League Tournament Sunday at Takhini Arena.

Oldtimers battle it out for hockey glory

The old-timers showed they still have what it takes during the weekend-long Arctic Backhoe 2020 Whitehorse Oldtimers Hockey League Tournament.

By John Tonin on February 18, 2020

The old-timers showed they still have what it takes during the weekend-long Arctic Backhoe 2020 Whitehorse Oldtimers Hockey League Tournament. Championship games were played Sunday at Takhini Arena.

Capping off the afternoon of finals was the B division final pitting Friday/Monday against Carmacks.

From the opening face-off of the first period, the ice was tilted in Friday/Monday's favour. They generated quality chances in the offensive end and on defence, their quality stick checks made life difficult for Carmacks as they tried to break through the neutral zone.

Friday/Monday got on the board first, at 20:51 of the first period – the games were two 22-minute frames.

Patrick Gardiner corralled a loose puck off a face-off from the left circle and patiently skated around Carmacks goalie Floyd McCormick before sliding the puck in on the far post. Brad Barton got the helper.

Friday/Monday continued to attack the offensive zone but McCormick was up to the task. They managed to crack the Carmacks keeper at the 14:10 mark of the opening stanza.

Mike Gau received an outlet pass from Dave Borud and turned on the jets. He sped by the defenders and was in alone with nothing but the goalie to beat.

He made a quick move, brought the puck across the crease and buried it high, glove side off the post. Ben Campbell picked up the Gretzky assist.

Carmacks began to find space in the defence to break in on offence. However, Friday/Monday netminder, Colin Ruttle stayed calm and stopped everything with ease, to help his team take a 2-0 lead into the second.

Carmacks had a glorious chance at the beginning of the second to cut the lead in half. Their forward broke in alone and shot the puck low along the ice, but Ruttle kicked out his pad to preserve the lead.

Shortly after, Friday/Monday got a breakaway of there own. Greg Lane broke in went forehand/backhand and slid the puck in at 19 minutes. James Maltby got the assist.

On either end of the rink, both goalies stole the show the rest of the way, robbing the forwards on quality chances.

Carmacks was able to solve Ruttle at 4:16. From the face-off, Gary Jerome fired the puck in. Derek Bilodeau got the helper.

The goal was too little, too late and Friday/Monday took the game 3-1.

In the A Division final, Yukon Inn doubled up Royal Flush 4-2.

The Inn scored three unanswered goals in the first period. Scott Palfreyman buried two pucks in the opening frame. Rob Green and James Pugsley got the helpers on the first goal. Bill Bohmer had the lone assist on the second.

Wynn Griffith made it 3-0 at the 3:40 mark. Dustin Heffner and Palfreyman assisted.

Royal Flush got a goal back to start the second off the stick of Mike Liltenatt. The Inn answered four minutes later as Palfreyman completed the hat trick.

Tyson Wirth got one back for the Flush.

The goals were plenty in the C Division final and luckily for Medicine Chest it was in their favour as they beat Tim Hortons 7-1.

Bernie Heffner and Doug Graham scored in the first period, in the second is when the floodgates opened.

Lawrence Ignace, Les Luciuk, and Ron Cruikshank padded the lead to 5-0 before Scott Olafson ruined Glen Traverse's shutout bid.

In the last five minutes, Doug Terry added two insurance markers to put the game far out of reach.

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