Atom hockey players went back to hockey’s roots for the first game of a weekend tournament in Whitehorse on Thursday.

While the Whitehorse Mustangs ultimately lost 8-2 to the Semiahmoo Ravens, the outdoor game experience at Mount Lorne’s community rink was truly an unforgettable one.

“It was awesome,” said Atom Mustangs coach Trevor Matthews. “When you drove up ... you could see the rink lights and the glow above all the trees.

“The parents’ cars were all lined up beside the rink ... it was an amazing thing to drive up and see. It was -13 C and there was an ice fog above the ice surface. It was beautiful. It was spectacular.”

The two teams played three periods, pausing at the 10-minute mark of the second to allow the Zamboni to flood the ice.

Time was kept on a mobile clock and a flip scoreboard was used to keep track of goals. Most players wore balaclavas under their helmets to stay warm.

The White Rock players were “blown away” by the outdoor game and Yukon experience, which also included a mushing excursion.

“They just loved it,” Matthews said. “I’m sure when those kids go home, that’s what they’re talking about – that outdoor game.”

Following Thursday’s tilt, the Nuway Crushing Ltd. Atom Invitational Tournament continued with a double round robin through to Sunday, when the top two teams battled for the championship at Takhini Arena.

The Yellowknife Wolfpack took home the tournament title by defeating Semiahmoo – a White Rock, B.C.-based team – 4-3 in an overtime thriller.

The Ravens are coached by Jay Nagamatsu, an orthodontist who splits time between Whitehorse and White Rock.

Whitehorse lost all of their games to finish third. Alongside the outdoor game, the Mustangs lost their next three by scores of 6-4 to Yellowknife, 7-3 to Semiahmoo and 8-2 again to their N.W.T. rivals.

“They’re pretty young and resilient,” Matthews said of his team of nine- and 10-year-olds. “A big thing they have to remember is we’re a Tier 3 team playing against two Tier 2 teams. So going into it, we knew it was going to be tough.”

The young Mustangs players are still learning how to play positionally, the coach added.

“They know where their position is supposed to be, whether we’re in the offensive or defensive end, but once they get on the ice, they’re forgetting that,” Matthews explained. “A lot of these kids are first-year atom rep hockey players.

“In novice, if you were a strong skater, you could take the puck from one end and skate it all the way up. They’re resorting back to that at some points, and it just takes discipline.”

Regardless of the lopsided scorelines, the Mustangs continue to gain a competitive edge, Matthews said.

“That’s the only way you’re going to build your team, and over time it will come. These tournaments are an excellent opportunity for that.”