Takhini Arena was packed and the drums and air horns made it deafening throughout the A division final of the 42nd annual Kilrich Building Centres Yukon Native Hockey Tournament between the hometown CA Storm and LJ’s Sabres from Fort Mcpherson, N.W.T on Sunday.

The Sabres were able to silence the hostile home crowd and jump out to an early lead to down the Storm 6-3.

“We tried to get the crowd out of it, the hometown crowd,” said Mickey Ipana when asked what the team’s game plan was. “And play strong defensively. That was the game plan, this crowd can get pretty uh… well, they are the hometown crowd they love their team.”

The Sabres got on the board first when Clay Plume unleashed a slap-shot low and hard along the ice that beat Ian Perrier, the storm goalie, five-hole.

With two minutes remaining in the period, the Sabres were once again able to find the back of the net. Jeremy Weasel-Moccasin skated into the slot and received a pass from Brett Witala, and wristed the puck into the top corner.

Sabres forward Flynn Perry said the team just wanted to treat the game just like any other.

“It was a big game and that but it was just another game, play relaxed,” said Perry. “We knew we could beat them and we did just that.”

The Storm had beaten the Sabres earlier in the tournament.

“We played this team already and they beat us,” said Perry. “We just had that extra grit that we wanted to beat them. It felt nice to beat them, especially in the finals.”

Leading 2-0 nothing to start the second frame the Sabres added to their advantage early off a one-timer from the slot by Witala.

The score favoured the Sabres and the play was mostly in the Storm defensive end, but they were still able to generate some chances.

The ice began to tilt there way and they were finally able to get a goal past Sabres keeper Josh Tetlichi.

Storm forward Johnny Elias sped down the middle of the ice and unleashed a shot that went in just under the bar.

There was no chance for Tetlichi.

The second period continued to be back-and-forth but neither team was able to find the back of the net again. It was 3-1 going into the third frame.

The atmosphere in the arena to start the third period was electric and Witala made every jaw drop four minutes in with a dazzling individual effort.

Witala broke in on a partial breakaway with a Storm player hot in pursuit. While making his move Witala was tripped.

While still falling, feet first towards the goalie, he was able to slide the puck around and into the net.

The crowd erupted in chaos.

The Storm was able to answer when their defenceman, Simon Nugent, unleashed a booming slap-shot from the point.

Nugent celebrated by hyping the crowd before turning to hug his teammates.

Building off the momentum of the Nugent goal, the Storm cut the lead to one on the power play. Neil Chambers got the puck in the slot and sent a wrist shot over the pad of the goalie.

The Sabres were able to squash the Storm momentum and end the comeback bid on the power play. Plume pinched down the boards before cutting to the centre of the ice to slide the puck past Perrier.

Down by two, the Storm pulled the goalie after a time out. Weasel-Moccasin was the beneficiary of a lucky bounce as he was applying pressure to the Storm as they were trying to break out.

As the Storm player passed the puck it hit his teammate in the shin.

The puck went straight to Weasel-Moccasin who buried it into the empty net.

After the game, Ipana said the team was playing in honour of a former teammate.

“Last year we lost a big part of our team, his name was Trapper Blake,” said Ipana. “We’d just like to dedicate this win to him. He was a big part of this team. He is the reason why we come.

“He had a dream to win this tournament. Just to share it with him and his family is what it is all about. He was in our hearts, he passed away, God rest his soul. We do it for family. We are one big hockey family.”