The 35th annual Kilrich/Northerm Yukon Native Hockey Tournament wrapped up on Sunday with five gold medal games at the Takhini arena.

The tournament boasted 43 teams competing across five divisions, with players from N.W.T., B.C., and the Yukon.

In the A Division final, the Deer River Slashers from Ft. Nelson topped the Nannock Warriors, 5-2.

The Slashers last hoisted the championship trophy two years ago in the B Division.

The team moved up to the top division in last year's tournament and were knocked out in just two games.

Still feeling the sting from that defeat, Slashers captain Curtis Dickie said they came back this year looking for redemption.

"We had the same core group of guys and we've just grown as a team and gotten stronger,” he said.

"We're a pretty young team and I don't think this is going to be our last (championship).”

The Slashers may have been the faster team on the ice but the Warriors had experience on their side.

The Warriors were without their captain, Derek Johnstone, who was sidelined with an eye injury. After catching a high-stick just above his left eye on Friday night, the cut became infected on Saturday and by Sunday was completely swollen shut.

Johnstone has played on the national level, lacing up with the 1993 Canadian National team, alongside the likes of Brett Lindros, Jose Charbonneau and Brian Savage.

"If we'd had our captain, we'd probably be hoisting the trophy right now,” said Warriors head coach Randy Merkel. "You lose a guy like that and it's very critical.”

"I'm really proud of my guys, we knew what were up against, we knew the talent level of that team and they really moved the puck.

"Our goaltender gave us every chance in the world to win and we had a one goal game right through the third. They played like warriors, true Nannock Warriors. I loved it.”

Johnstone was on hand to watch the final and was impressed with the way the team performed in his absence.

"They did well, it was a good game,” he said. "It seems we're always in the final or close to it and we were there again this year so they did a good job.”

Johnstone said the team could use the help of a few more players on next year's squad to keep up with the younger teams.

The first period ended with the teams knotted at a goal apiece but the Slashers moved ahead in the second on a goal by Robbie Sidhu, his second of the game.

Sidhu would complete the hat-trick late in the third period when his goal with four minutes remaining pushed the Slashers lead to 4-2. They would add one more on an empty net goal.

"A lot of us have been playing in this tournament from the youth division, to the jamboree division, all the way up and we were really wanted to win this one,” said Dickie.

"This is what we work for every year.”

In the B Division final, the Blueberry Weekend Warriors from Ft. St. John, overcame the Inuvik Ice Hogs, 4-2.

The Warriors came out strong in the first period, with Dylan Apsassin and Justin Paul each scoring a goal.

Kirk Sangris was able to get the Ice Hogs onto the board in the second period but the Warriors maintained their momentum by adding two more in the frame.

After a flurry of rushes late in the game, Sangris would score once more in the final period but it wasn't enough as the Warriors held on for the victory.

The Ice Hogs entered the championship after going undefeated in preliminary play, including a 4-3 comeback win over the Warriors.

Justin Smith, captain of the Ice Hogs, said the team was able to come together to get that win and just came up short in the championship.

"They (Warriors) wanted the puck more and we just happened to fall short,” he said.

It was the second year in a row the Ice Hogs finished in second place.

"I think it came down to heart, we just wanted it more,” said Warriors captain Justin Paul.

"They are a very good team with a lot of good players but we came in with positive attitudes and wanted the win.”

The Warriors finished in third place last year and are hoping to move up to the A Division next year.

"It was an awesome tournament, I love it here,” said Paul. "I've been to a lot of hockey tournaments and this is my favourite one.”

The Gwich'in Spit Fires met up with the Inland Tlingit Warriors in the Jamboree Division finals.

The Spitfires didn't drop a game heading into the championship but faced a tough opponent in the Warriors, who took to the ice wearing a no. 14 patch on their right shoulders to honour teammate Brad Anderson.

Anderson passed away in an accident last summer.

The Warriors rallied three goals in the final period and were able to snap the Spit Fires undefeated streak, winning the game 6-4.

The teams entered the third with the Warriors leading 3-1 and a rush of end to end breaks lead to six goals being scored in the final 20 minutes.

DeVaughn Davies, Warriors team captain, said the team has been playing together for six years and the chemistry they developed over that time allowed them to keep their focus in an emotional game.

"It was really hard to keep ourselves in check but we kept playing like a team and came out winners,” he said.

Warriors head coach Matt McCarthy said the team performed with better structure and disciplined play.

"Everyone played really strong today,” he said. "I think our chemistry is the best in the tournament.”

The Spit Fires were led by head coach Darius Elias who referred to the team as hometown heroes.

"They played their little hearts out,” he said. "They're phenomenal players, good solid citizens and I love them to bits.

"Hockey is the exhilaration of victory and the agony of defeat but that's what it takes to build good solid citizens and hockey's the best game in the world, that's why I do this.”

Elias said he was impressed with how quickly the team came together and formed positive relationships with each other.

"I've got players from Northern B.C., Old Crow, N.W.T. and Alberta and when they were able to gel together so quickly it was just phenomenal to see. They'd never seen each other before and for them to come together and win the silver medal it's just phenomenal.”

Rounding out the tournament were the Oldtimers and Youth Division finals.

The Whitehorse Arrows defeated the Blueberry Ole Weekend Warriors from Ft. St. John in the Oldtimers final, winning 9-2.

It was the fourth consecutive championship for the Arrows.

They were led with a balanced offensive attack, with Ken Anderson, Darryl Sturko and Adam Green collecting three points apiece.

In the youth finals, the Gwich'in Braves blanked the Dawson City Wolf Pack 5-0.

For additional photos of the tournament be sure to pick up a copy of Wednesday's edition of the Star.