The Midget Tier 4 Provincial Championships started with a bang for Nakusp hometown team Falcons. Nakusp beat the visiting Fort St. James Stars 3 to 1 in the first game of the tournament, then took a break until their next game that evening on Sunday, March 18.
The opening ceremonies were held at 7:30 p.m. that night, with all teams out in their jerseys, Mayor Hamling welcomed all the teams with local hockey official Rusty Reimer. In memory of the late and great hockey fan Ben Big Canoe, his wife Christine came out for a ceremonial puck drop. Overcome by the emotion of the moment, Karen Hamling spoke the words that Christine knew Ben would have been hollering: “Get the lead out!”
And soon after that, they were off. The evening game featured the Chetwynd Giants versus the Nakusp Falcons.
The two teams skated over and through each other like fighting wasps and hornets. The pressure was on, and once the Falcons started scoring, they just didn’t stop. The final score was 10 to one, for the Falcons.
Games continue until Wednesday night’s championship game when the winner will be decided.