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SportsRecreationHockey19TuesdayApril302013ByRENEFRANCOEURTheYellowknifeFlyershavebeendubbedkingsofthepan-territorialNorth-ernHockeyChallengeafteraseriesoftenseaction-packedgamesthisweekendagainsttheIqaluitIcemeninYellowknife.AfterthreemonthsofsevenseniormenteamsfromtheNWTNunavutandnorth-ernQuebecfacingofffortheNortherntitleitcamedowntotheaptlydefensiveFlyersfromthewesterndivisionandthescoringmachinesfromtheeasttheIcemen.YellowknifeMayorMarkHeyckdroppedthepuckFri-daykickingofftheweekendnals.TheIcemenwereoninstantattackmodebutkeptthetemposteadyfeelingouttheFlyerswithheavyneutralzoneplayinthebeginning.TheFlyerstooktherstgoalwith5minutesremainingintherstperiod.TheteamswereoffairlyequalskilllevelandsoonaftertherstgoalIqaluitsEricJacobsonburiedthepuckinthenetjustundertheglovewithashorthandedshot.ThingswerenttiedforlongwithYellowknifeblast-ingintotheIcemenszoneandleading5-1bytheendofthesecondperiod.TheFlyersnishedFridaywithasolid7-2win.BothNWTPremierBobMcLeodandNunavutsmem-berofparliamentfederalHealthMinisterLeonaAg-lukkaqwerecheeringinthestandsfortheirrespectiveteamsatSaturdaysnarrownail-bitinggame.TheIcemengaveittheirallwreakinghavocontheFlyersandcon-trollingthepacebyleading2-1wellintothethirdperiod.FlyerBradMuellertiedthingsupwith836remain-inginthethirdafteraslickYellowknifesweepsupNorthernHockeyChallengecrownFlyersbeatIqaluitIcemeninallthreegamesduringweekendnalspassfromKyleKugler.MattGreyeyesofYellowknifethensetthecrowdroaringafterreceivingthepuckfromteammateAshleyRiversandlandingagoalwith33.1sec-ondsremainingtostealthegame3-2.IngamethreeonSun-daywithtwowinsinhandYellowknifewaspresentedwiththechancetocloseoutthechampionshipandtheteamdidjustthatwithascoreof7-3.TheFlyerswentstraighttobusinessinthefirstpe-riodslammingbytwogoalswithinthefirstfourminutes.Iqaluitdidntgiveuphoweverandtookbackcontrolofthepucktoscoreagoaloftheirownbeforetheendofthefirstperiod.Thesecondperiodwaspackedwithactionatbothendsoftherink.NatanObedfromIqaluitwasleftwideopengiv-inghimtheopportunitytoslipashotpastYellow-knifegoalieJeffBowdentotiethingsup2-2butforonlyafewmomentsbe-foreFlyerMirsadMujcinscoredagoalassistedbyChrisCahoonandGrey-eyeswith1526stillleftinthesecondperiodmak-ingit3-2.WithactionmovinginendtoendrushestheIce-menstartedpushingharder.DwayneTwerdinfromIqa-luittiedthingsbackupwith1340remainingbutitwasntenoughtoholdtheFlyersbackandthesecondperiodnishedwiththeFlyerslead-ing5-3.ThescoredidntslowtheIcemendownwhowastednotimeinexecutingtheiroffensiveattackattheonsetofthethirdperiodtakingthreeconsecutiveshotsalltonoavail.TheteamfoughtuntiltheendwhentheFlyerswalkedawaywiththecham-pionship7-3.HeyckandIqaluitMayorJohnGrahammadeafriendlybetonthefinalseries.Thelosingmayoristowearthejerseyofthewinningteamwhilepre-sidingoveracitycouncilmeeting.HeycktweetedSundaynightAnyoneknowIqa-luitMayorJohnGrahamsjerseysizeTheFlyersheadnexttothe2013NorthAmericanChampionshipsinCalgaryMay20-25.PhotoJoshLongTheYellowknifeFlyersshowtheNorthwhosnumberoneaftertheteams7-3victoryoverIqaluitSundaynight.