Hockey and futsal were the only sports in action on Day 1 of the Arctic Winter Games (AWG) in Mat-Su Alaska. According to a Team Yukon press release, the teams who weren’t competing spent the day training for their upcoming events.

Zack Seguin potted the equalizer with less than four minutes to go in the U18 male hockey team’s first game of the Arctics. The team drew even with a strong Nunavut side 1-1.

The U15 boys took the ice after the opening ceremonies against the Northwest Territories, downing N.W.T. 4-2. Kaelem Raymond and Huntley Asquith scored first period markers for the Yukon to stake them to a 2-0 lead. After N.W.T. tied the game with two in the second period, Elliot Whalen and Mannix Bingham added two more for the Yukon in the third to clinch the win.

The U16 female futsal team played a strong first match against a tough Alberta North side. They battled hard but fell 2-1. The Yukon’s goal came off the foot of Juno Hanatani.

The U16 futsal boys took the court after the opening ceremonies against the Northwest Territories and dominated N.W.T. 8-1. Noah Lapierre lead the way with a hat trick. John Chisholm and Micah Oslund each added a brace (two goals). Everett Pooley rounded out the scoring for Team Yukon.

Leading Team Yukon into the 2024 Arctic Winter Games opening ceremony Sunday with the Yukon flag was wrestler Leah McLean.

All other sports get going today, from alpine skiing to wrestling.

The 2024 AWG go until March 16.

The Star will have more 2024 Arcic Winter Games coverage from Mat- Su, Alaska this week on a daily basis.

– With files from Team Yukon.