Goalie, 12, backstops U16 NWT hockey team at Arctic Winter Games

Nate Harris celebrated his 12th birthday last month, which makes the age gap he’s effortlessly bridging at the Arctic Winter Games slightly less ridiculous.

Goalie Harris helped the NWT’s U16 male hockey team to a 9-2 victory over Alaska in Fort McMurray on Tuesday. The team is now undefeated in its opening three games.

Asked if the age difference was scary, Harris said: “Not really. I’ve got great padding.”

Harris is on the team alongside older brother Ryan, 15. Ryan scored the opening goal in the Alaska game, which was tied at 2-2 until Team NT scored seven unanswered goals in the third period.

“I was nervous at the start, it was my first game,” Nate acknowledged after being handed his debut against Alaska. “It’s probably something that I’ll never forget.”

The NWT’s U19 male hockey team has had similar success, defeating Alaska 5-3 on Monday before a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over hosts Alberta North on Tuesday.

The territory’s U20 female team beat Nunavut 8-1 in its opening game but lost 4-0 against Alberta North, recovering to beat Yukon 1-0 on Tuesday evening thanks to an Emma Wicks goal with four seconds remaining in the game.

Flagbearer Kyra McDonald is recovering after needing treatment for a shoulder injury following the female hockey team’s opening game. She sat out Tuesday’s action.

Elsewhere, Team NT’s female curlers are through to their semi-finals with an unbeaten record. And in futsal, the NWT’s juvenile female team has now scored 25 goals in two games after following a 12-0 victory over Alberta North with a 13-0 win against Nunavut.