Local rec hockey teams played the perfect hosts on the weekend, allowing a pair of visiting squads to skate away with both the men’s and women’s titles.

Out at the Shulus arena, it was the Vernon Vixens who emerged on top in the ladies’ event, defeating the Kamloops Interior Storm 6-5 in a thrilling final that went seven rounds deep in a shootout before the Vixen’s Amy Irvine buried the winner.

The Sirk’s Storm team won the men’s rec hockey tournament at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena on the weekend. The Storm knocked off the Bullets 5-3 in the final. Merritt’s Cole Yurkowski and Dan Post (middle row, second and third from left) played for the Storm. (Ian Webster/Herald)

The Sirk’s Storm team won the men’s rec hockey tournament at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena on the weekend. The Storm knocked off the Bullets 5-3 in the final. Merritt’s Cole Yurkowski and Dan Post (middle row, second and third from left) played for the Storm. (Ian Webster/Herald)

In the consolation final, the Ashcroft Cowboys (with Merritt’s Kira Racine helping out) edged the Kamloops Kahunas 5-4 to take third place overall.

A total of 10 teams took part in the annual ladies’ tourney.Unfortunately, the three local teams in the competition — the Thrashers, Prowlers and Fur Real — went 0-for-9 in their games against some strong out-of-town opponents.

Meanwhile, in town at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena, a total of 10 men’s sides duked it out in one of the best rec tournaments in recent memory.

When the ice chips had settled, it was Sirk’s Storm that emerged victorious, downing the Bullets 5-3 in an all-Logan Lake final.

Playing for the Storm were Merritt’s Cole Yurkowski and Dan Post. In the championship game, Yurkowski had his team’s third goal, while Post picked up an assist on Jordan Cheveldave’s first of three tallies for the winners.

Third place in the men’s event went to the Trailer Park Boys from Vancouver, who downed the local Jagr Bombers 5-4 in the ‘B’ final.

Scorers for the hometown team were Dave Russell, Steve Kravontka,    Stu Woodman and Zack Sanderson. Woodman also picked up an assist, as did Cody Kightley (2), Payton Schaefer and Miles Emslie.

The loss by the Jagr Bombers marked their second of the weekend. The previously undefeated Merritt squad also fell to the Storm early in the tournament by a 5-2 score. They did pick up a pair of wins, 11-4 over the Silverbacks and 5-3 against the Steam Plant from Powell River.

Another powerhouse local side, the Desert Dogs from the Shulus rec league, also tasted defeat for the first time on the weekend, falling to the Vipers 3-2 in the opening game Friday night. They rebounded to tie the Maniacs, 3-3 and down the Lagers 5-2.