The Barley Kings are hockey royalty, annually asserting their dominance and earning their reign over the Jasper Hockey League.
For the third year in a row, the Jasper Brewing Company’s army of fast skating, stick-wielding knights glided into the league’s final battle, snatching up the golden chalice and the title of league champions.
The Kings duked it out against the Liquor Lodge Beavers, who for the first time in their history made it to the “A Finals.”
Scoring started early, with the Kings potting a goal within the first two minutes of play. But, after the Kings took two quick penalties, it didn’t take long for the Beavers to level the score in 5 on 3 hockey.
The Kings seemingly ran away with the game in the second period. Starting with a one goal lead and a score of 3-2, the team kicked into high-gear, scoring two quick goals in the first five minutes of the period.
But even down by three, that didn’t stop the Beavers. With 10 minutes left, they brought the score within two, and then with only 31 seconds left in the game, the Kings handed them a gift: a penalty shot.
Jacob Clark stepped up to centre ice for the shot, briskly skating toward the Kings goalie and hammering the puck in the net, bringing his team within one.
Unfortunately for the Beavers, this wasn’t the Kings first rodeo. The reigning champs played shutdown hockey as the seconds wound down, ensuring yet another league win.
The final score was 5–4.
The “B-Final” went to the Royal LePage Royals. The Royals, who lost to the De’d Dog Outlaws in last year’s “B-Final”, faced off against the Whistle Stop Bongs in a fast-paced, neck-and-neck fight to the finish.
Until the Royal’s final goal, the team had spent the entire game playing catch up, following up each of the Bongs goals, but never gaining a lead.
It was on a powerplay in the last minute of the game that the Royals pulled out the win with a score of 5–4.
The “C-Final” was another tight game, with the De’d Dog Outlaws ultimately taking the trophy, after beating the Royal Canadian Legion Jets 2–1.
Nicole Veerman
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