LAC LA BICHE – The Lac La Biche Lakers defeated the Crowsnest Crush 6-3 on March 28 to bring home the 2025 NJHL league championship.
Prior to this game, which took place at the Crowsnest Pass Sports Complex, the Lakers won two games against the Crush at the Bold Centre on March 21, 7-0, and March 22, 7-2.
Less than two minutes into the March 28 game, Grayson Dion, with assistance from teammates Quinten Quinney and Patrick Bourque, scored the opening goal.
The Lakers stayed one point ahead of their NJHL South rivals until the waning minutes of the first period, when the Crush’s Hayden Wilson, assisted by Race Jenkins, tied up the game.
The Crush briefly led the game after the team scored another goal in the second period. However, the Lakers were quick to rebound and got three consecutive goals on Crowsnest goaltender Marlo DeRosa to give them a 4-2 lead. Dion scored one of these goals, while Peyton Moneyas and Regan Anderson had the other two.
Each team scored one more goal before the second period ended, with Lakers forward Braden Swampy, assisted by Moneyas, getting the puck past the opposing team’s defenses.
Swampy would score the team’s sixth and final goal of the game during the third period.
Head Coach Gatlin Church said winning the league championship, especially in the team’s first season in the NJHL, feels surreal.
The team worked extremely hard and, as a result, great things happened, he said.
“We were a very talented hockey club and once we worked together, we were able to achieve greatness . . . It feels extremely rewarding.”
When asked if there was a feeling of confidence among the Lakers as they headed to Crowsnest Pass, Church explained that once the team won their first two games at home, the writing was on the wall.
During the final game, the coach said his toughest job was keeping the young hockey players focused and motivated, so they didn’t get complacent in their approach.
According to Church, Crowsnest Crush put up a good fight through the first half of the final game of the series, which he said was very physical and chippy.
“My team remained extremely disciplined, and we were successful in three games,” he stated.
Now that the Lakers have won the 2025 NJHL league championship, expectations will be high going into next season. The victory will also help to put the team, as well as Lac La Biche, on the map.
“I think after winning the league in our first year, we will be the destination for many top players going into next season,” he said.
With the season over, team officials will be in Edmonton scouting at the Alberta Provincials and will also be on the lookout for new talent in Kamloops, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Toronto, this summer.
The team plans to have a spring camp as well as a fall camp.
Following their triumph in Crowsnest Pass, the Lakers celebrated their victory, and on the way home took a detour through British Columbia, making a stop at Fairmont Hot Springs.
“We took the cup and toured around the Rocky Mountains and our players had one last day together as a team.”
