LOWER SACKVILLE: The N.S. U-16 AAA Hockey League provincial championship is coming home to Lower Sackville for the 2025-2026 season.
On Sunday afternoon, the Kings Hockey Club rallied from a 3-2 deficit with a late third period goal and then won in the shootout taking the game 4-32 over the Martello Buccaneers hockey team.
The championship game wrapped up the weekend of provincials in Membertou for the league.
With their provincial win, the Kings will now head to Tyne Valley for the Maritime U-16 AAA Hockey League championship, hosted by the Western Rebels.
It will feature provincial winners from N.S., N.B., PEI (Dukes), the host Rebels, and a wild card team. That tournament is April 8-12 at the Cavendish Farms Community Events Centre.
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In the championship final, after two overtimes, it came down to a shootout to determine the 2025-26 champion.
Joseph Saunders was strong in the game and the shootout to give the Kings the shot to win it.
And it was sniper Jordan Jackman, who took advice of backup goalie George Minhinnick to go in slow and get the shot. Jackman did that, sending his teammates rushing onto the ice to maul him after he scored.
In regulation, Jackman, Ethan Lemoine, and Mason Cole, who had the game tying goal with just voer four minutes left to send the game to overtime.
Matthew Thompson picked up two assists for the winners.
Saunders turned away 32 of 35 shots in regulation and two overtimes for the goaltending win.
Award winners were as follows:
MVP:
* Jordan Jackman (91, Kings)
Top Scorer:
* Hudson Crawley (19, Jets)
Top Forward:
* Mattheu Thompson (93, Kings)
Top Defencemen:
* Daniel Landry (88, Cabot)
Top Goalie:
* Joseph Saunders (31, Kings)
First All-Star Team Forwards:
* Jordan Jackman (91, Kings)
* Hudson Crawley (19, Jets)
* Ethan Lemoine (92, Kings)
First All-Star Team Defencemen:
* Carter Kirton (15, Bucs)
* Cameron Ballie (10, Bucs)
First All-Star Team Goalie:
* Max Reid (31, Vees)
Sportsmanship Award:
* Sidney Pemberton (22, Jets)