GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany -- In their fifth season representing the military community in the Grafenwoehr, Vilseck and Hohenfels area, the Bayern Rangers won the 22nd annual military ice hockey championships held at the Olympic Stadium, here, Feb. 22.
This was the first year that the Rangers brought two teams to the three-day tournament. The Bayern White and Bayern Blue squads competed in a field of 14 military teams representing EUCOM communities in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Italy.
On Feb. 20, the first day of competition, Bayern White tied the determined Kaiserslautern Military Community 2 team. They then beat the Geilenkirchen Flyers 4-2 in a fast-paced game.
White finished a long day of hockey undefeated going 2-0-1 by beating SHAPE 7-4. By remaining undefeated, the Bayern team won their pool and earned a bye in the first round of the tournament's elimination bracket.
Bayern Blue had a tougher first day. They suffered losses against Wiesbaden and KMC teams to end their day 0-3.
They had one more chance for Garmisch glory in the first round of the elimination bracket on Friday morning. In that game, Bayern Blue lost to the Geilenkirchen Flyers. While eliminated from tournament play, the Blue team players stayed on to cheer for their fellow Rangers playing on Bayern White.
On the final day of play, Bayern White started their bracket with a convincing win over KMC 2. Bayern moved to the semifinal game against the Baden Bruins. Following a 7-1 win, the Bayern Rangers White team moved on to an all-Army championship game against Wiesbaden's first team.
After coming from behind to tie the game in regulation, the Rangers won in a wild, four-round shootout against the Wiesbaden Vikings.
The Rangers celebrated with their annual team dinner at the Werdenfelserhof to celebrate the championship weekend Bavarian style. Way to go, Bayern Rangers!
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