Saturday’s Palmer Lake Outdoor Classic was as advertised. Social media posts before the event beckoned the community to come celebrate a Broncos win with an “epic outdoor hockey faceoff.” The crowd erupted in cheers at frozen Palmer Lake as the announcer brought news of the Broncos’ 33 -30 overtime win against Buffalo just as the puck dropped on the north and south mini-ice rinks featuring host Lewis-Palmer, Liberty, Chaparral and Chatfield. In its fifth year, the PLOC offers a unique experience, the chance to watch pond hockey with local teams vying for a trophy amid the crackle of several smoky fire barrels, underneath fireworks, and in the shadow of Palmer Lake’s illuminated star on the mountain. “It’s been super-fun. The boys always get riled up for it. We got eye black in the locker room, lot of talking. It’s always a fun time to come out here and play,” Rangers sophomore John Tracy said. “It’s great to have this kind of event where we can bond with other teams in the state and really get to know each other as a team.” Rachel Glickel lets out a cold breath during the Palmer Lake Hockey Classic in Palmer Lake on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (The Gazette, Michael G. Seamans) Tracy scored twice for the Rangers who beat Liberty by a 4-1 margin to advance to the championship game against Chaparral who defeated Chatfield 2-0. The Parker-based team took home the “Star Trophy” after a 4-2 victory over the Rangers in the championship game. Lewis-Palmer netted two equalizers after the Wolverines earned a pair of one-goal leads but after Rangers forward Carter Charron tied the game a second time for his team, Chaparral immediately answered with what would be the game-winner. “They bounced back good. They have good resilience. They make sure that they’re always engaged in the game, making sure that no matter what the situation, they’re ready to play,” Wolverines coach Joe Castellino said of his players. The style of hockey played at the outdoor classic is different than a standard hockey contest indoor. The games are one 25-minute period. It’s 4-on-4 hockey, with no checking and slapshots. The nets are miniature to keep pucks from flying too high. The contests are CHSAA foundation games but don’t count toward the teams’ records. While it’s still a competition, camaraderie and a good time is the clear priority. “The smaller nets, it’s definitely hard to bury the puck here. It’s difficult when you’re playing with a guy, you can’t just go out there and hit him, you got to be nice. It’s a community event, you can’t go out there and kill someone, so it’s definitely fun, but it’s a lot more difficult than just a regular game,” Tracy said. Despite the changes to the standard, the PLOC is a sought-after event Castellino said. Saturday marked Chaparral’s third time competing in the classic. “We pursue it every year as much as we can to try and get a spot in it. We weren’t able to do it last year, which is a little disappointing, but we understand, everybody wants to be a part of it. It’s a great thing, right? It’s a lot of fun, the kids have a lot of fun,” he said. “We had ponds where I lived, but nothing organized like this. This is a spectacular event.” Lewis-Palmer High School scores on Liberty High School at the Palmer Lake Hockey Classic in Palmer Lake on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (The Gazette, Michael G. Seamans) Area high school hockey teams take to the rinks for the Palmer Lake Hockey Classic in Palmer Lake on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (The Gazette, Michael G. Seamans) ...read more read less