Lobbyists Edge Out Lawmakers in Charity Hockey Showdown

Team Lobbyists win 4-3 in first-ever overtime shootout at Congressional Hockey Challenge

Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:50pm

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A group of lawmakers traded their suits for skates at the 16th annual Congressional Hockey Challenge, but returned to the Capitol without a trophy after losing in the first-ever overtime game. Team Lobbyists, who took the win last year, beat Team Lawmakers 4-3 in a historic shootout, breaking the ice after a 3-3 tie.

Why it matters

The Congressional Hockey Challenge is an annual charity event that raises money for underserved communities and grows the sport of hockey. The game between lawmakers and lobbyists has become a highly anticipated tradition, with both sides competing fiercely to take home the trophy.

The details

The game started off evenly with a 1-1 tie in the first period. Team Lobbyists took a 3-2 lead in the second period, but Team Lawmakers fought back to tie it 3-3 late in the third period, leading to a scoreless overtime and a dramatic shootout. Team Lobbyists ultimately prevailed 4-3 in the shootout, breaking the lawmakers' hopes of reclaiming the trophy they lost last year.

  • The 16th annual Congressional Hockey Challenge took place on Thursday evening.
  • The game went into overtime for the first time in the event's history.
  • Team Lobbyists won the shootout after the game ended 3-3 in regulation.

The players

Tom Emmer

House Majority Whip and member of Team Lawmakers, who has played hockey since age three.

Kash Patel

FBI Director and member of Team Lawmakers, making his return to the game after playing last year.

Kate MacGregor

Deputy Secretary of the Interior and member of Team Lawmakers.

Haley Skarupa

2018 Olympic gold medalist who helped Team Lawmakers.

Rob Bresnahan

First-term Republican lawmaker from Pennsylvania who served as the goalkeeper for Team Lawmakers, his first time in that role since 2008.

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What they’re saying

“Nobody remembers the loser.”

— Tom Emmer, House Majority Whip

“We were really hoping to win this year because last year was not as good. If you look at the score, it was pretty disappointing. I think in that third period when we got really close and we were totally pressing for the net, I thought we had it, unfortunately not. Maybe next year.”

— Kate MacGregor, Deputy Secretary of the Interior

“I mean, shots on the net.”

— Rob Bresnahan, First-term Republican lawmaker from Pennsylvania

What’s next

The Congressional Hockey Challenge will return next year, with both Team Lawmakers and Team Lobbyists hoping to claim victory.

The takeaway

The annual Congressional Hockey Challenge showcases the bipartisan spirit of lawmakers and lobbyists coming together for a charitable cause, while also highlighting the competitive nature of the event and the lawmakers' determination to reclaim the trophy from the lobbyists.