Photo By Patrick Griffith | U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Stanislav V. Barilov, 316th Security Forces Group executive officer, reaches to make a save for the D.C. Armed Forces Hockey Club during a game at Piney Orchard Ice Arena in Odenton, Maryland, June 27, 2026. Barilov led the D.C. club to the Division C2 Championship at the 2026 Heroes Cup charity tournament earlier in the month. (U.S. Air Force photo by Patrick Griffith) see less
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Security forces lieutenant backstops D.C. team to Heroes Cup hockey title
U.S. Air Force 1stLt. Stanislav V. Barilov, 316thSecurity Forces Group executive officer, patrolled the crease for the D.C. Armed Forces Hockey Club as they won the Division C2 Championship at the 2026 Heroes Cup tournament, June 5-7 in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
The D.C. club finished 5-0 in the tournament, and Barilov started as goalie in four of those wins, including the final: a 5-1 victory over the Framingham Fire Department.
The Heroes Cup is a charity tournament held annually in collaboration with the Boston Bruins Foundation to raise money for the Healing Heroes Foundation. It brings together teams comprised of law enforcement, military and first responders. This year, 90 teams competed across 11 divisions. Division C2, where the D.C. club played, was the fourth-highest division based on skill and experience.
This year's tournament raised about $450,000, benefiting dozens of charities supporting first responders, military members, veterans and their families, according to Healing Heroes Foundation officials. A check for $1,000 was donated on behalf of the D.C. hockey club to signify their division win.
“It was super cool to give back to the Healing Heroes Foundation by winning the championship and give them a $1,000 to a charitable donation to take care of those people that perform in the high-stress environments within first responders and the military community,” Barilov said.
Barilov has been playing for the D.C. hockey club for four years, including when they won the division in the Heroes Cup tournament in 2023 and 2024. Last year, they made it to the championship game, leading 2-0 before giving up three straight goals and suffering a 3-2 loss.
“We were stopped short of getting our three-peat last year, so we came back with a vengeance and were able to get the victory this year,” he said.
The team has about 50 regular players from all services in the D.C. area, as well as veterans and retirees. There are a handful of players from Andrews, but Barilov was the only one who made the trip to Massachusetts for the tournament.
For many service members, Barilov said hockey provides an escape from the stresses of military life and creates a sense of belonging that extends beyond the rink.
“Serving in the military kind of unites us, and for a lot of people it's a community,” Barilov said. “It’s not just the players, but also friends and family.”
He noted that the team has a member who is deployed overseas, and they have supported him by sending care packages.
“We wanted to show that he's not just a part of the military family but also part of the hockey military family,” he said.
Barilov started playing hockey as a kid and switched to goalie when he was eight. He also coaches the St. James Hockey Club, an under-16 youth team with players from the local area.
Barilov and the D.C. armed forces club stay active with pickup games and tournaments in the area. Their next big test will be when they travel in November to Las Vegas, N.V., for the 2026 Armed Services Hockey Association Veterans Day Tournament.
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