Hockey teams and fans across the country continue to mourn for the Humboldt Broncos, and the dozens of families touched by tragedy.
In Stayner today, there were plenty of emotional moments before the Junior C semi-final game between the Stayner Siskins and the Lakefield Chiefs.
One by one, the victims’ names were read over the loud speaker, “Connor Lukan, 21. Glen Doerksen, bus driver.”
After a moment of silence, the two teams formed a circle at centre ice to show unity, while fans watched solemnly from the stands.
For the players and coaching staff, the crash which claimed the lives of 15 people and injured 14 others in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, has been hard to digest.
“We’re a town of about 5,000 people, they’re 6,000 people. They’ve got a rink that seats 1,800 people, ours seats 850. So, you know, you bring your whole community out to watch those playoff games, and they’re such a big part of the community too,” says Siskins general manager Richard Gauthier.
Many players were back on the bus the next day, struggling to find words to express how they were feeling about the crash.
“I just didn’t know what to say. I was speechless, I guess. We kind of just sat around the kitchen table in silence,” says forward Ben Hughes.
The crash has also been on the minds of all parents this weekend at hockey rinks across Barrie.
“It’s something that unites us as a country,” reflects parent Shawn Ridsdale.
