Humboldt Broncos remembered, honoured at start of Saskatchewan Junior Hockey league finals
'I want them to know there's an entire province in that dressing room with them,' says premier
Nearly 1,200 fans, including Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, are attending the first game of what will likely be an emotional and bittersweet Saskatchewan Junior Hockey league finals, just over a week after the deadly bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos.
"It's part of making our way through a tragic event," said Moe before the game.
"I give these young men in this league, and on these two teams, all the credit and all of my accolades for lacing up here this evening and making their way through this," he said.
"I want them to know there's an entire province in that dressing room with them."
Tonight's game features the Estevan Bruins visiting the Nipawin Hawks.
Hawks coach Doug Johnson said the beginning of the game will be the toughest.
"I believe the first five minutes of the game, there'll be emotions flying everywhere, especially for the guys on the ice," said Hawks
Tonight’s playing teams, the Estevan Bruins and the Nipawin Hawks, formed a circle around those first responders. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sask?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sask</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/saskatchewan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#saskatchewan</a> <a href="https://t.co/iIGEbIQiza">pic.twitter.com/iIGEbIQiza</a>
—@gq_in_skBut after those first few minutes, he believes the players will feel their passion for the sport will take hold, as they realize, "'OK, this is hockey, this is what I've done since I was three years old,'" he said.
"That repetition is going to set in and it's going to be hockey as usual."
The season's end was in doubt after the April 6 crash involving the Broncos' team bus and a semi-trailer. Sixteen people on the bus have died.
The team had been en route to Nipawin for Game 5 of the semifinal series against the Hawks.
The SJHL made the announcement Wednesday on social media that, after much discussion, its board had unanimously decided to continue the league playoffs.
Broncos president Kevin Garinger wanted the playoffs to continue, saying playing hockey is part of the healing process.
Jim Goodlad from Melfort, Sask., attended the game. He visited the site of the crash before going to the arena in Nipawin.
"It's going to be emotional for the players, but a sense of relief too. Now the next chapter is going forward," he said.
"There's going to be sadness, there's going to be happiness, there's going to be a mixed emotion and I'm sure everybody's going to feel the same thing."
Both the Estevan and Nipawin hockey teams have planned tributes and fundraising drives in support of the Broncos.