A chill fell over Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw on Saturday night as the on-ice rivals banded together for something bigger than hockey.
One by one, the Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos players slowly gathered at centre ice, the sound of skates on ice filling the otherwise silent building.
A moment of silence echoed at Canadian Hockey League areas across the country, remembering the victims of the Humboldt Broncos team bus crash on Friday night.
The teams donned Humboldt Broncos decals on their helmets, while volunteers collected donations to help those affected.
A former Humboldt Bronco himself, WHL Commissioner Ron Robison flew in from Calgary to meet with staff about potentially cancelling the game in the wake of the news.
“The first thing is to make sure the players are feeling well enough to play the game,” Robison told reporters.
“In discussion with the professional support we have surrounding the players, professional counselors and other support felt it’s important to maintain your regular routine as much as possible.”
Moose Jaw Warriors general manager Alan Millar admitted the day was “numbing,” especially for players with close connections to the Broncos.
“There are players on our team who went to high school with those players, who played for the Moose Jaw Generals. We had a Hall of Famer’s son there,” Millar said.
“If you don’t feel right, if there’s mourning, if there’s grief… whether it’s today, tomorrow, or sometime next week, make sure you’re coming to see me and we’re offering the support and help with the resources we have.”
For the Swift Current Broncos, the unfolding tragedy opens up old wounds.
It’s been 31 years since their team bus also crashed, killing four players.
“We have an inclination of what Humboldt is going through right now. It’s a really tough time,” Swift Current Broncos board chairman Trent McLeary said.
“Everybody grieves their own way. You can’t tell them how to grieve and there’s no right way to go through this. It’s just day-by-day, but you can see how the hockey world is surrounding them right now.
“It’s going to be hard, I guarantee it — but the whole world is behind them.”
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