AJHL remembers Humboldt Broncos at opener of championship series

A packed Parson Centennial Arena in Okotoks saw the opening game in the Alberta Junior Hockey League Championship Series Friday night.

The Okotoks Oilers and the Spruce Grove Saints both battling to be named number one in the league, with the Saints taking the first game in overtime 4-3.

But it wasn’t all celebration, as the match comes in the shadow of the April 6th crash that killed 16 members of the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos and injuring 13 more.

For AJHL members, the crash hits close to home as Broncos head coach Darcy Haugan coached the North Peace Navigators before taking over the Broncos bench. For the Saints, both Connor Lukan and Parker Tobin called the team home for a time before joining the Broncos. Lukan and Tobin both died in the incident

Before puck drop on Friday night, the two teams circled centre ice and took a moment to remember those affected by the crash.

Saints head coach Rob Sklaruk said that he is proud of how his team has been there for one another.

“They have shown a lot of love and support for each other, and should be very proud of how they have lifted each other up,” Sklaruk said.

It is a sentiment echoed by Oilers coach Tyler Deis who said that both teams are fortunate they have made it to the final because it allows them to lean on their teammates and communicate with each other.

“A lot of other teams don’t have that, they are all scattered across western Canada or North America. We are lucky in the sense we are still playing that the guys can, and we can go through this experience as a team,” Deis said.

Deis and Sklaruk both expressing the teams will be focusing on the most important and basic part of the game for a team, the love of hockey and desire to win.

On Sunday, the sentiment of remembering the Broncos will continue at Parson Centennial with former AJHL, WHL and NHL players hitting the ice in a charity game with all proceeds going to the team.

The doors open at 2:30 p.m., with a formal presentation at 3 p.m. followed by puck drop at 3:30 p.m.. Entrance is a minimum $5 donation, with all proceeds going to the Broncos.

The National Lacrosse League is also honouring the Broncos as the Saskatchewan Rush and Georgia Swarm are holding a jersey auction.

Both teams are set to play in Saskatoon Sunday with the Broncos logo on their jerseys.

Bidding for the jerseys goes until April 21st at NLL.com/humboldt.

The Vancouver Stealth will also hold a jersey auction following Friday’s game against Saskatchewan.

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