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SJHL begins league final in wake of Humboldt tragedy

The SJHL is continuing the league’s playoffs after April 6’s Humboldt Broncos bus accident.
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The SJHL is continuing the league’s playoffs after April 6’s Humboldt Broncos bus accident.

The Estevan Bruins and the Nipawin Hawks started the Canalta Cup final on April 14 in Nipawin, playing the league’s first game after 16 people with the Broncos died in a bus crash en route to a game against the Hawks in Nipawin.

After a league-wide conference call on April 11, the Hawks’ series with the Broncos was cancelled and the Hawks received a spot in the league finals. The Bruins had already earned a spot in the championship round after defeating the Battlefords North Stars in five games.

Before game one, the teams held an emotional opening ceremony, with both teams lining up around the centre ice circle with first responders and holding a moment of silence for the victims.

Both teams wore green and yellow memorial ribbons with the phrase “Humboldt Strong” on their uniforms.

While driving to Nipawin, the Bruins team stopped at the site of the accident, where a memorial has been built. Players and personnel laid flowers down and prayed at the site, which has been filled with messages, hockey equipment and memorial items since the accident.

Through two games, the Bruins and Hawks have split the series, with Estevan winning game one 5-2 and Nipawin getting a 4-1 victory in game two.

Games three and four will be held in Estevan on April 17 and 18. Results for game three were
not available before press time.

Across the provincial border in Manitoba, the MJHL restarted its own league final series on April 12 after a six-day postponement. The series between the Virden Oil Capitals and the Steinbach Pistons began on April 6 but was postponed after the accident.

Virden leads the series 2-1 as of Monday afternoon.

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