Paying respect to Humboldt Broncos
The Casselman Vikings and the Carleton Place Canadians paid their respects to the 15 fallen team members of the Humboldt Broncos prior to Game 5 on Sat., April 7 at the Carleton Place Arena. The two teams gathered in a circle at centre ice in a show of unity. Tragedy struck the hockey world on Friday evening near Saskatoon when a tractor trailer slammed into a bus carrying the Broncos. Courtesy Malette photo
HUMBOLDT — On Fri., April 6, a bus carrying 28 members of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League was struck by a tractor trailer killing 15 team members and injuring the remaining 13.
The Broncos were en route to Nipawin in southern Saskatchewan just northeast of Saskatoon to play against the Hawks for Game 5 of their playoff series when the accident occurred. There is an ongoing investigation by the RCMP to see what may have been a factor in the accident, which happened around 6 p.m. local time.
The players’ names were released early Sunday morning: Adam Herald (age 16), Connor Lukan (21), Evan Thomas (18), Jacob Leicht (19), Jaxon Joseph (20), Logan Boulet (21), Logan Hunter (18), Logan Schatz (20), Stephan Back (21) and Xavier Labelle (18). It was announced on Monday that there had been a mix up at the coroner’s office and that Labelle was alive, though injured, while goalie Parker Tobin (18) was deceased.
Others whose lives were taken were: statistician Brody Hinz (18), general manager and head coach Darcy Haugan (42), bus driver Glen Doerksen (59), assistant coach Mark Cross (27) and play-by-play announcer Tyler Bieber (29).
This is the second tragedy to strike the minor hockey world after it happened closer to home on Oct. 17, 2017 near Burnstown, where four members of the Renfrew Timberwolves of the CCHL2 were involved in a serious accident, two of whom were killed.
