It was just a pickup hockey game between family and friends but the significance was not lost on former Humboldt Broncos teammates Ryan Straschnitzki and Jacob Wassermann.
The two young men tested out sledge hockey sleds at an arena in Denver in anticipation of a short exhibition game during an extended first period of a National Collegiate Athletic Association game between the University of Denver Pioneers and the Providence Friars on Friday night.
It soon turned into a game of shinny marking the first time both Straschnitzki and Wassermann were on the ice together since the junior hockey players were seriously injured in a fatal bus crash near Tisdale, Sask., last spring.
B次元官网网址淪ome of those guys out there are really B次元官网网址� good and being out with Straz was amazing,B次元官网网址� said 18-year-old Wassermann, who was set up by Straschnitzki for a goal. B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 been out on the ice with him for some time so that was a really good feeling.B次元官网网址�
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Wassermann was playing as a forward, instead of his former position as a goaltender, so he could get used to using the sled.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been a goalie my whole life, so IB次元官网网址檓 not really a scorer or anything. All that playing out there is pretty much new to me, being a goalie when I was very young, but itB次元官网网址檚 fun though.B次元官网网址�
Straschnitzki, 19, has had a lot more time playing sledge hockey and was impressed with WassermannB次元官网网址檚 goal.
B次元官网网址淚 set him up for a nice one. I think it was pretty cool. We got to see each other on the ice and it was fun. This was just a little warm-up for tonight,B次元官网网址� he said.
The two players were presented with autographed Hanson Brothers jerseys from the original movie B次元官网网址淪lapshot.B次元官网网址� There was a lot of laughter and on-ice banter.
B次元官网网址淭hat was fantastic to see them. That was the first time theyB次元官网网址檝e been on the ice together since April 5 and the smiles those two had and the chit-chats,B次元官网网址� said Ryan StraschnitzkiB次元官网网址檚 father, Tom Straschnitzki.
B次元官网网址淚 think they were trying to hit each other too.B次元官网网址�
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The junior hockey careers for the two players ended April 6 when the Humboldt Broncos team bus and a semi-trailer collided. Sixteen people were killed and 13 injured. Straschnitzki was paralyzed from the chest down and Wassermann from below the navel.
WassermannB次元官网网址檚 father, Kirby Wassermann, had mixed feelings as he watched the two former teammates play.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really nice to see them out there again together. ItB次元官网网址檚 been since April and I know JacobB次元官网网址檚 been really excited for the trip,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淏ut at the same time it brings a lot of things back and B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 hard too.B次元官网网址�
Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
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