The rebuilt Humboldt Broncos hockey team is heading to the playoffs.
The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team was devastated after its bus and a transport truck collided at a rural intersection almost a year ago.
Sixteen people B次元官网网址� including 10 players B次元官网网址� were killed and 13 players were injured.
Two surviving players returned this season, but the rest of the team was essentially built from scratch after a May training camp.
The final games of the leagueB次元官网网址檚 regular season were held on Tuesday night.
The Broncos finished sixth out of 12 teams with 35 wins in 58 games and 74 points.
The Broncos will play the Estevan Bruins in the first playoff round starting on March 15.
B次元官网网址淚t will be a tough series,B次元官网网址� Scott Barney, interim head coach of the team, said in an interview with The Canadian Press. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e got a great team down there. TheyB次元官网网址檝e got a lot of older, veteran players who have a lot of experience.B次元官网网址�
He said he marvels at how quickly his rebuilt team has bonded over the season and how players have turned that bond into success on the ice.
B次元官网网址淭he guys came together pretty quickly out of training camp,B次元官网网址� said Barney, who was assistant coach for the first half of the season. B次元官网网址淚t seems like they are all playing for each other.B次元官网网址�
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Alternate captain Michael Clarke, who joined the team this year, said the Broncos have surpassed everyoneB次元官网网址檚 expectations.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think many of us knew what we were getting ourselves into coming into the year B次元官网网址� just with what happened and with so many new players being on the same team and not playing together, it was a bit of a learning curve,B次元官网网址� the centreman said.
Fans have filled the Elgar Petersen Arena to watch the Broncos play and others have cheered the team from afar as it rebuilt.
Clarke, who was the top scorer with 71 points, said he thinks they have handled the outside pressure well.
B次元官网网址淲e tried to shut that out and keep motivated within the room.B次元官网网址�
Clarke wears the B次元官网网址淎B次元官网网址� along with fellow centres Brayden Camrud and Derek Patter, the two survivors of the bus crash who are back on the team.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 good in the sense that it helps us relate to what happened even more,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪eeing two guys, Brayden and Derek, to be able to play through something like that and come back this year.
B次元官网网址淭hey want to play the game they love B次元官网网址� it motivates the rest of the guys.B次元官网网址�
Camrud overcame a severe concussion, loss of feeling in one of his arms and neck issues. He had 27 goals and 28 assists during the regular season.
Patter, who still struggles with a leg injury, had 10 goals and 11 assists.
Barney said the three alternate captains have brought the rest of the team together.
B次元官网网址淗aving the older players that we do have in the room has really made a big difference with our team,B次元官网网址� he said.
The Broncos lost their coach, Darcy Haugan, in the crash. His replacement, Nathan Oystrick, parted ways with the team in late December.
Barney took over as interim head coach for the rest of the season. He said the players have adjusted well to the changes.
B次元官网网址淭hey seemed to buy in right away,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t showed in our performance.
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B次元官网网址淲e obviously didnB次元官网网址檛 want to change too much, so we just got them all believing in each other again, which is the biggest thing when someone new takes over.B次元官网网址�
Barney, a former professional hockey player from Oshawa, Ont., said he has high hopes for the playoffs.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got to keep the guys focused on the task at hand and obviously make things fun, too.B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址� By Colette Derworiz in Edmonton
The Canadian Press
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