Yorkton’s Farrell Agencies Arena is usually filled with orange and black, but those colours were traded in for green and yellow on Thursday night for a benefit hockey game in support of the Humboldt Broncos.
Zach McIntyre is an affiliate player for the Broncos, and played a handful of games with the team this season. He says the benefit game was one way for him to heal.
“I’m just happy to be a part, and play for my friends,” McIntyre said. “They’re my friends and whatever I can do, they probably wouldn’t want everyone to shut down and be sad about that, they’d want to keep going, and play for them and just have fun.”
Two teams made up of past and present players from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, Western Hockey League and even the NHL took the ice in front of a packed arena.
“I’m not doing anything big, but being able to come here and kind of show my support for those guys and those families, I thought it was very important,” said New York Islanders defenceman Ryan Pulock.
Pulock’s brother was killed in a car accident in 2010. He says he remembers how difficult the days, months, and years following the crash were for his family.
“You find little things to help you through it,” Pulock said. “For me, hockey was a big one.”
The Yorkton Terriers were also represented on the ice by defenceman Ben Solomon, who lost close friend Adam Herold in the Broncos bus crash. The two played Midget AAA hockey together for the Regina Pat Canadians.
“He’d be truly honored, and very happy I guess, that there’s people that are willing to support him,” Solomon said.
The exact total from Thursday’s fundraising effort will likely take a few days to calculate, but early estimations put the number of dollars raised over the 50 thousand mark. Once counted, the proceeds from the game will go to the Humboldt Broncos organization.
Based on a report by CTV Yorkton's Stefanie Davis
