Moose Jaw players seeking normalcy
With teammate Garrett Robinson in a coma in a Regina hospital Tuesday, the Moose Jaw Warriors tried to get back to their regular routine.
The players went to class at Vanier Collegiate and had their first regular practice since Robinson suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a two-vehicle accident Sunday.
Warriors forward Carter Smith was driving the car with Robinson in the passenger seat and goaltender Joey Perricone in the back on the driver’s side. Robinson took the brunt of the collision as a truck hit them from the side. The accident took place shortly after the players returned from an Alberta road trip.
Smith and Perricone both practiced Tuesday after they, along the rest of the team, skated Monday. The Warriors are preparing for a game in Prince Albert Friday night. While the status of the Warriors home-and-home series with Prince Albert is still being evaluated daily, it was still scheduled to go ahead as of press time.
“We’ve decided to have our days as standard and routine as possible,” said Warriors head coach Steve Young. “We think it’s important to get that structure back. We’re practicing at our normal time. The players went to school today. They have study hall.”
The mood was understandably more subdued than usual as practice began. By the end of the 75-minute session, however, the players were more vocal and the mood clearly lighter – if only temporarily.
“I thought it was OK today,” said Young of the mood of the team. “As coaches we’re always aware of the mental aspect.”
“They’re great athletes, but they’re still young men.
“The biggest thing is that we didn’t just become a family this weekend. Some of these guys have been here two or three years. They’ve always been a tight-knit group here and I think that’s paying dividends.”
Smith was wearing a yellow jersey denoting an injured player and sat out some of the drills. His status is day to day heading into the two-game series on the weekend.
“It’s just bumps and bruises,” said Young, who added that Smith was a little sorer after having skated Monday.
Perricone, who had a visible cut on his forehead, looked sharp in goal and was horsing around with Jason Bast toward the end of practice.