In one of the greatest showings of sportsmanship, each player from the Calgary Hitmen left the bench to shake Tim Bozon’s hand.
The Hitmen, locked into a playoff series with Bozon’s Kootenay Ice for a pivotal Game 6 on Saturday, added to an emotional and uplifting ceremonial opening faceoff.
Bozon was in Cranbrook, B.C. to watch his team complete an upset victory over the Hitmen in the Western Hockey League’s opening round. That the team won the series in six games is a mere footnote compared to the long odds Bozon once faced in having this special moment.
After being diagnosed with Neisseria Meningitis nearly a month ago, Bozon’s life was in jeopardy. He awoke from an induced coma a week ago, and still has a long road to recovery, but the worst is in the past and the future looks bright for the Montreal Canadiens’ prospect.
Bozon left Saskatoon hospital on Friday. He is heading to Montreal for further medical treatments before going back to Europe.
His father, Philippe, who played parts of four seasons for the St. Louis Blues in the early 1990s, credited Ice athletic therapist Cory Cameron with saving his son’s life for reacting quickly and ultimately making the decision to have Tim head to hospital after a game on Feb. 28.
Bozon’s story is heartwarming but far from reaching its conclusion. As veteran junior scribe Gregg Drinnan notes, the medical costs are overwhelming since his illness was not covered by insurance. The WHL established a trust fund to help the Bozon family with the costs, but according to a source Drinnan spoke with, even with Bozon out of hospital costs are escalating. http://whl.ca/page/getwelltim
Bozon’s teammates won on Saturday, defeating the favoured Hitmen in their opening round series. Kootenay will now face the Medicine Hat Tigers.
HAWRYLUK EXITS HOSPITAL, SENDS TEAM TO VICTORY
Brandon Wheat Kings forward Jayce Hawryluk was instrumental in guiding his team to a first-round upset over the Regina Pats. More impressive still than his performance on the ice is the fact he spent Wednesday night and Thursday in hospital.
After a three goal, four point effort in Game 3 on Wednesday, Hawryluk was admitted to Brandon hospital after collapsing. He was short of breath and lightheaded.
A day later, Hawryluk was back on the ice for Friday’s Game 4. He scored once and added a helper as the Wheat Kings finished the sweep with a decisive 5-1 victory.
Hawryluk was medically cleared to play Friday after leaving hospital around noon. His condition wasn’t deemed serious.
“I was feeling fine (Friday) morning and the doctor cleared me to play so I was going to do whatever I could to be in the lineup tonight with the guys,” Hawryluk told Wheat Kings play-by-play man Bruce Luebke. “After all the support I’ve been receiving from them, I want to be there for them. I was able to play so it was good.”
KNIGHTS ADVANCE, BUT NOT WITHOUT COLLATERAL DAMAGE
There wasn’t any love lost between the London Knights and the Windsor Spitfires.
The two-time defending J. Ross Robertson Cup champion Knights disposed of their bitter rivals in a four-game sweep but not without incidence. In a span of two games, the Knights lost starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz (suspension) and top shutdown defender Zach Bell (broken leg). Add in what appeared to be a knee injury for incumbent goaltender Jake Patterson and the Knights are standing on frigid ground as their second-round series is about to commence with the Guelph Storm.
Stolarz will sit seven more games after swinging his stick and hitting Windsor forward Josh Ho-Sang in the back of the head following a stoppage in play.
Bell, meanwhile, was pushed from behind by Ho-Sang and went in awkwardly into the boards, breaking his right leg. It’s a disappointing way for the overage defenceman to end his OHL career.
The Knights’ next opponent is dealing with similar adversity. The Storm may be without super sophomore Robby Fabbri, who didn’t play in the final four games of his team’s first round series after receiving a check to the head in Game 1 of the series with Plymouth. He told the Guelph Mercury’s Tony Saxon “I have no idea,” when asked if he would be ready for Game 1 with London.
The Storm will also be without veteran speedster Brock McGinn, who was also assessed an eight-game ban by the league.
SPITS GOALIE WALKS OUT ON TEAM DURING GAME
In one of the stranger stories, Windsor goalie Dalen Kuchmey pulled himself in the second period of a lopsided Game 3 loss to London and subsequently left the rink. Kuchmey started in place of regular starter Alex Fotinos, who sat on the bench, ill with the flu, as an emergency backup.
After allowing an eighth goal on 26 shots, Kuchmey skated to the bench and directed Fotinos to take his spot. Kuchmey went immediately to the locker room, changed, then left.
In an interview with the Windsor Star’s Jim Parker, Kuchmey opened up about his decision to walk out on his team and his lost passion for the game.
“They embarrassed me in front of my fans (Tuesday), especially in the playoffs,” Kuchmey said. “He (Boughner) could have put Fotinos in to let the bleeding stop. He knows I wasn’t having a good game and could have recognized it.”
– Terry Trafford’s final few days are chronicled by the Detroit Free Press.
– Kelly McCrimmon opened up about the loss of his brother, Brad, the head coach of the KHL Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team that was all lost to a tragic plane crash in 2011, along with his roots as a Wheat King and in the Western Hockey League.
– GM Lorne Molleken and head coach Dave Struch were the sacrificial lambs on Tuesday as new ownership relieved both men of their duties with the Saskatoon Blades.
– Sam Cosentino looks at the Blades’ decision, and how new ownership and its role in running the team won’t exactly be an appealing landing spot for a head coach.
– After weeks of speculation, Vancouver Canucks defenceman and former Prince George Cougar Dan Hamhuis confirmed he is a part of the group about to buy his former junior team.
– Head coach Yanick Jean was fired by the Victoriaville Tigres on Sunday evening.
– Blainville-Boisbriand’s Ryan Tesink received a five-game suspension for this hit from behind in Thursday’s playoff contest with Moncton.
– Rouyn-Noranada forward Jason Fuchs is doing alright after his blocked shot a week earlier.
– The Huskies created quite the buzz last Monday when they closed their practice off to journalists.
– Two line brawls broke out with less than a minute in regulation of Kingston’s Game 3 win over Peterborough. The Fronts-Petes series is going to a seventh and final game on Tuesday after the Petes rallied from a 3-0 series deficit.
– A line brawl in Game 4 between Acadie-Bathurst and Val-d’Or.