The Steinbach Pistons are moving forward after a very difficult past few days. They had just lost the opening game of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League final Friday night when they learned of the terrible tragedy involving the Humboldt Broncos. The league postponed game two of the series Sunday night as everyone tried to come to grips with what had happened. In an interview Tuesday, Pistons' head coach and general manager Paul Dyck told us how they have worked through this as a team.

"We decided as a group that we were going to have some open discussion and dialogue in our dressing room and help our guys to heal and process this in the attempts of being able to move forward at some point. That was on Saturday. We had an open skate on Sunday. A few guys arrived and a few guys just came in to watch the Master's (golf tournament) and spend some time together. And then yesterday (Monday), we felt we needed to take a step forward, we felt like we needed to get back on the ice as a group, doing something that would maybe bring a smile to our face for a few minutes, which it did."

Dyck says they also spent some time to discuss how they will honour and pay tribute to the Humboldt Broncos Thursday in Virden.

"We're going to have Broncos name bars on the back of our jerseys, we're going to be wearing green and yellow tape, we'll have stickers on our helmets. At our game here on Saturday, we're going to donate our 50/50 portion and we'll do a moment of silence and things of that nature. We're just talking about what's ahead here. We felt it was very important for our guys to grieve, there's no question that's part of the healing process, but, you know, every day is a little bit better."

Dyck says he is actually beginning to look forward to getting on the bus Thursday to go play hockey in Virden.

"We're never going to forget this moment and we don't want to. People have asked, what's it going to be like to get on that bus on Thursday. I think Sunday would have been too raw for us and thankfully we postponed the series. On Thursday now, there's a part of me that's really looking forward to it. It's part of taking the next step. I knew Darcy Haugan, the coach in Humboldt and he would want us to play, I know that. He's a hockey guy, he's a tremendous man and he'd be looking down right now saying, guys, it's time to go and pursue your goal of a championship."

Dyck says as hard as this is, the team will grow from it.

"Our group is very close as it is. I have felt that and I think we'll be closer for it. They guys are leaning on each other and speaking with one another."