From one Broncos team to another, Friday's bus crash that claimed the lives of 15 from - and involved with - the Humboldt organization is weighing on the hearts and minds of the Swift Current squad.

"I mean the first thought is just 'Oh my God, this... this can't be happening.' The second thought is 'How bad is it?'," said Swift Current associate coach Ryan Smith, a former Coach and GM of Humboldt. "When you first hear something like that you and pray that it's not as bad as initially what you hear." 

Having been one of many around the country with very close ties to the central Saskatchewan city and SJHL team, Smith said it causes the tragedy to stick with you."

"Being that I had been in Humboldt, it definitely was something that had hit closer to home - a place that I lived for a year, and spent a lot of time that season with the Broncos and with the community. So definitely the initial reaction was true sadness."

Once past that initial process, Smith, like millions on social media, took to seeking out those he could help console and start the grieving process with.

"You start to think about all those people that are still there working and living through this. You can't help but feel really bad for them. It's just.. there's no words you can describe to help them," he shared, noting he did still try to find the words.

"I sent a bunch of texts to people that I knew from there that maybe weren't still with the organization, but still I consider friends. When it's a small community like that, everybody is affected in one way or the other."

The ties to those lost reach beyond just Smith in the Swift Current organization, with several players having had to say goodbye to close friends who were taken too soon.

"The biggest thing is to try and get some normalcy, and I think for us right now that we're still playing is a good distraction - it doesn't make it go away, it doesn't stop the pain in some of our players that are really hurting," said Smith of making sure the team's well-being is looked after, including proper counselling resources.

"But, for those two or three hours when the game's on, I think you can put that aside and start playing the game that you love, honouring your friends that were lost or hurt," added Smith. "Maybe playing is still a good thing, I don't know... I don't know what the right answer is. But for us, we just want to support our guys and anybody that we can support."

Smith says that includes anyone in Swift Current and the southwest, and most notably the families of the Humboldt Broncos as well as that city and the surrounding area.

Coming off a two-day break after they split a two-game road stint in Moose Jaw, the Broncos host the Warriors as they resume their second-round series tonight.

Game 3 goes at 7 p.m. from at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex. Listen live to the Eagle 94.1 for Robertson family group Broncos hockey starting at 6:30 p.m.