Antonin Honejsek was out of breath and grinning broadly as he was the last skater to leave the ice at Moose Jaw Warrior practice Tuesday.
The 19-year-old Czech left winger is trying to get his conditioning back after missing 16 games with a broken ankle. Even as he’s pushing himself to be game-fit, he’s enjoying being back on the ice.
“I know I’m slow right now. I did nothing for the last month,” said Honejsek.
“I was pretty frustrated after three weeks. It was a bad time, but now I’m back and I’m ready for the playoffs and to win the Memorial Cup.”
Honejsek’s return couldn’t have come at a better time. Not only do the Warriors open the playoffs Friday against Kootenay, but they do so with a lot of question marks up front.
Tuesday the Warriors learned that left winger Brett Lyon would miss the first two games of the Kootenay series after being accessed a four-game suspension by the league for his hit on Saskatoon’s Jake Trask on Mar. 16. Lyon has served two of those four games.
Forwards Cody Beach (knee), Brayden Cuthbert (concussion), Tanner Eberle (upper body), Jordan Wyton and defenceman Dylan McIlrath all didn’t practice Tuesday.
Warrior head coach Dave Hunchak said Wyton and McIlrath were taking “maintenance days.” McIlrath practiced Monday, while Wyton hasn’t skated since Saturday’s final regular season game in Brandon.
“I think we’ll see Dylan skate (Wednesday) and Wyton may get another day’s rest here,” said Hunchak.
Cuthbert hasn’t played since Jan. 22 and there is still no timetable for his return. Saturday, Eberle suffered a recurrence of an injury he picked up while playing with the midget AAA Tisdale Trojans.
“Cody Beach is questionable for the weekend,” said Hunchak.
If none of the injured players are able to play in Game 1, the Warriors will be down to 10 of their regular forwards.
Torrin White, a 16-year-old who played midget AAA with the UFA Bisons in Alberta, is back at home attending school after playing in the Warriors final three games. While will re-join the team on their way to Kootenay and could dress. He scored a goal and added an assist in his three games.
