Last night the Fort Frances High Muskies Girls hockey team honoured Sierra Hoppe who passed away suddenly Feb. 26.
As part of their tribute to Hoppe the Muskies used red tape on their hockey sticks as well as adding red tape to their uniforms and wearing red ribbons in their hair. Red was Hoppe’s favourite colour.
There was also a ceremony ahead of the matchup between the Sioux North Warriors and the Muskies. Players all stood together around the centre ice circle for a moment of silence and the Muskies players gave the players and coaches on the Warriors red carnations.
After the game Warriors head coach Jason Murphy says he appreciated what the hockey community has done in the wake of the tragic loss.
“The hockey community has certainly reached out and had lots of support for the family and our team,” Murphy said. “I think it’s just a really nice gesture for Fort Frances to do that. I know the family personally and I know they certainly appreciate it. Muskies player Piper Miller says while the Muskies didn’t know Hoppe personally, some of the Muskies players do know players on the Warriors. Miller says the tribute is not something she’d done before but she liked having the opportunity to do it.
“Honestly it’s nothing I’ve personally experienced, I know some of the girls have before, but it was different, it was something else, but it was nice,” Miller said. “None of us really knew [Hoppe] personally but some of us knew some of the players and it hit them close,supporting them with the red tape and everything [felt like] it helped.”
In addition to the on-ice tribute the Muskies also raffled off a pair of tickets to a Winnipeg Jets game in an effort to support Hoppe’s family. The final total raised was $1,720.55.
After the tribute the Muskies went on to win the game 8-4 with Miller scoring 4 goals.
