Having become League Champions the previous week our focus was very much on tuning up for the play-offs last weekend.

That’s what we had hoped, but an injury to our captain, Aaron Connolly, on Saturday evening changed that.

He was checked into the boards in Milton Keynes and suffered a fractured skull.

I had no hesitation appointing Aaron Captain at the beginning of the season, although he’s one of the younger members of the team.

He’s always had leadership qualities and has grown as a leader and as a player this season.

There’s a great togetherness amongst all the players, so it was difficult for us to see him in the locker room so badly injured.

It was an anxious time for us all as he was taken off to hospital.

The good news is that Aaron hopes to be back on the ice again in time for the summer skates.

He’s obviously out of the play-offs, but there was no way he was not going to be around on Sunday to lift the Cup.

He’s overwhelmed by the support and best wishes of so many of the Bison family.

He also wanted to take part in the farewell to Joe Greener. Of course there is great sadness that Joe is going off to America with his family.

He’ll be joining his father-in-law as he returns to the club he first played for when he went over to North America to develop his hockey.

But Joe is leaving as a champion. As he circled the ice with his daughters, it reminded us how much we owe to the families and friends and fans who support us in our chosen sport.

See you on Sunday as we meet Manchester in the quarter-finals of the play-offs.

Join the Stampede one last time this season on home ice.