One of the best parts of taking in sports is the escape it gives you from everything else in life. In a cruel twist of fate, five years ago Lokomotiv Yaroslavl lost their entire team on a flight while traveling to play the game that they loved. To honor those that had passed, Team Russia held a moment of silence at center ice of their practice in preparation of the World Cup of Hockey.
Team Russia holds a moment of silence to honor those lost in Lokomotiv Yaroslavl crash 5 years ago. pic.twitter.com/hyaXPosWbE
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) September 7, 2016
While the gesture may not seem like much, it ensures that their legacy will never be forgotten.
There are no games in KHL on September 7th. And never will be. #RIPLokomotiv pic.twitter.com/D7wCYFteCH
— KHL (@khl_eng) September 7, 2016
There is so much more to life than hockey and it is tough to remember that fact. Observing these types of moments allow us to properly contextualize what the game means in the grand scheme of things.