Ryan Straschnitzki of Airdrie will take to the ice today (September 15) for his first game since that terrible day in April when the Humboldt Broncos team bus was hit by a semi-trailer leaving 16 people dead and Ryan paralyzed and with multiple other injuries.  

And, if Ryan has his way, he'll be playing the game that, one day, he will represent his country in.  

Straschnitzki will be on the ice this afternoon at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Winsport in Calgary for Cowboys 'n Sleds, a charity sledge hockey game with proceeds going to STARS Air Ambulance and the StrazStrong Foundation.

Straschnitzki will play on an all-star team with country singer George Canyon and paralympian Chris Cederstrand.  They'll face off against a team of World Professional Chuckwagon Association outriders. 

Straschnitzki has been working on the sled in preparation for today's game and in hopes of one day representing Canada at the Paralympics.

Doors open at noon today and the game begins at 2:00 pm.  The players will be signing autographs before the game.  Select game-worn jerseys can be bid on this afternoon with proceeds going to the two beneficiaries.  After the game, Canyon and Aaron Pritchett, who entertained at AirdrieFEST last weekend, will play an acoustic concert.   

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