Avalanche, Huskies honor 11-year-old hockey player from Eagle
Lewis Browning, who died after being struck by a car Thursday in Vail, remembered at Friday’s NHL game in Denver
Word of the tragedy that occurred following a hockey practice in Vail on Thursday didn’t take long to reach the sport’s highest echelon.
Lewis Browning of Eagle was honored at a National Hockey League game on Friday in Denver after being hit by a vehicle and killed Thursday in Vail.
Browning, 11, was struck on the east side of the Lionshead Parking Structure on the ground level, a spokesperson from the town of Vail has confirmed.
The ground level of the structure is accessed through a one-way access gate in the structure’s East Lionshead Circle entrance; the ground level cannot be accessed through the structure’s main entrance on South Frontage Road.
An initial investigation by police shows no signs of careless driving, according to the news release issued Thursday. No report was available as of Sunday as Vail police were still investigating the incident, a town spokesperson confirmed in an email.
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Browning was leaving the Dobson Ice Arena in Vail on Thursday. The east side of the Lionshead Parking Structure provides convenient access to the rink via the parking structure’s ground level entrance on East Lionshead Circle.
Flowers, hockey sticks and jerseys, posters and notes to Lewis now adorn the area near where Browning was struck.
Browning was a goalie for the local Vail Mountaineers, an under-12 hockey team.
Many of the Browning’s teammates and coaches with the Vail Mountaineers were at the Colorado Avalanche game on Friday where Browning’s memory was honored with a moment of reflection.
Browning’s picture was displayed on the Jumbotron, and below the image the ice was lit in the colors of the Colorado state flag and the players on the ice bowed their heads in remembrance.
The announcer told the crowd about the incident that occurred in Vail on Thursday and what Browning meant to the entire Colorado hockey community.
“Lewis’ spirit exemplified love for the game of hockey, his teammates, and the Avalanche,” he said.
Huskies retire No. 30
The Battle Mountain boys hockey team also memorialized Browning Friday by starting its game with empty nets, running the clock for 30 seconds in honor of Browning’s No. 30. The Huskies program also retired the No. 30.
The Huskies split their weekend home games, losing to Chaparral 4-2 on Friday before defeating Resurrection Christian 1-0 in overtime on Saturday. The Huskies moved to 5-3 on the season and 2-1 in league play.
“I thought we battled really well,” coach Derek Byron said about facing the top-tier 5A competition.
“It was obviously a pretty hard weekend for everybody with the passing of Lewis,” Byron said, noting that many of his athletes knew Browning. “So, it was a pretty emotional weekend, and it was good just to play well.”
The No. 2 (in class 4A) Huskies entered Friday’s contest against the No. 8 (in 5A) Wolverines riding a three-game winning streak. During that stretch, they had outscored their opponents 22-4. On Saturday against Resurrection Christian, however, the Huskies needed to rely on defense and the stellar play of goalie Logan Gremmer.
“Our goalie was outstanding,” Byron said of Gremmer. “He played lights out.”
Byron said it was an emotional weekend.
“It was definitely difficult for the entire community,” he said.
The Huskies play Summit at home on Jan. 21 at 3:30 p.m. before traveling to Glenwood Springs for another league game on Jan. 22.
—Ryan Sederquist contributed reporting
