December 31, 2018: Another game, another point. It had become the standard for Shane Conacher, who has recorded 97 points in 111 career ECHL regular-season games.

But unbeknownst to many, there weren't many days around that period that were standard for Conacher.

"I felt uncomfortable," Conacher recalled. "I wasn't in pain - I didn't feel any different physically than I had a few months prior - but I finally had to speak up and say something about it."

At the advice of team doctor Erin Morine, Conny, as his teammates, coaches and admirers all lovingly call Conacher, played through the 2018 calendar year before knowing that something else was needed. The 24-year-old returned to the medical staff seeking more assistance with his discomfort.

"She [Morine] got me in for an ultrasound at Glens Falls Hospital right away on that Wednesday, January 2," Conacher remembered. "I got to the rink the following day and headed straight for [Thunder Athletic Trainer] Aisha's [Visram] office to see if she got the results."

It was the worst news delivered thus far to Conacher. Visram told the forward that the scan found something of concern and he needed to see a urologist in Saratoga, NY. While still not thinking too much of it, Conacher left for the doctor that afternoon.

Conacher delivered his disk with the ultrasound results to the doctor's office.

"When the nurse practitioner came back, she told me, 'There's a 95-percent chance this is testicular cancer and we're treating it as testicular cancer until proven otherwise,'" he explained.

The third-year pro hockey player was referred to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo to get his surgery completed to remove the mass. The hospital is close to home for the Burlington, Ontario native and the 30-minute drive was an easy one to make.