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Concussions and concussion-like symptoms continue to deplete the roster of the Halifax Mooseheads.

Evident in Sunday’s road game in Rimouski, the team dressed only 19 players, skating with five blueliners.

Missing from the lineup with confirmed concussions are goaltender Anthony Terenzio, sniper Martin Frk and defenseman Steve Gillard. Both Darcy Ashley and Trey Lewis were sidelined during the the team’s weekend roadtrip after experiencing concussion-like symptoms.

“[Saturday] during the game I was feeling headachey and wasn’t feeling myself. I finished the game and I talked to trainer Diane Ouimet and she said I probably wouldn’t play,” says 20-year-old veteran blueliner Trey Lewis.

“I went and talked to her again [before Sunday's game] and I felt better, the headache had gone away. But I talked to coach Dominique Ducharme and he said it’s best to just sit out and play it cautious instead of getting hit again and being out longer.”

Steve Gillard had been out of the lineup since taking a heavy hit October 5 against the Moncton Wildcats and he returned to the lineup Friday and Saturday but sat out once again Sunday because the symptoms returned.

“He’s definitely disappointed,” says Lewis. “You hate to see that happen to him because I know he was looking forward to getting back in the lineup.”

Meanwhile, forward Martin Frk hasn’t played a regular season game this year. He was sidelined in preseason action. Frk has begun practicing again with no contact and accompanied the team on its roadtrip. The team has said Frk will likely return to the lineup before the new year.

Seventeen-year-old Goaltender Anthony Terenzio hasn’t played since a 5-0 loss to the Saint John Sea Dogs October 21. He remained in Halifax while the team travelled through Quebec. There is no timeline for his return.

Just as the Mooseheads have five players out of the lineup with concussions, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced Sidney Crosby will return to the lineup Monday night. Crosby has been sidelined since January with a concussion.

Lewis says ever since Crosby took that second hit in January headshots and concussions have come to the forefront.

“With Crosby, you hate to say it’s a good thing, but it’s almost a good thing that Sidney Crosby is the one out,” he says. “Because people are really starting to take it seriously and I think that’s really what we need to do.”

Despite the rash of concussions the team has surprised with a 14-7-1-1 record sitting in eighth place in the overall standings.