John Brownschidle says he really wasn’t afraid. In fact, if not for the scars on his body from the surgeries, the whole experience of fighting cancer last summer would seem like some dream, like something that happened to someone else.

“I don’t know if I was scared as much as I was annoyed,” Brownschidle said Saturday before Canisius High’s hockey practice.

Annoyed? That’s a new one. Cancer as an annoyance. Like a high stick to the side of the head, something to be shrugged off as you skate on to the next phase of your life.

Well, Brownschidle is a hockey player, a senior center and co-captain for the Crusaders. He’s also the youngest son of Jack Brownschidle, an Amherst native who spent nine years in the NHL as a rock-solid defenseman. Hockey players pride themselves on their toughness, on being able to take a big hit and come back even stronger.

But no parent is prepared for the news that Jack and Kathy Brownschidle got last June, when doctors told them John had a tumor in his lower abdomen. It was Burkitt’s lymphoma, a highly aggressive, often life-threatening cancer that normally affects children.

“It was scary,” Jack said. “As prevalent as cancer is, you never think it’s going to hit home so close. It did, and it was obviously a difficult time for our family. I’ve never prayed so much in my life.”

One minute, John was preparing for his summer vacation, and the next he was beginning a four-month schedule of chemotherapy treatment at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Six days in the hospital, two weeks out. Then back in for six days and so on.

After a month, John’s hair fell out. There was a spell where he had bad headaches. Other than that, he says it wasn’t a big deal. The worst part, the greatest annoyance, was having to lie down for an hour after they gave him a spinal tap.

John’s biggest concern was how his family would take it. “I didn’t want them to be sad,” he said. Oh, and he was worried about hockey. But he figured after four months of treatment, he’d be ready for his final year at Canisius.

Terry Miller, the Crusaders’ coach, wasn’t thinking about hockey when he got the news. “I was in shock,” Miller said. “When you hear the word ‘cancer,’ your first thought is, ‘He’s only a kid.’ ”

Miller also thought about his sister, Heather, who died of a heart virus in 1991 when she was 12. Heather was the baby, the only girl in a family of five boys. One of them, Aaron, made it to the NHL. It all came flooding back to Terry when he heard about John. Why do we make such a big deal about hockey, a game, he thought? This is a person’s life.

Jack Brownschidle had sorrowful memories of his own rush to the surface. Twelve years earlier, his younger brother, Jeff, had died in a car crash. Jeff had played hockey all his life and made it briefly to the NHL.

“Your thoughts can wander,” Jack said, the emotion evident in his voice. “I was an emotional basket case, quite honestly. I think even more, it gave me an appreciation for what my parents went through when Jeff passed away.”

John got a heightened appreciation, too, during his battle with cancer. He would spend time at Roswell Park, surrounded by all these wonderful children, many of them much sicker than he, and wonder where they found the strength.

“The little kids take it a lot easier,” he said. “There was one kid who had leukemia. He would be running around on the floor. He probably didn’t understand as much, I guess. I felt bad, almost guilty that I had a shorter treatment and mine wasn’t as aggressive as theirs.”

His father had never set foot in Roswell Park before. Jack was amazed at the doctors, at their boundless capacity for making the experience as easy as possible. He was also amazed by the dignified manner in which his son handled his illness.

“I’ve never been prouder of anyone than I was of John the way he handled this adversity,” Jack said. “I’ve got to tell you, he made it easier for us. He was incredibly strong. He told us not to worry, he was going to get through this. I remember on one trip home from Roswell, John told us how lucky he was, after seeing what some of the other kids had to endure.”

Lucky. Terry Miller would tell you he’s the lucky one. He’s had three Brownschidles in his time at Canisius, and each one has been a joy. Brian and Matt were top students who went to college at Notre Dame, same as their dad. Miller said Jack Brownschidle hasn’t said a cross word to him in eight years.

Miller says John has never complained or asked for special treatment. But he promised him his spot on the roster would be safe. Miller wondered how he would treat him. How do you rip a kid for a bad shift when he’s beaten cancer? But John came back and, after a slow start, hasn’t missed a beat.

John, who stands 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, is playing a regular shift for Canisius, which is off to its best start in years.

The Crusaders are 13-5-1 overall, 9-2-1 in the Federation after Sunday’s 3-1 loss to Williamsville North. John assisted on the Canisius goal. Watching him dig out pucks behind the net, you’d never guess he had been so ill a few months ago.

The doctors say the cancer is gone. Burkitt’s is one of the most curable forms of lymphoma, so the long-term prognosis is good. “I’m going back in March for another scan and blood tests,” he said, “so I’m pretty confident it’s gone.”

John says he isn’t sure where he’ll be next year. He’s a top student and might go into business or finance, like his brothers. He’s the last Brownschidle to play hockey at Canisius. It would be quite an ending if the Crusaders could win the Federation for the first time.

Either way, Jack Brownschidle said you can’t imagine how lucky he and Kathy feel to see their son healthy and on the ice again, and how blessed.