An Alberta junior hockey team is gearing up for a special game this weekend to pay tribute to three players who tragically lost their lives in a highway accident. The Southern Alberta Mustangs will face off against the Stavely Spurs Alumni team on Sunday evening at the Stavely arena. This event is part of various fundraising initiatives launched following the recent crash near Calgary.
The players, JJ Wright and Cameron Casorso from Kamloops, B.C., both 18 years old, and Caden Fine, a 17-year-old from Alabama, were on their way to a Mustangs practice when their car collided with a gravel-hauling semi truck while crossing a highway. The small towns of Stavely and Nanton are mourning the loss of these young hockey players, and authorities have indicated that charges are unlikely to be filed against the semi driver.
The Southern Alberta Mustangs compete in the Premier Division of the U.S. Premier Hockey League. In a gesture of support, the University of Alabama’s men’s ice hockey team, known as the Alabama Frozen Tide, is auctioning off special jerseys and donating a portion of ticket sales from their upcoming game to the Fine family to alleviate any financial burdens they may be facing.
The Cremona Coyotes senior hockey team in Alberta, where JJ Wright played a pre-season game last autumn, has pledged to donate ticket sales from their next home game to the families of the deceased Mustangs players. Additionally, a GoFundMe campaign set up for the families has almost reached its $50,000 target as of Wednesday.
The Mustangs expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support received, particularly acknowledging the Edmonton Oilers for sending personal video messages to the team. The Oilers’ messages served as a reminder that the hockey community stands united in times of adversity, offering compassion and solidarity to those affected by such tragedies.
