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An Alberta junior hockey team is set to take the ice this weekend for a memorial game honouring three of its players who died in a highway crash.
The Southern Alberta Mustangs are set to take on the Stavely Spurs Alumni team Sunday night at the arena in Stavely.
It’s one of several fundraisers started since the crash Monday in the small town south of Calgary.
JJ Wright and Cameron Casorso, both 18, from Kamloops, B.C., and Caden Fine, 17, from Alabama, were heading to a Mustangs practice and crossing a highway when their car collided with a semi truck hauling gravel.
The small towns of Stavely and Nanton are mourning the teens’ deaths, while the RCMP say it’s unlikely the driver of the semi involved in the crash will face charges.
The team plays in the U.S. Premier Hockey League’s Premier Division.
“We’re really hoping to maximize that amount of money that we can get to Caden’s family to help relieve any financial burden that they may be facing right now,” said Savannah Rumsey, general manager of the University of Alabama’s men’s ice hockey team.
Nicknamed the Alabama Frozen Tide, the team is auctioning off nearly two dozen specialty jerseys for the Fine family. A portion of ticket sales from its game on Saturday is also going to the family.
The Cremona Coyotes senior hockey team in Alberta, where Wright played a pre-season game last fall, said ticket sales from its next home game will be donated to the families of the Mustangs who died.
By Wednesday afternoon, donations to a GoFundMe page for the three families had nearly reached its $50,000 goal.
“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us,” the Mustangs said in a Facebook post Wednesday after getting video messages from members of Edmonton Oilers.
“The Oilers took time to send personal messages to our team, reminding our players, families, staff and community that the hockey world stands together — especially in moments like these,” said the post.
“Their words mean more than we can ever fully express, and we are beyond grateful for their compassion and support.”