An Alberta junior hockey team returned to the ice on Sunday night for the first time since the loss of their teammates in a fatal collision on Feb. 2.
The Southern Alberta Mustangs hosted a memorial game against the Stavely Spurs Alumni team in honour of JJ Wright and Cameron Casorso, both 18, from Kamloops, B.C., and Caden Fine, 17, from Alabama.
The three hockey players were on their way to practice last Monday morning when the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a semi-truck pulling gravel at the intersection of Highway 2 and 55th Avenue, the north entrance of Stavely. The three teenagers died on scene.
“We honour our boys by doing what they loved, and before we even asked the question, our players were begging to go back on the ice,” Mustangs owner Lisa May said.
“This is going to be a rough one for them, but the most important to me is that I need to get them on the ice because if I don’t, my fear is that they will never go back on the ice.”
The memorial game was the first of several fundraisers to be held in honour of the players, with proceeds going towards the cost of funerals and support for their teammates and families.
“We’re going to be travelling to all the funerals, including Alabama,” May said. “We will be holding our memorial here, so covering the cost for that. And making sure our players get time to grieve, as well as not having to worry about paying their fees next season.”
Ahead of Sunday night’s game, the Mustangs reflected fondly upon the teens, sharing some insight into their very different personalities.
Forward Tyson Tozer was a billet brother to all three. He describes Casorso as the “light of the team.”
“He brought joy, he brought motivation, he brought energy to every game,” Tozer said. “I shared a room with Caden and there wasn’t a day that went by where I didn’t have a smile on my face because of that kid.”
Defenceman Taydon Perkins says Casorso was soft-spoken and smart.
“He’s very well-educated, you needed him to do something, he did it, like he was an amazing kid, and I’ll always remember him for that,” Perkins said.
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Defenceman Kayne Anderson remembers Wright as the quieter of the three.
“JJ was more of a shy type of guy in the room, but when he wanted to be heard, he was heard,” Anderson said.
The return to the ice may have been difficult for the Mustangs, but the team was met with an outpouring of support at the Stavely arena, with hundreds in attendance at Sunday night’s game.
“It’s definitely not going to be easy, but I think we’re all going to decide to stick it out for the three because they were brothers,” Perkins said. “We’re close and it really hurts when we’re not out there, so we’re going to stick it out.”
“I’m excited to go represent them and show that we’re going to go play hockey for them,” Tozer said.
The families of Wright and Fine were present at the game and echoed the players’ sentiments.
“I’m astounded by the support and thoughts and prayers of so many people, but especially the hockey community and especially this Mustangs team and the communities of Stavely and Nanton,” said Wright’s father, Chris Wright.
“It has been amazing. It feels like a warm hug to be here during an awful, awful time.”
Chris Wright says he and his family travelled to Stavely from Kamloops the day after the collision and haven’t returned home since.
“Part of me can’t wait to get home and part of me is honestly afraid to go home because we can feel him here and I know we will at home too, but it would be hard to drive away from this, quite honestly,” Wright said.
Fine’s father, Daniel Fine, travelled to Stavely from Birmingham, Ala.
“Everybody out there, the love and support have just been overwhelming. It’s just amazing. It’s a good overwhelming, but it’s amazing. Everybody that we’ve come in contact with is so nice and very supportive,” Daniel Fine said.
“I’m going to miss seeing my son on the ice.”
The game kicked off with a memorial service for the three players. Their teammates laid their jerseys, gloves and helmets in their respective positions on the ice.
Wright and Fine’s fathers stood in their sons’ places during the ceremonial puck drop following a moment of silence in the arena.
The memorial game ended in victory for the Mustangs, who defeated the Spurs 9-6.
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