Murray Wood: Of Easter bunny bells and Juicy Fruit gum
For Murray Wood, Easter brings to mind grandma's practical advice about repurposing, and some of life's little lessons.
STAVELY — 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 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 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 on 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 in the National Hockey League.
“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.”
The Alberta government’s transportation ministry has said it will be reviewing the intersection where the crash happened, which is a common practice for fatal collisions.
The review is to look at traffic and collision data from the intersection, lighting, and other factors to determine whether any improvements are needed, the ministry said.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy, and we want to extend our deepest condolences to everyone affected,” the ministry said in a statement Tuesday.
“Above all, our focus remains on safety and on ensuring we learn everything we can from this tragic event.”
RCMP said an initial investigation indicates the crash wasn’t criminal, although it could take months to complete and to determine a cause.
The driver of the truck received minor injuries.
Cpl. Gina Slaney said there was another fatal crash at the same intersection in September. It also involved a vehicle trying to cross the divided highway.
Jen Handley, the mayor of Nanton, a nearby town where many Mustangs live with billet families, said such highway crossings are a fact of life for rural towns.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2026.
— By Dayne Patterson in Calgary
The Canadian Press
