STAVELY, Alberta (AP) — Three Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey players were killed Monday morning in a vehicle crash while heading to practice.
RCMP said it responded to the crash at an intersection with Highway 2 in Stavely — about an hour’s drive south of Calgary. JJ Wright and Cameron Casorso, both 18 and from Kamloops, British Columbia, and 17-year-old Caden Fine of Birmingham, Alabama, were killed.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a social media post, offered condolences to the players' families and teammates.
“The whole Alberta hockey family is standing with you in sorrow and in prayer,” Smith said. “In the days ahead, I know Albertans will wrap these families and this team in love and support as they navigate a pain no one should ever have to bear.”
RCMP said the crash involved a northbound semi truck pulling gravel and a small passenger vehicle going east. The driver of the semi, a 40-year-old man from Stavely, sustained minor injuries.
The U.S. Premier Hockey League team said on Facebook that it is working closely with authorities and is asking for privacy for the players' families.
“There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief," the team said. "These young men were more than hockey players — they were teammates, sons, brothers, friends, and deeply loved members of our Mustangs family and the communities we call home. We are a family, and today our family is hurting.”
At the town’s arena, three white and red jerseys with the last names of the players were draped over a table, along with three upright hockey sticks.
The Kamloops Minor Hockey Association said in a statement that Casorso and Wright grew up in the B.C. organization. Casorso played from 2012 to 2025 and Wright from 2011 to 2025.
“Although their journeys began here in Kamloops, they found a second hockey family and a new bond with the Southern Alberta Mustangs,” the statement said. “These three young men were teammates and friends to many. We are grieving together, as one hockey family forever changed by the loss of these young men.”
The Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League also offered support on social media: “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew them,” the team said.
News of the crash evoked memories of another deadly crash involving a junior hockey team.
In April 2018, 16 people were killed and 13 injured when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League crashed. The team had been on its way to a playoff game when a semi truck went through a stop sign and into the path of the bus at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Saskatchewan.
The mayor of Humboldt expressed condolences to the Alberta team on Facebook.
“We stand with your community as you mourn this tragic loss, and our thoughts are with all those affected,” Mayor Rob Muench said.
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Crossed hockey sticks are shown outside of the Stavely Arena in Stavely, Alberta, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press via AP)
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Maybe the game itself will live up to the hype, because Super Bowl Opening Night was calmer than usual.
Drake Maye and the New England Patriots (17-3) take on Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks (16-3) on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers.
The media frenzy that kicks off the week’s festivities on Monday night was smaller, quieter and far less outrageous than recent years.
The crowd inside the San Jose Convention Center was a fraction of its usual size — Opening Night has previously been held in larger arenas. More than 2,000 reporters from across the globe were credentialed to cover the typically zany event, and the league expects 6,500 media members to cover the game and various events surrounding it.
There was no sign of the naked man in a barrel. Nobody wore a wedding dress and proposed to Maye. Reporters weren't asking players to dance or perform odd tricks. One guy did dress up as Charizard, a Pokemon character.
Still, it wasn't all football and X's and O's.
Maye was asked about his wife, Ann Michael Maye, and her popular baking videos on social media.
“Keep being you,” he said. “You’re the better half of me and I love you. It’s such a special moment for me to follow your journey. I know you do it for something bigger than yourself and that’s what makes it special.”
Darnold was asked to name his favorite coffee spot, burger joint, hobby and food.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel refused to compare Maye to Tom Brady and was asked several questions about playing for Bill Belichick. He had fun with a reporter from Nickelodeon who presented him with a purple-and-green chain that read, “Slime.” Vrabel wore it but feared he'd get that green, gooey stuff splashed all over his head.
“Why do you keep looking up? Am I about to get slimed?” he said.
Assured he wasn't, Vrabel was asked if there's one player he would want to slime.
“Stefon Diggs,” he said without hesitation.
Diggs, the standout receiver, was full of praise for his coach.
“I’ve had great coaches but this guy played the game, he knows we’re gonna grind and he takes care of us,” Diggs said.
The Patriots spent one hour fielding questions before giving way to the Seahawks, who took the stage an hour after New England concluded.
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, a finalist along with Vrabel for AP NFL Coach of the Year, was asked if he considered signing Marshawn Lynch to a one-day contract to give him an opportunity to score a 1-yard touchdown.
This is a Super Bowl matchup that produced one of the most memorable endings among the first 59. The Patriots beat the Seahawks 28-24 when Malcolm Butler picked off Russell Wilson’s pass from the 1 in the final minute on Feb. 1, 2015. Seahawks fans still lament the fact Lynch didn't get the ball in that spot.
“I love Beast Mode,” Macdonald said. “Just the fact that he knows me and he texts me. ... That's how you want Seahawk football to look like Marhsawn.”
An event that began as a daytime introduction of the teams has evolved into a live, ticketed, prime-time showcase on national television.
The Patriots are aiming for an NFL-record seventh Lombardi trophy and first without Brady and Belichick.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a linebacker with New England, inherited a 4-13 team and has the Patriots on the verge of their first championship parade in seven years.
Maye had a sensational sophomore season, becoming a finalist for the AP NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards while leading the Patriots to their 12th Super Bowl.
A stifling defense has led the way for the Patriots in the playoffs, holding three opponents to just 8.7 points per game.
The Seahawks had the NFL’s stingiest defense, led by tackle Leonard Williams, linebacker Ernest Jones IV and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Seattle allowed just 17.1 points per game.
But Darnold’s resurgence will be the top storyline of the week. A No. 3 overall pick by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold is thriving on his fifth team.
Despite winning 14 games with Minnesota in 2024, the Vikings let Darnold walk away in free agency. He became the first quarterback to lead two teams to consecutive 14-win seasons and has proved his doubters wrong. Now, he’s trying to help Seattle win its second Super Bowl in the franchise’s fourth appearance in the game.
At least Darnold has experienced this week’s shenanigans. He was a backup to Brock Purdy when the 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years ago.
“The reason why this is so special is because of the process and what it took to get here,” Darnold said.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold speaks during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp speaks during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye speaks during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif., ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The New England Patriots mascot entertains during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez speaks during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye laughs during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold arrives, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye arrives, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
