The Whitecourt Wolverines are hosting the Spruce Grove Saints on Saturday for a special game to remember the two young boys killed by their father in a murder-suicide in Spruce Grove nearly one year ago.

The event kicked off at 2 p.m. at the Whitecourt Athabasca Arena, where the community gathered to paint messages – with a special paint to preserve them for the memorial hockey game – to remember Ryder and Radek MacDougall.

 

The game between the two Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) teams will start at 7:30 p.m., moments after a candlelight vigil with a live music performance and a tribute video.

Ryder, 13, and Radek, 11, were killed by their father, Corry MacDougall, 39, in a murder-suicide at a Spruce Grove home on December 19, 2016. The three bodies were discovered by their mother, Tracy Stark, and step-father, Brent Stark.

The Athabasca Wolverines, owned by the Starks, will wear a new third jersey to honour the boys for the final game of their regular season.

“We want to make sure their memory and legacy continues on,” Whitecourt Wolverines spokesperson Andrew Peard told CTV News. “This is also a great opportunity for our community to show support for Tracy and Brent during the holiday season, which is obviously a very tough time for them.”

A hockey game in their hometown is the perfect way to remember Ryder and Radek.

“They’d be extremely proud with a big smile on their faces,” family friend Joey Bouchard said. “They loved hockey. It is all they talked about.”

With files from Angela Jung