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By Justine Kelsie

A hockey team’s worst nightmare: GP Storm’s Dennis Rix

Apr 7, 2018 | 10:34 AM

UPDATE (3:32 p.m.) Two more victim’s names have been released. Defenceman Stephen Wack and top forward Jaxon Joseph are some of the deceased.
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UPDATE (3:08 p.m.) RCMP now say 15 people have died following the Humboldt bus crash.
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UPDATE (2:41 p.m.) More details about those who died in the Saskatchewan bus crash are coming out.

One of them was a play-by-play radio announcer. Tyler Bieber worked for the Humboldt station, CHBO.
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The head coach of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team and captain Logan Schatz is among 14 dead following a horrific bus crash in Saskatchewan.

Darcy Haugan was on the junior hockey team’s bus Friday on the way to a playoff game in northeastern Saskatchewan when it collided with a truck.

His wife Christina George-Haugan confirmed his death to The Canadian Press. 

Tributes poured in online for father of two and former coach of the North Peace Navigators who was described as an amazing mentor to young players.

RCMP have said 14 others on the bus were injured — three are in critical condition. A photo tweeted early Saturday showed three players lying in side-by-side hospital beds, holding hands.

The team was on its way to play in Game 5 of a semi-final against the Nipawin Hawks.

Darren Opp, president of the Hawks, said a semi T-boned the players’ bus.

The Grande Prairie Storm Business Manager Coach Dennis Rix says this is “the worst nightmare of any hockey team” and couldn’t imagine his team being in that situation.

“We can’t imagine something like that. The Grande Prairie Storm is a pretty unique situation because we are so far from everyone else. After a game in Fort McMurray or Spruce Grove, we hop on the bus and we wake up in Grande Prairie at three or four a.m.,” said Rix. 

There were some ties to the Swan City. Ryan Straschnitzki was on the Humboldt Bronco’s bus when it collided with the semi. 

“He played with the Storm last year as an affiliate player. I know him personally, and he broke his back, so I can’t imagine what he and his family are feeling right now.”

The team was on its way to play Nipawin where Jake Anthony, who is from Grande Prairie, is the goalie on that team.

Rix says the Storm sends their thoughts and prayers for those impacted by the crash. 

“Junior A is a tight-knit community and there are ties everywhere in the hockey world. It is very small (community). I can’t imagine if this was us or any of our players with the Storm.”

w/ files from the Canadian Press & Sheena Roszell 

by Justine Kelsie