Santa Clarita girls hockey team to receive warm homecoming

The Santa Clarita girls’ hockey team that was involved in a deadly car crash while on the way to a tournament in Colorado last week will receive a warm welcome back on Wednesday as they return to their home ice rink.

The 12U AA SC Lady Flyers will receive a homecoming Wednesday at 6 p.m. at The Cube Santa Clarita ahead of their first practice back home. The hockey team, consisting of 15 athletes all ages 12 or under, took home a victory in the 2025-2026 Western Girls Hockey League after a difficult week.

The team was traveling through Clear Creek County in Colorado for the tournament when their Sprinter van collided with a snow plow, the county’s sheriff department said. Ten people were aboard the van at the time of the crash, which killed the driver. The man who died in the crash was identified as 38-year-old Manuel Alejandro Lorenzana Villegas, the father of one of the players.

Eight others were hurt in the crash, resulting in seven people hospitalized. Four children were sent to the hospital and were discharged, while two adults were taken in serious condition and another adult was in fair condition, according to Denver Health.

Todd Stelnick, head coach of the team, expressed his gratitude for the community for its support through this difficult time. He encouraged supporters to continue showing up for the youth hockey players.

“Keep putting your stakes outside and your front porch,” Stelnick said in a tearful plea. “Keep taping those stakes blue and yellow, or pink or writing our girls’ names.”

The girls hockey team was driving a van to take the youth hockey players to a game. Lolita Lopez reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026.