A fatal crash in South Jersey on Thursday night left a hockey star and his brother dead, sending shockwaves through the state and the sports world.

Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew Gaudreau were killed Thursday night in Oldmans Township after being struck by an alleged drunk driver while riding bikes on Pennsville-Auburn Road near their family’s Salem County home.

Authorities say a man driving an SUV tried to pass two other cars and struck the brothers from behind. The driver, 43-year-old Sean Higgins of Woodstown, told police that he’d had five or six beers before getting behind the wheel, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed by New Jersey State Police. The brothers were in town to be groomsmen in their sister’s wedding, which was scheduled for Friday.

Johnny Gaudreau was a star at Gloucester Catholic High School and Boston College before being drafted in 2011 by the Calgary Flames. He played 11 professional seasons in the NHL most recently with the Blue Jackets. The New Jersey Devils and Blue Jackets issued statements Friday saying in part, they’re “shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy” adding he “played the game with great joy” felt by everyone who watched him on the ice.

Matthew Gaudreau also played with Johnny at Gloucester Catholic and Boston College, before going on to his own career in hockey’s minor leagues. He returned home in recent years to coach hockey at Gloucester Catholic.

Gov. Phil Murphy and former Gov. Chris Christie were among the public figures to release statements on Friday mourning the loss of the Gaudreau brothers.

There have been 402 fatal crashes resulting in 424 deaths on New Jersey roads so far this year, according to state police statistics.