Annual all-star hockey game to be played next month
Contest slated for Aug. 10 at Red Bank Armory
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI Staff Writer
Summer is an exciting time for Brick native Jim Dowd. Like many veterans, Dowd begins planning ahead for another NHL season as a penalty-killing forward, which could very well be a return to the Philadelphia Flyers for a 15th NHL season. "They're definitely interested in bringing me back. We'll talk again in the beginning of August," said Dowd of the Flyers' management and his agent.

There is an even bigger task upon him. Dowd is preparing for the 11th annual Ocean vs. Monmouth All-Star Hockey Game for Jim Dowd's Shoot for the Stars Foundation. It takes place on Aug. 10 at the Red Bank Armory starting at 6 p.m.

"It's going real good. It's coming along," said Dowd, who has a host of volunteer supporters setting up the event, which goes beyond the highly anticipated hockey game.

There is a journal and ads still can be sponsored over the next few days by calling 310- 927-5597.

Admission to the game is $10 at the door and there also will be raffles and tickets for New Jersey Devils, Flyers and New York Rangers games.

There also will be a silent auction, a 50-50 raffle, NHL memorabilia and a 40- inch LCD television, among other things.

Each year, the event is dedicated to a special cause.

For this year, it's to the Marks Family Fund. "We have a lot of things come across the desk but when we came across this one, we felt we had to do something," said Dowd, who recently attended a Marks Family fundraising event. Last year's game dedicated funds to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Ocean County.

Tragedy hit Randy and Susan Marks of Spring Lake Heights and their six children, ranging in age from seven months to nine years.

Randy, a town carpenter whose mother had passed away last year, visited the gravesite on Mother's Day with four of the children when he died there. The Shore has rallied to the family's cause and Dowd likewise felt the need to give.

He has a host of volunteers for the event, including his wife, Lisa and his dad, Peter; Brick Township Director of Athletics Rick Handchen; Tom and wife Erin Cooper and Erin's sister, Kristine Dolan; Mike Zebro; Karen and husband Eric Staub; BethAnn McCabe; Brick Township golf coach Warren Wolf Jr., who is an ardent supporter of the Brick Hockey Club; and former Brick Hockey Club coach Pat Doyle, who earlier this year published a book on his experience with championship teams in the Brick Hockey Club titled "Forever Their Coach." Gary Burdge and Andrew Canintano also have supplied valuable volunteer support.

As for the All-Star game, goalie Mike Vincent of Brick Memorial, which reached the NJSIAA Public Schools Tournament semifinals, is one of the goalies along with Pete Stamberger and is joined by Mustangs' teammate Erik Talty, a defenseman, on the Ocean team. Four players from Brick Township, which made the NJSIAA Tournament for the first time in three years, were selected, including defenseman James Murphy and forwards Mike Gumina, Mike Guarino and Matt Dornacker.

Also on the Ocean team that is being steered by Point Pleasant coaches Mike Ryan, Mike Nevil and Sean Sanborn are Monsignor Donovan players Ken Yasenchock, a forward who was the Most Valuable Player of last year's game; forward Mike Seyglinski and defenseman Dean Malanga, who played in the Brick Hockey Club. Other players selected for the Ocean team include forward Travis Foster of Toms River East, forward Jeff Sowell of Point Pleasant and Toms River South selections Andrew Nebus and Gay Burdge — both defensemen, and Jay Malone and Tom Phillips, who are both forwards.

Kevin Pecca, a forward from Red Bank Catholic who was the MVP for the Monmouth team last year, is back on the squad that won last year's game, 4-3, on a goal with :58 left. Monmouth, which has won the last six games, leads the series, 7-3.

Other featured Monmouth players include Christian Brothers Academy forward Mark Rivera and defenseman Trevor vanRiemsdyk, who played in the Brick Hockey Club. Other key players selected for the Monmouth team are forwards Jesse Krauss of Red Bank Catholic and Tim Higgins of Manasquan. Goalies are Tyler Jackson of CBA and Matt Langer of Red Bank Catholic.

The other Monmouth players selected include forwards Andrew Rosenbloom of Middletown South, Sean Reynolds of Wall, Jake Konblatt of Rumson-Fair Haven, Corey Lunney of Red Bank Regional and Andrew Cenitano of St. John Vianney. Defensemen include Taylor Dickson and Christopher Saint-Cyr of Rumson-Fair Haven, Lou Liari of St. John Vianney and Kerry Wilson of Red Bank Regional.

The teams will have a scrimmage game on the Thursday before, Aug. 7, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Red Bank Armory.

Dowd said a special guest will drop the puck. Last year, James vanRiemsdyk, who was the No. 2 draft pick for the Philadelphia Flyers, and Joe Pearce of Brick, the backup goalie for national finalist Boston College, were the special guests. Both played for the Brick Hockey Club.

The referees who have worked the game every year include Bill Bredin, Matt Mc- Nulty and Jim Carlucci, a Brick resident.

As for Dowd, he looks forward to rejoining for the preseason that he hoped begins again in September with the Flyers, which went from the worst team in the NHL a season earlier to the Stanley Cup playoff semifinals this spring where they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins. "It was exciting last season and we really came together but I'll have another team in mind if it doesn't work out," Dowd said of talks for a one-year contract.