Ocean team has high hopes for All-Star hockey game

Erik Talty remembers two years ago when he was a sophomore at Brick Memorial playing in the annual Jim Dowd's Shoot For The Stars Foundation Shore All-Star hockey game between Monmouth and Ocean counties.

"I was not sure what to expect being a sophomore, and everyone else was older and faster, but once I got into playing the game and got the shifts down, it started coming naturally," Talty said.

Dowd, a former Brick Township star, retired after 19 seasons in the NHL in 2008.

This summer, Talty is preparing for his third appearance in the 12th annual showcase at Red Bank Armory at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 9. Trevor Van Riemsdyk of Christian Brothers Academy also is participating for the third straight year, said Talty, who believes that they are the only two who have played in three showcases. Trevor's brother, James Van Riemsdyk, was a Most Valuable Player in 2004 when he led Monmouth to an 8-1 victory.

Monmouth leads the series, 8-3, and has won the last seven games.

Along with the game, there will be a silent auction of various NHL memorabilia: a jersey and stick both signed by Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, a stick signed by Patrick Elias, other memorabilia signed by NHL stars, game tickets and a 40-inch television. Sponsors are in place for the game, which will benefit the Frances Foundation for Kids Fighting Cancer, Inc. It's a great evening for diehard hockey fans to fill the time between seasons.

Admission is $10 per fan.

"I've gotten to know Jim a little and it's a great thing what he's doing and a great cause," Talty said. "I'm glad to be part of it."

"It's going along great," said Dowd, who knows well the value of good pregame preparation from his playing days. "There are a lot of repeat sponsors of ads. It's just a matter of doing this. It's for a good cause."

Last-minute sponsors can come aboard by Aug. 1 by calling Dowd at 310-927- 5597 or writing to him at P.O. Box 1792, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742.

Talty is part of a strong Brick representation that includes his cousin, forward Brandon Person, goalie Mike Vincent and defense men Mike Spinelli and Tom Lindquist among the five players selected from Brick Memorial, and defense man Patrick Kearns and forwards Connor Noonan and Matt Dornacker from Brick Township. Talty and Person each surpassed 100 career points scored last season.

B oth Brick teams reached the quarterfinals

of the public school bracket in the NJSIAA tournament before losing. Brick Memorial fell to Morris Knolls, 4-2, and Brick Township lost 1-0, to Randolph Township. Brick Memorial also reached the finals of the Shore Conference Tournament.

"I was actually looking forward to being picked for this game as the season began," Talty said. "It was just a blast the other two years (for the all-star game) and always a good crowd there. It's always good playing in front of friends and family."

B

rick Memorial head coach Chip

Bruce and his staff will coach the Ocean team.

"My sophomore year was exciting," Talty said, referring to the game Monmouth won 4-3. "We kept it close for the first time in a while. The game was very fast. Now I'm growing stronger but I remember the game was faster to me back then. I think we're (Ocean team) looking good. I think it will be a tight game and I hope we can pull it out."

Monmouth won last year's game, 5-4.

After that, Talty will head to Ocean County College and is considering joining a club team being started there by young Bob Auriemma. He hopes to hook up with a four-year college with a hockey program in the future. Talty participated in an NHL predraft showcase near Boston last month in an effort to get more visibility for college recruitment as well.

As for Dowd, he's kept busy since he retired at the end of the 2007-2008 season from the Philadelphia Flyers. Dowd is among the charter inductees into the NJSIAA hockey Hall of Fame at a date to be announced for later this year.

Dowd has also sat in on a radio show on XM204 and Sirius 208 and also on the NHL.com Webcast out of a studio above the NHL store on 47th Street in Manhattan.

But the 40-year-old Dowd admitted early on it was "a little bit of an adjustment" closing the book on a 19-year career of 728 games that included 71 goals and 168 assists and a Stanley Cup championship with the New Jersey Devils in the 1995-96 season.

Dowd doesn't have a singular memory from his playing career, which includes the game when he scored the winning goal with 1:24 left that gave the Devils a 2-0 lead in the 1996 Stanley Cup finals. The Devils went on to sweep the Detroit Red Wings that year. Then there was his first multi-goal game just three seasons ago with the Devils and two seasons ago when he scored his first goal with the Flyers against the Devils.

"No, I don't have any one memory," he said. "There are so many seasons to look back on and so many teams. It's all been good."