White Team Wins APP All-Star Hockey Classic

The White team All-Stars defeated the Blue Team in a shootout at the Asbury Park Press’ Hockey Classic yesterday. The event, which functioned as a fundraiser for the Brick Challengers Hockey Program, was sponsored in part by the New Jersey Devils.

It took place at the Middletown Ice World in Middletown, New Jersey and featured some of the top hockey players from high school programs in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

According to the article in today’s Asbury Park Press by Chris Rotolo, the game went to a shootout and was won in the fifth round by forward Max Halvorsen of Freehold Township.

Former Devils defenseman and captain Bruce Driver and former Devil and Brick, New Jersey native Jim Dowd were present to help with the ceremonial first puck drop. According to a photo in the Press, Paul Crepaldi of the Brick Stars Challenger program and former Brick High School coach Bob Auriemma, who was being honored, were also present for the faceoff between the two team captains, Michael Mania (White Team) and Shane Haviland (Blue Team).

Halvorsen was named the White Team’s MVP for his goal in the fifth round of the shootout and Corey Clifton of Christian Brothers Academy was named the Blue Team’s MVP.

Rotolo gave special mention to the goaltenders for having strong games between them, despite what the 5-4 final would indicate. The goalies included Andrew Slobiski of Brick Memorial, Ciaran McNelis of Red Bank Catholic and Jeremy Connor of St. John Vianney of the White Team and Cooper Klotz of Point Boro, Cam Conrad of Southern Regional and Logan Beattie of Wall Township for the Blue Team.

That the game came down to the wire shows how the competition keeps getting better Clifton told Rotolo. “The game seems to be getting better each year it’s been going, which is a testament to how good the players in this community are” he said to the reporter.

Congratulations to all of the players and organizers involved in what was a really good game for a fantastic cause.

Asbury Park Press All-Star Hockey Classic to be Held in Middletown

Today’s edition of the Asbury Park Press had more details on the upcoming APP All-Star Hockey Classic. The event, to be held Sunday August 6 at the Middletown Ice World rink, will be benefitting the Brick Stars Challenger Hockey Program. It is sponsored in part by the New Jersey Devils.

The Brick Stars are, according to the article (written by APP staff writer Chris Rotolo), a program that helps to teach hockey to “local children and young adults with developmental disabilities, including autism and Down syndrome.”

In addition to ticket sales for the game, for which doors open at 12:30 PM and opening faceoff is 2 PM, there will be money raised in other ways. T-shirts will be sold and autographed memorabilia will be raffled. The memorabilia will be from Middletown natives James van Riemsdyk of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Trevor van Riemsdyk now of the Carolina Hurricanes. JT Miller of the Rangers will also be donating autographed memorabilia for raffle.

In addition, there will be ticket packages to bid on for the New York Yankees, the Devils “and live music performances at the Stone Pony Summer Stage.”

Tickets are available online at www.tickets.app.com/2017-asbury-park-press-hockey-classic as the article says, while supplies last. The event honors “the best in Jersey Shore high school hockey” and this year will also honor “legendary Brick High School coach Bob Auriemma.” Among the stars you can catch a glimpse of are defenseman Julian Kislin of Freehold Township and center Corey Clifton of Christian Brothers Academy (whose brother, Connor, was drafted in 2013 by the Arizona Coyotes and his other brother, Tim, played eight game for the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL last year).

In all, there will be 42 stars on display as a team consisting of Monmouth County All-Stars takes on Ocean County All-Stars.

Again, it is all for a great cause and if you are in the Middletown, New Jersey area on August 6 you could get to see some great hockey as well.