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.