NHL players to stage benefit game for Sandy victims

Randy Miller, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

Seeing and hearing what superstorm Sandy did to their homeland, New Jersey-born NHL stars Bobby Ryan and James van Riemsdyk had a recent conversation about what they could do to help victims.

"We were looking for a way to donate and, on top of that, maybe have some type of benefit," Ryan, an Anaheim Ducks winger who grew up in Cherry Hill, said from his home in Newport Beach, Calif.

Before their idea was put into action, former Philadelphia Flyers enforcer Todd Fedoruk beat them to it by organizing Operation Hat Trick, a charity hockey game scheduled on Saturday night in Atlantic City to raise money for New Jersey and New York families affected by last month's devastating storm.

Ryan and Van Riemsdyk, who was traded from the Flyers to the Toronto Maple Leafs in June, signed on immediately to take part in an exhibition that will be a stage for some of the NHL's locked-out players to showcase skills and give back to people in need.

"We're killing two birds," Ryan said. "We get to play in a hockey game and do something for a good cause."

Flyers All-Star left wing Scott Hartnell and New York Rangers star Brad Richards will serve as captains for the 7 p.m. event at Boardwalk Hall, which seats about 10,000 for hockey. All proceeds will go to the New Jersey Hurricane Relief Fund, the Empire State Relief Fund and the American Red Cross.

"The lives that have been touched by the devastation are people in our own communities and the communities of our fans," Hartnell said. "To have the opportunity to be able to raise money for the relief effort by participating in this game is an honor and we are asking fans of the tri-state area to assist in any way they can to help the communities and people affected."

Other players scheduled to participate include current Flyers Braydon Coburn, Kimmo Timonen, Jody Shelley and Wayne Simmonds, former Flyers Simon Gagne, Ville Leino, Daniel Carcillo, Steve Eminger and Steve Downie, plus NHL players James Neal, Jeff Halpern, Brian Boyle, John Carlson and Taylor Pyatt.

Based off recent charity hockey games in Los Angeles and Chicago that he played in, Ryan predicted fans definitely will get their money's worth.

"You're going to see a less intense but more skilled game," Ryan said. "The entertainment value probably is a little higher than a regular game just because guys will try to stickhandle through guys and celebrations will be a little more convincing. The two games I've played in, fans absolutely loved them."

Randy Miller also writes for the Cherry Hill (N.J.) Courier-Post