Coming on Strong
Jersey’s Strongest provides
the greatest night ever for
PBA hockey, featuring another
winning effort for charity
■ BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
■ PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI JR.
Jersey’s Strongest brandished its
magnificent might when Green Brook
Police Local 398’s Kevin O’Connor
blocked a shot on goal in the PBA’s an-
nual NJ Memorial Cup showdown with
the New Jersey State Police Hockey Club
on Dec. 29. After the puck ricocheted
off his left shin, Connor hopped on one
skate for a moment. “Just a stinger,” as-
sured O’Connor, who quickly rejoined
the play. “It stings for a second, but it
means more for the team.”
Jersey’s Strongest has become the
new brand for the NJ State PBA hock-
ey team in its third season, an expres-
sion of the identity it wants to extend
on the ice and a promotion to elevate
the fundraising and benefaction it has
become known for beyond the ice. The
elevated identity found a new uniform
when the Strongest emerged for the
pre-game warmup clad in sky-blue jer-
seys adorned with “#Mallory’s Army,” a
tribute to the anti-bullying charity that
the Memorial Cup game once again
benefitted and will do so forever.
An additional burst of strength came
from playing for the State Police’s desig-
nated charity, “Rare is Beautiful,” which
helps fight the rare genetic disease
Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome (PJS). Upper
Saddle River Local 218 State Delegate
Anthony Pulizzano’s 4-year-old son P.J.
also has PJS and was on hand to drop
the puck for one of the honorary fa-
ceoffs.
Less than two minutes into the game,
Livingston Local 263 member Ryan
Collis streaked ahead of the State Police
defense, maneuvered to the middle of
the NJSP zone and blistered a shot into
the net for a 1-0 lead. Behind the feisty
play of Travis Daniel, the small-but-
mighty Madison Boro Local 92 spark-
plug, and the brilliance of goalie Joe
Aliseo from Elizabeth Local 4, Jersey’s
Strongest scored a 10-0 victory, a mar-
gin of victory that made the game seem
like the Incredible Hulk overwhelming
Hulk Hogan.
“We absolutely had a little extra mo-
tivation tonight,” Daniel revealed. “This
is a game we want. We had to put on a
show for our fans and co-workers.”
And for Mallory Rose Grossman, the
12-year-old girl who took her own life in
June 2017 because of horrific bullying.
The charity that Dianne and Seth Gross-
man started to honor their daughter
has become an ongoing inspiration for
CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
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■ JANUARY 2019 33