By: Chris Ulrich

In most years, the NHL hockey season would be in full swing by mid-November but with the ongoing lockout, this year is shaping up to be much different. However, this lapse of competitive hockey play did not stop St. Louis native and New Jersey Devil Right Wing Cam Janssen from hosting a charity hockey game to raise funds for the First Responders from Hurricane Sandy that hit the Eastern Seaboard in late October.

Cam Janssen attended the Albert’s All-Stars Basketball game on November 11th at Missouri Baptist University to make a special halftime speech to the team. As he greeted the team, Cam felt an instant connection with the 13 young men. The basketball team was ecstatic with this surprise appearance. Soon after Cam left the locker room, he mentioned that he was hosting a charity hockey game on the following Saturday and that he would like to invite the team to attend as his special guests. In the following days, we were able to organize all of the logistics and turn this opportunity into a reality for several members of the All-Star team.

On the following Saturday, November 17th, Albert’s All-Stars were the special guests at the ‘Cam Janssen Fights Sandy’ Charity Hockey Game. As the team arrived at the Hardee’s Iceplex in Chesterfield, Missouri, we were amazed at the magnitude of the crowd. The line to get into the arena was extremely long and the hockey excitement was in the air. The big discussion throughout the crowd was whether this would be the only hockey game anyone would see all year. As the time grew closer to the puck dropping, the All-Star team was taken back to the locker room for a personal meet-and-greet as well as a group picture with Cam and St. Louis Blues TJ Oshie and David Backes. After the pregame meeting with the players, the group was then treated to VIP section seating. However, most of the team chose to stand by the glass to take in the action up close and personal.

The night ended with Cam Janssen’s team winning 9-8 but the All-Star’s night did not end there. Janssen came over to the team and signed personal autographs and took pictures with each member. This was the perfect ending to an already incredible night. Each person left with a big smile on their face, happy with the game and happy to witness what might be the only hockey game of the season. From the Pujols Family Foundation and the Albert’s All-Stars, we want to thank Cam Janssen, all of the players and the team that arranged the ‘Cam Janssen Fights Sandy’ Charity Hockey Game. It was an honor to be your guests on a cold November night.

The members of Albert’s All-Stars team that were able to attend the hockey game were Daniel Haynes, David Kime, Dan Leonard, Nick McMullen, Brandon Coyne, Brandon Karandjeff, Luke Sicking, Matt Smitherman, and Daniel Henke. The team was also led by coaches Kevin Leonard and Jerry McMullen.