HOCKEY TOURNEY DRAWS TOP STARS TO MERRIMACK by Hector Longo Eagle-Tribune Writer NORTH ANDOVER - When a hockey tournament's alumni list includes names like Jeremy Roenick, Brian Leetch, Tom Barrasso, and Kevin Stevens, you know it's an honor to be invited. Four area players have shown the skills warranting invitations to the 18th annual Hockey Night in Boston All-Scholastic Tournament, which will be held Thursday through Sunday at Merrimack College. With about 100 of the nations' top seniors and 30 of the most talented juniors divided on six teams, the 12-game event is always well-attended by college and professional scouts. Twenty-three players from the 1994 tourney were selected in the 1994 NHL draft. "You can just watch some of these guys on the ice and learn," said Pingree School junior Chris Halecki of Andover. "Most of the guys playing in this are Division 1 college players and the rest are going to top Division 3 schools. You're going against the best all the time." Superstar invitees (with their college choice in parenthesis) include: Mike Bent (Harvard) of Nobles; Albie O'Connell (BU) of St Sebastian's; Brendan Buckley (BC); Marty Reasoner (BC) of Deerfield; Sean Ritchlin (Michigan) of Hotchkiss; Eric Lundin (Vermont) of Taft; Craig MacDonald (Harvard) of Lawrence Academy; Tarvis Roy (BU) of Tabor; Bubba Berenzweig (Michigan) of Loomis; and Peter Zakowich (Harvard) of Deerfield. Along with Halecki, a Pingree junior who tallied 38 goals and 59 assists this season, will be Cushing junior first linemates Ryan Moynihan of Andover and Jayson Philbin of North Andover, and Phillips Exeter senior defenseman Brian Addesa, also of Andover. Addesa will play for his father Mike, who coaches the Mid-West team, while the others skate for the Mass Privates. The other teams include: Mass Publics/Catholics; New England; NY/Mid-Atlantic; and Keller/Eberhart. "It's very intense. It's really exciting because you know the talent level you're going against," said Addesa, who helped lead Phillips Exeter to its first 20-win season ever. "I'm very pumped up. I haven't had real good showings in this tourney and the summer tourneys. It's my senior year, my last chance to prove myself. I'm raring to go." Philbin, Cushing's all-time leading scorer, totalled 33 goals and 70 assists this year. "A lot of the real good players are here. It's going to be a great time," said Philbin. "There's a lot more pressure as a junior than as a sophomore, because you have to start thinking about college. I want to play Hockey East. I have to prove I can play every time I step on the ice, because people are watching." Moynihan, who set a school season goal mark with 47, is pumped up to play in this tourney, more so than the HNIB Summer Showcase where the talent is a bit more diluted. "There are less kids in this one. You have to get picked to play," said Moynihan. "I'm pretty excited. We've had a couple practices with other teams, who look real good." END HNIB ALL-SCHOLASTIC TOURNEY All games at Merrimack College. Thursday, March 23, 1995 Mid-West vs Keller-Eberhart, 4 pm Mass Privates vs Mass Publics/Catholics, 6:15 pm New England vs NY/Mid-Atlantic, 8:30 pm Friday, March 24, 1995 Mass Privates vs NY/Mid-Atlantic, 4 pm Mass Publics/Catholics vs Keller/Eberhart, 6:15 pm New England vs Mid-West, 8:30 pm Saturday, March 25, 1995 New England vs Mass Publics/Catholics, 2 pm Mid-West vs NY/Mid-Atlantic, 4:15 pm Mass Privates vs Keller/Eberhart, 6:30 pm Sunday, March 26, 1995 5th place game, 10 am 3rd place game, 12:15 pm Championship game, 2:30 pm TICKETS: Are $7 per day per adult, $5 per day per student. Weekend passes for all 12 games are $20. --- --- Mike Machnik [log in to unmask] Cabletron Systems, Inc. *HMM* 11/13/93