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HOCKEY'S UNLIKELY ALLIES Although Bitter Rivals On The Ice, Three New York Area Teams Join The Cause To Grow The Game BY ELLIOT OLSHANSKY New York City Newark, N.J. Above, the New Jersey Devils honor the captains of every high school hockey team. Right, Brian Mullen plays keep- away with a young New York Rangers fan at Wollman Rink in Central Park. 22 chose their favorite sweaters for "Wear Your Jersey to Work Day," the New York Rangers sat atop the Eastern Conference standings, with the New Jersey Devils in the thick of the playoff race and the New York Islanders still within striking distance of a playoff berth. However, while the Rangers, Islanders and I APRIL/MAY.2012 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM n mid-February, as Hockey Weekend Across America descended on the New York metropolitan area, the region's three NHL teams once again found themselves locked in a battle for Big Apple bragging rights. On the morning of Feb. 17, as fans Devils are mortal foes on the ice, they're all teammates when it comes to growing the sport of hockey in the area. A trip through the region on Hockey Weekend Across America showed that all three teams are committed to the sport's next generation, even if they're not on the same page anywhere else. FRIDAY NIGHT Newark, N.J. It's just after 8 o'clock on Friday night, and the Prudential Center crowd is roaring as Devils rookie Adam Henrique scores to put the Devils up, 1-0, on the Anaheim Ducks in a crucial February game. However, the PHOTOS COURTESY OF The New York Rangers; New Jersey Devils