Fight breaks out after Howell and Manalapan ice hockey game

Sam Lazarus and Sam Villa

A brawl between parents and officials broke out on Sunday, February 7th, following a rivalry game between Howell and Manalapan at Howell Ice World.  According to APP.com, Robert Dovenero, a Point Pleasant native, was present for the game and explained the altercation following the game was in fact a result of previous verbal exchanges with official, David Brown, from Wall.

Mr. Dovenero explained that after a woman was ejected from the arena, Brown, who was transported to Jersey Shore to have injuries taken care of, was overheard by her son who is also a player on the Howell team, using the word “b****” to describe his mom. After hearing this, the player questioned Brown and got ejected, followed by the almost immediate ejection of his teammate.

The actual fight, however, didn’t happen until after the game officially ended with the sound of the final buzzer; at this point in time, the husband of the woman in question entered the official’s dressing room. Within 30 seconds of his entrance, an argument could be heard from outside the dressing room. Mr. Dovenero says the door had shut behind the three officials, Brown included, and told the APP.com “When I forcibly opened the door to break things up, I saw the two referees on top of the parent.” He then continues to say that he broke up the officials and the parent until the Howell Police Department showed up. At the time they arrived, Dovenero explains that Brown called an ambulance for himself rather than the police department.

During a media release, the police department accounted for the injuries suffered during the fight saying, sustained minor injuries were visible, this included red marks and bruising to facial area, bloodshot eyes, and a bruised hand, and complaints of pain.