NEWARK, N.J. – In the olden days of rock ‘em/sock ‘em hockey, fans would say they went to a fight and a hockey game broke out. On Sunday, February 14, at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., fans went to a hockey game only to witness a Ukrainian festival.
Ukrainians are nothing if not a very proud people with a rich culture based on many traditions, especially in the realm of performing arts. Moreover, when it comes to customs, music and dance, Ukrainians are very proficient at teaching their future generations the wealth and importance of these cultural traditions and celebrating them at public events.
The Devils hockey franchise, located for 32 years in New Jersey, has built its own rich tradition with 22 winning seasons culminating with three Stanley Cup championships in nine years.
Merging select Ukrainian traditions with an NHL game is what the third annual Ukrainian Heritage Day with the New Jersey Devils was all about.
The festivities began 90 minutes prior to the early afternoon puck drop with Ukrainian dancing, face painting and a photo op with Ukrainian “face in the hole” in the main concourse of the arena. Several New York-New Jersey-based dance groups performed before the game and during the first intermission. The morning’s artistic director, Andrij Cybyk, introduced the performing groups and their dances.
Being recognized during the Devils game as “Heroes Among Us” are Vadim Sviridenko (second from left) and Vadym Maznichenko (center). With them (from left) are: Devils Vice-President Jim Leonard, Consul General Igor Sybiga and Myron Bytz, Ukrainian Heritage Day coordinator.
Four dance groups performed during the early sessions: the Trembita Dance Group from Yonkers, N.Y., led by Orlando and Larisa Pagan, with students age 7 to 18, specializing in Ukrainian folk dance and ballet; the Iskra Ensemble from Whippany, N.J., under the direction of Mr. Cybyk, presenting an advanced level of dance highlighting specific regions of Ukraine, their indigenous costumes, individual musical styles and unique dance movements; the Nadiya Dance School in Perth Amboy, Bayonne and Hoboken, N.J., founded by dancer/choreographer Nadiya Lemega, with the subgroups Chervona Kalina (children) and Veselka (teenagers), featuring classic, modern and folk dances of different nations; and Reechka, a multi-ethnic group of students from Assumption Catholic School in Perth Amboy, N.J., from the third through seventh grades in their second year dancing together as a group, led by choreographer Yarko Dobriansky and affiliated with the Roma Pryma Bohachevsky Dance School.
Young Ukrainians from the Ukrainian American Youth Association and Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization rode the Zamboni as the ice was resurfaced prior to the start of the game and during intermissions. The American national anthem was sung by opera singer Oleh Chmyr, a baritone. Honor guards presenting the colors included Ukrainian American Veterans Mathew Koziak, Michael Hrycak and Mary Yurcheniuk, UAYA member Sophia Baran and Plast member Matthew Handzy.
Perhaps the highlight of Ukrainian Heritage Day took place approximately halfway through the second period when “Heroes of the Game” presentations were made to two wounded Ukrainian warriors who are undergoing treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. “Heroes Among Us” plaques and personalized Devils jerseys were presented to Pvt. Vadym Maznichenko and Sgt. Vadim Sviridenko by New Jersey Devils Senior V.P. Jim Leonard. Witnessing the presentations was Ukraine’s Consul General Igor Sybiga and Consul Denys Semenovych.
Andrij Cybyk, artistic director of the Iskra Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and Academy, introduces the dancers before their performances.
Pvt. Maznichenko was wounded in the battle for Volnovakha, Donetsk Oblast, in September 2014, by a shell from a tank, suffering shrapnel wounds in his thigh and forearm; he lost an arm and a leg in addition to suffering other multiple injuries Sgt. Sviridenko, a medical aide, was wounded in the battle for Debaltseve, Donetsk Oblast, in February 2015. He had both hands and feet amputated due to frostbite he suffered when he was trapped in the snow for three days after the military truck he was traveling in hit a mine.
Hollywood’s top writer could not have written a better script for the actual hockey game played by the Los Angeles Kings and Devils. The only goal of the game was a power play blast from the point by Ukrainian Canadian defenseman Dave Schlemko, assisted by center Travis Zajac, also a Ukrainian Canadian.
Following the game, back in the main concourse, fans were treated to a Ukrainian concert featuring the Nadiya Dance Group, Mr. Chmyr and the melodic voices of twin sisters Oksana Telepko and Halya Leskiv. Ms. Telepko, a professional bandurist, has performed as a soloist and with orchestras in Ukraine, Europe and at Ukrainian festivals in the United States; Ms. Leskiv is an accomplished bandurist and singer.
Master of ceremonies Michael Koziupa introduced Devils spokesman Josh Malakoff, who greeted the assembled audience. Mr. Chmyr led the Ukrainian crowd with a stirring rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem, and General Consul Igor Sybiga offered a few select words. Mr. Chmyr holds the title Honored Artist of Ukraine for significant contributions to international arts and culture and is a lead soloist of the New Jersey State Opera.
Ukrainian Heritage Day event coordinator Myron Bytz (his wife, Christine, is co-coordinator) presented the inaugural Alexander Cup to New York’s Ukrainian Kozaks, winners of the Ukrainian Hockey Tournament of the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada (known by its Ukrainian-based acronym as USCAK) played a day earlier in Newark. Mr. Bytz, initiator of the Ukrainian Sports Museum and Hall of Fame at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey in Whippany, is also president of USCAK.
And thus, on Valentine’s Day 2016, most of the 16,514 hockey fans in attendance (minus a few Los Angeles supporters) left the Prudential Center celebrating an upset Devils victory over the Kings and feeling quite festive, in a Ukrainian sort of way.
Andrea Hyra from the Whippany, N.J., branch of the Ukrainian American Youth Association, rides on the Zamboni.