East Brunswick Boy Battling Cancer To Be Honoree At NJ Devils Game

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — A 12-year-old East Brunswick resident who is a hockey superfan, will be the guest of honor at the NJ Devils annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night.

East Brunswick’s Theo Koshenkov and his family will be at the game on Saturday. Koshenkov was diagnosed with Lymphoma earlier this year and is currently receiving treatment at the Rutgers Cancer Institute.

Koshenkov will also be a special guest at NJ Devils practice where Hall of Famer and Devils legend, Marty Brodeur, the team’s EVP, Hockey Operations, will sign him to the one-day contract.

He gets an official team-signed jersey and locker stall, meet-and-greet with his favorite Devils player, Jack Hughes. He will join the starting lineup read in the locker room, participate in a ceremonial puck drop, and ride the Zamboni during the second intermission.

The evening, presented by RWJ Barnabas Health, will see the Devils Washington Capitals for a 7 p.m., contest at Prudential Center on Saturday night.

The same night Devils will honor Dr. Marissa Botwinick, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Rutgers Cancer Institute and the Bristol Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and Dawn Carey, an advanced practice nurse in the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health, as the Heroes of the Game.

Botwinick and Carey are members of the healthcare team for Koshenkov.

“Hockey Fights Cancer Night is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the strength and bravery of cancer patients and their families, while underscoring the importance of advancing cancer research and care,” Dr. Steven Libutti said in a statement. Libutti is the William N. Hait Director of Rutgers Cancer Institute and Senior Vice President of Oncology Services at RWJBarnabas Health.

The Devils will host a Mystery Puck sale on the main concourse before the game. There will be a limited number of player-autographed pucks, which will be sold for $25. Hockey Fights Cancer-themed jerseys available to be worn during player arrivals will be auctioned between Nov. 30 and run through Dec. 7. Fans will be able to place their bid at newjerseydevils.com/auction.

Funds raised through that night’s 50/50 will benefit the Oncology Healing Room within the Cancer Center at Clara Maass Medical Center as well.

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