Three of an All-Star kind

Three of an All-Star kind

Oak Hewer, Kevin Swider and Tom Perry have become a potent trio for the Manatees -- as evidenced by their place in tonight's All-Star game. BY CORY NIGHTINGALE Miami Herald They excel in obscurity, playing in an outdated arena in front of a few hundred fans. So how are Oak Hewer, Kevin Swider and Tom Perry -- the Miami Manatees' All-Star trio -- having the time of their lives? Easy. They're soaking up every ounce of their hockey careers before their time and patience run out. "We don't get a lot of fans, but we don't look at that as a negative," said Swider, who plays left wing. "We try to create our own energy. We have some great leaders in this room." Swider, Hewer and Perry will represent the Manatees tonight at Jacksonville in the World Hockey Association 2 All-Star game. On Sunday against the Macon (Ga.) Trax at Miami Arena, they showed why they were chosen, combining for five goals in a 7-6 overtime win. Three of the goals belonged to Swider, who completed his hat trick with the winner, taking a feed from Perry on a two-on-one break. The small but boisterous faithful went wild, showering the ice with hats as the Manatees won their sixth in a row and improved to a league-best 14-1-1 at home. "Things have been going well in Miami," said Hewer, a 6-4, 215-pound right wing who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1998. "It's a good group of guys we have here. Coach has given me an opportunity to produce. That's a plus." Separate paths Eight years ago, Hewer was a teammate of Joe Thornton with the Ontario Hockey League's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Today, Thornton stars for the Boston Bruins, and Hewer tries to hang on to his last hockey stick before life takes him elsewhere. The Lightning no longer owns Hewer's rights, and with marriage awaiting at the end of the season, this might be Hewer's final shift. Still, he wouldn't mind another crack at the big time. ?"You like to think if you have a good year, something like that is possible," said Hewer, who is 24. "I just work hard here, and hopefully something will come of it. Like a championship." A hockey title in South Florida? The Panthers came close in 1996 while playing in the same building the expansion Manatees now toil in. "That's what most of these guys are here for, to win a championship," said Swider, who, at 26, is thinking of settling down in South Florida. "There's no better opportunity than what this group has. We think we have it [this year]." Manatees' mainstays It all starts with the Manatees' three main men. "These guys are key ingredients to our hockey team. We're grateful we have them," coach Zac Boyer said. "These three are definitely great choices [for the All-Star team]. Tom Perry works hard every single day -- Kevin Swider same thing. Oak has so many attributes. Kevin's got puck skill. Tom Perry is steady every day, gritty." Boyer, who will join his star trio in Jacksonville as an assistant coach, has enjoyed a reunion with his captain, Perry. The two were teammates with the Colorado Gold Kings of the West Coast Hockey League, and Boyer thought enough of Perry to make him a player/assistant coach. "This is pretty much my last hurrah, so to speak," said the defenseman Perry, who, at 30, is ready to settle down with his wife and 2-year-old daughter. "I'm the oldest guy on the team. Everybody's younger. They keep me young. They keep me going." Through it all, the trio simply has fun. "Hard work just comes naturally," Swider said. "When you're growing up as a kid, you always wanted to play the game." Web posted on Jan. 27, 2004		HAT TRICK: Kevin Swider, left, is congratulated by Miami Manatees teammate Oak Hewer after his second of three goals during their 7-6 overtime victory Sunday. C.W. GRIFFIN / HERALD STAFF Home News Schedule Photos Links Message Board Email: [email protected] This article is copyright 2004 by the Miami Herald and is used for informational purposes only.

Oak Hewer, Kevin Swider and Tom Perry have become a potent trio for the Manatees -- as evidenced by their place in tonight's All-Star game.

BY CORY NIGHTINGALE
Miami Herald

They excel in obscurity, playing in an outdated arena in front of a few hundred fans. So how are Oak Hewer, Kevin Swider and Tom Perry -- the Miami Manatees' All-Star trio -- having the time of their lives?

Easy. They're soaking up every ounce of their hockey careers before their time and patience run out.

"We don't get a lot of fans, but we don't look at that as a negative," said Swider, who plays left wing. "We try to create our own energy. We have some great leaders in this room."

Swider, Hewer and Perry will represent the Manatees tonight at Jacksonville in the World Hockey Association 2 All-Star game. On Sunday against the Macon (Ga.) Trax at Miami Arena, they showed why they were chosen, combining for five goals in a 7-6 overtime win.

Three of the goals belonged to Swider, who completed his hat trick with the winner, taking a feed from Perry on a two-on-one break. The small but boisterous faithful went wild, showering the ice with hats as the Manatees won their sixth in a row and improved to a league-best 14-1-1 at home.

"Things have been going well in Miami," said Hewer, a 6-4, 215-pound right wing who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1998. "It's a good group of guys we have here. Coach has given me an opportunity to produce. That's a plus."

Separate paths

Eight years ago, Hewer was a teammate of Joe Thornton with the Ontario Hockey League's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Today, Thornton stars for the Boston Bruins, and Hewer tries to hang on to his last hockey stick before life takes him elsewhere.

The Lightning no longer owns Hewer's rights, and with marriage awaiting at the end of the season, this might be Hewer's final shift. Still, he wouldn't mind another crack at the big time.

?"You like to think if you have a good year, something like that is possible," said Hewer, who is 24. "I just work hard here, and hopefully something will come of it. Like a championship."

A hockey title in South Florida? The Panthers came close in 1996 while playing in the same building the expansion Manatees now toil in.

"That's what most of these guys are here for, to win a championship," said Swider, who, at 26, is thinking of settling down in South Florida. "There's no better opportunity than what this group has. We think we have it [this year]."

Manatees' mainstays

It all starts with the Manatees' three main men.

"These guys are key ingredients to our hockey team. We're grateful we have them," coach Zac Boyer said. "These three are definitely great choices [for the All-Star team]. Tom Perry works hard every single day -- Kevin Swider same thing. Oak has so many attributes. Kevin's got puck skill. Tom Perry is steady every day, gritty."

Boyer, who will join his star trio in Jacksonville as an assistant coach, has enjoyed a reunion with his captain, Perry. The two were teammates with the Colorado Gold Kings of the West Coast Hockey League, and Boyer thought enough of Perry to make him a player/assistant coach.

"This is pretty much my last hurrah, so to speak," said the defenseman Perry, who, at 30, is ready to settle down with his wife and 2-year-old daughter. "I'm the oldest guy on the team. Everybody's younger. They keep me young. They keep me going."

Through it all, the trio simply has fun. "Hard work just comes naturally," Swider said. "When you're growing up as a kid, you always wanted to play the game."

Web posted on Jan. 27, 2004

HAT TRICK: Kevin Swider, left, is congratulated by Miami Manatees teammate Oak Hewer after his second of three goals during their 7-6 overtime victory Sunday.
C.W. GRIFFIN / HERALD STAFF

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