Nobody recognized sketch of this masked man of wonder

By Joanie Allbee

Saugonian Goalie Jay DeMarco was sketched two times by The Saugus Advocate’s “The Sketch Artist.” And of all the sketches, it was the most puzzling. Nobody guessed it.

After hearing this news, Jay laughed and said, “It’s no wonder no one could guess. I’m behind the goalie mask 90 percent of the time and no one really sees my face. People have no clue what I look like.”

Jay’s been on the ice since his mom, a figure skater, taught him with single-line skates at five years old. To this day, Jay credits his mom’s teaching and techniques for his skill and swiftness at tending the net.

When he is not on the ice, the multitalented DeMarco is busy drawing up his next “Small Saves” syndicated cartoon strip – which appears weekly in The Saugus Advocate and in worldwide publications. Jay – like his “Small Saves” caricature – lives, dreams and breathes hockey. Jay was able to take his love of goaltending and birth all this into his “Small Saves” caricature, freeing himself for other endeavors and passions.

Silkscreen, commercial artist, author and illustrator — DeMarco has over 250 hand-drawn designs and a coloring book, illustrated countless books and will be celebrating his15th book this fall. All can be viewed and purchased on his Amazon webpage.

One of his books, “The Day the Dinosaurs Played Hockey,” was formed out of his passion for Paleontology. ”It’s a childhood passion that never left,” Jay said.

Besides tending the net, this humble, gifted and talented goalie can be found at Hockeytown USA inside the PRO-Shop sharpening skates. His face can also be glimpsed deeply immersed in laughter as he teaches art lessons to the elderly in nursing homes.