Allen, Hutton pay tribute to children affected by cancer

Caleb.
Sydney.
Ellie.
Seth.
Ari.
Those are just a few of the names you can find on the goalie masks Jake Allen and Carter Hutton will wear for the
Hockey Fights Cancer game
on Dec. 1 when the Blues host the Los Angeles Kings.

Both masks pay tribute to children who have battled cancer or succumbed to it.
"It's cool to see that these aren't just names of people that have had cancer, but a lot of them we've connected with in some shape or form," Allen said. "They've been around the Blues and we've interacted with some of them a lot. It's a small world when you think about it, but it means a lot to wear this mask for one game.
"It's a pretty simple thing to do, but it goes a long way."

The concept for Allen's mask was created by Alex Pietrangelo's niece, Ellie Kannel, who was diagnosed with Wilms tumor - a cancer of the kidneys that primarily affects children - three years ago. The mask features a Hockey Fights Cancer logo across the top, a Blue Note on the left ear and a large yellow ribbon on the right side that typically shows support for patients with bone cancer. Allen's No. 34, along with Ellie's drawing of a snake, decorates the chin.
The mask was painted by Jason Livery of
Head Strong Grafx
and will be auctioned at the Blues' Casino Night event in 2018 to benefit St. Louis Children's Hospital.
Hutton's mask was designed based on the "I Fight For…" cards distributed throughout the League on Hockey Fights Cancer nights. The mask features the names of nearly 400 children who have been impacted by cancer.
"It's definitely powerful," said Hutton. "For them to be able to individualize it with every kid on there, they've been through so many battles in their life, it's going to be a great honor to wear their name. When you see how much cancer affects everyone on a day-to-day basis, I'm just happy to be part of it."

Hutton's mask was created by Jesse Acciacca of
Jesse's Custom Designs
. After the game, the mask will be donated to Friends of Kids with Cancer, who will auction the mask at a later date.
Tickets for the
Hockey Fights Cancer game on Dec. 1
are still available at the Scottrade Center Box Office or
online at ticketmaster.com
. Fans will be able to download an "I Fight For…" image to display on their social media profiles at
stlouisblues.com/hfc
soon. In addition, the Blues will wear special Hockey Fights Cancer jerseys during warm-ups before the Dec. 1 game, and autographed mystery pucks will also be available outside Section 114 to raise money for organizations that support cancer research.
Organizations that will benefit from the Blues' Hockey Fights Cancer game include the American Cancer Society, Friends of Kids with Cancer, Siteman Cancer Center and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.