A dozen NHL players had the opportunity to play summer hockey for a good cause.
Da Beauty League, the famed four-on-four offseason league featuring players with ties to Minnesota, took time in between playoff games to host a showcase game with players from Minnesota Special Hockey, a modified ice hockey program in Minnesota for players of all ages with developmental disabilities.
Sorry we hung so many on you boys last night @Stalock32 and @miska_35. You made it a great night. Thanks for being such good sports and great goalies for the @DaBeautyLeague #UnifiedShowcase. #HopeYouUnderstand #RefInterference @johnscott_32 pic.twitter.com/VwyhieloTI
— MN Special Hockey (@MNSpecialHockey) August 21, 2018
Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker was on the ice with his nephew, 13-year-old Caden Hronski, for the first time during the showcase.
"I hadn't been on the ice with him before, so that was a first time for me," Zucker said. "We had a lot of fun. He scored a goal and I think he got an assist too. His stat sheet was better than mine today, so that was good."
Because #HockeyIsForEveryone.#mnwild winger @Jason_Zucker16 joined his nephew Caden for @DaBeautyLeague's Unified Showcase game. pic.twitter.com/ICOHKEDFXF
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) August 22, 2018
Nate Schmidt, Zach Parise, Brock Boeser, Erik Haula, Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Pitlick and Nick Leddy also participated. They're all regulars in Da Beauty League, a lighthearted but competitive league NHL players use to stay in shape over the summer, raising money and awareness for charitable causes.
Zucker and his wife, Carly, also hosted a stick drive on the night of the showcase for Zucker's Give16 Campaign.
More than 100 sticks were donated to the Zucker Family Suite and Broadcast Studio and the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital.
This Game is Beautiful @nhl @MNSpecialHockey @Buccigross @NHLPA #HockeyIsForEveryone pic.twitter.com/IBeqYbLYpn
— Da Beauty League (@DaBeautyLeague) August 21, 2018