By Chris Pinkert
St. Louis Blues
ST. LOUIS - Vladimir Tarasenko scored his third career hat trick in Thursday's 5-4 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Blues fans threw dozens of hats onto the ice in celebration.
But that begs the question: what happens to all those hats?
"Do I get them after?" Tarasenko asked. "I don't know."
Actually, Vladi - yeah, you do.
Hats collected at Scottrade Center are first offered to the player who scored the hat trick as a keepsake to remember the moment. If the player opts not to take them, the Blues will donate the hats to the St. Patrick's Center, where they are distributed to the homeless. The St. Patrick's Center is one of Missouri's largest providers of housing, employment and health opportunities for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, assisting more than 5,700 people each year.
So next time, throw your hat with confidence knowing that no matter what, your hat is in good hands.
