By Pat Leonard
These days Keith Yandle resembles a cartoon character, Dan Girardi appears as if he’s on his way to a 70’s disco club, and Mats Zuccarello looks like he needs a couch to crash on.
Hockey players are used to growing beards when playoff time comes, but this November a few Blueshirts have embraced the mustache look following the lead of franchise goalie Henrik Lundqvist, whose is raising money for the Movember USA charity.
And there’s the rub. You see Lundqvist looks distinguished with his stache, while most of his teammates simply look scary.
Yandle says his Fu Manchu, which he has nicknamed “the Yandlebars,” is not as big of a hit with his kids as was the playoff beard that he grew last spring. But for Yandle, Zuccarello, Girardi and others, the look will stay through the month as a show of support for their star goalie.
The goal of Lundqvist’s foundation is to make the lives of children and their families better through education and health services. The Movember movement, which has men all over America giving the razor a month off, is committed to men living healthier and longer lives by fighting cancer and mental health issues.
The crown jewel of the King’s Movember cause is an auction item, open for bidding online until Nov. 30, that features a framed reversible photo signed by Lundqvist and his twin brother, Joel, a center for HC Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League. Both Lundqvists are dressed in suits and pictured on opposite ends of the photo, like a poker card you would fold in Las Vegas.
“Which one’s Hank?” Yandle joked. Bidding had reached 15,000 Swedish Krona, or about $1,720 American dollars, as of Tuesday afternoon.
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