It doesn’t matter that every other night the boys in the Italian Serie A league battle each other for the puck. They’re all too willing to come together afterward and discuss the best ways to make an impact in the mountainous cities they play in. Players from HC Alleghe, HC Ritten/Renon, and HC Cortina all took part in a few of HP4K’s programs this season.

Adam Dennis and Vince Rocco from HC Alleghe helped to coordinate school visits and learn-to-skate events with kids in their town and the big city of Belluno. In Ritten/Renon board member Mac Faulkner and his teammates Christ Blight, Scott May, Brad Farynuk, Dan Tudin, and Ethan Graham visited six schools talking about hockey, their life and culture in Canada and answered questions from the kids. The Ritten/Renon boys also set up eight different “Learn to Skate/Learn English” programs for kids in their area.

Not only did the players from each of these teams get involved this season but their wives helped develop fundraisers to raise money for local children’s hospitals by raffling off some gear. Greg Hogeboom, from HC Alleghe, his wife Megan, Vince Rocco and Francesca Soia, and Adam Dennis with Cait Bruder, and player Adam Henrich helped to make this happen. They were able to raise around $2000 for the kids.

In Cortina they raffled off a signed jersey and stick as well and took the proceeds to Citta della Speranza (City of Hope) in Padova, Italy. Citta della Speranza is a children’s hospital ward that focuses on research and funding for kid’s with cancer. Not only did HC Cortina offer the money raised to the hospital but they visited one afternoon and passed out sticks and hats, as well as spent some time with the kids on the ward.

All season the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL) have been out and about giving back to people in the community. Whether it’s volunteering their time at a local after school program, reading to kids, or showing up for the occasional visit at a shelter, they’ve focused a lot of their free team on making sure the Las Vegas surrounding areas know they care.

In November the entire team spent the day helping 3-Square Food Bank - a local initiative that supplies food to over 600 of their Program Partners throughout Southern Nevada. The day consisted of putting together bag meals for the needy families at these partner locations. The players were divided up and put to work on a few different jobs.

“Some guys unpackaged the large boxes so the food was easy to divide. Others collected and packed the bags with a variety of foods. The rest of the guys broke down the boxes and plastic for recycling. It was a fun experience. We did a lot of work, but it was only one evening. It’s a real eye opener when you imagine how much needs to be done on a daily basis” said Wrangler Defenseman, Mike Madill.

The opportunities didn’t stop there though. Earlier this month the team went to Opportunity Village and volunteered in all of their activities for the evening. Opportunity Village is a non-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities. They provide them with vocational training, employment and social recreation services that make their lives more productive and interesting. Again, the players were divided up throughout the village. Some guys worked the information booth and others helped with rides and games. All proceeds received from those who came for the night was given back to charity.

“This was another great event. Lots of locals and tourists came out to see the lights, had a hot chocolate and got into the winter spirit. A lot of people benefited from the whole experience,” adds Madill.

The Las Vegas Wranglers have so much more planned throughout the season to give back. Getting out there and showing their fans and supporters how much they care about the city they play in is at the top of their list. They believe their position gives them the unique opportunity to give back to those less fortunate, and they intend to take advantage of it.

He started out a rookie goalie. A dreamer with a bare upper lip. Over the course of the last four weeks Guneet has struggled with his mustache growth and battled against his opponents to come out a champion. He led his second league recreational hockey team to a victory  and has helped raise awareness for Movember and men’s health. Two birds with one ‘stache.

There are only 6 days left to get your mustache pics in to win the prize! Send your picture to info@hp4k.org and join Team HP4K for Movember 2011! Want to donate to our cause? Check out our Mo Page and choose any one of your favorite HP4K’ers or you can choose to donate to the overall team. The HP4K Network has raised over $1000 so far. Let’s see if we can double that total in the final days!

We catch up with Guneet during his first career playoff game this week. He believes his Movember mustache has given him a little edge that allows him to rob his opponents of any chances.

Follow Guneet’s progress this Movember as he joins forces with HP4K, and other networks to raise funds and awareness for men’s health issues. Currently his networks have raised over $300,000 for Movember!

Ian McNally, who cofounded HP4K alongside his Princeton teammates, leads Team HP4K with $395 raised. The Guelph Gryphons men’s ice hockey team rounds out the top five on the leader board.

Join our team and donate your face this month to Movember! We’re collecting your best mustache photos for a chance to win an awesome HP4K prize. Check out all our members participating through our Facebook page.

Last week we met Guneet. This week we find out a little bit more about what makes him tick. From his pre-game push ups, to his lessons on life, Guneet shows what it means to be a real fighter in a world where first-time goalies are usually much, much younger.

Though his skills may rival those only of the pee-wee leagues, Guneet uses his new found goalie fame to bring awareness to men’s health and Movember. His ‘stache doesn’t quite meet his usual standards but with a few weeks left he’s optimistic about where things are going.

Join Team HP4K or HP4K’s Network (if you’re already part of a team) this month in the fight against cancer. Send in your best mustache photos for a chance to win some HP4K prizes and something from your hometown team. Send your pictures and information to info@hp4k.org and check out all of our participating member photos on Flickr and Facebook.

Follow and donate to Guneet’s initiative this month through his Mo Space.

It’s the month formerly known as November. Every year men across the world grow their mustaches to support men’s health awareness, specifically towards prostate cancer, in what has become known as Movember.

These men are known as Mo Bro’s and their meticulously groomed upper lips have become a phenomenon. So much so that, teamed with their Mo Sistas, they are gathering funds through sponsorship and generous donations to fight the good fight.

This year Team HP4K has joined forces with the likes of many professional hockey players to prompt conversation and help to raise the hockey world’s awareness of these diseases that affect so many. Among these athletes stands one strong and proud individual who is leading his team’s fight through the second division of the University of British Columbia’s intramural hockey program.

Meet Guneet Singh. The newest member of Hockey Players For Kids. Follow Guneet’s progress, here, each week to see his team battle against their adversaries and watch how one man’s upper lip can make such a difference.

Join Team HP4K or HP4K’s Network (if you’re already part of a team) this month in the fight against cancer. Send in your best mustache photos for a chance to win some HP4K prizes and something from your hometown team. Send your pictures and information to info@hp4k.org and check out all of our participating member photos on Flickr and Facebook.

Follow Guneet’s progress this month through his Mo Space.

Ian McNally and Darroll Powe put on a camp in the Princeton area each year bringing in dozens of kids from the surrounding area for all things hockey. The second year of the Powe –McNally Just for Kids Hockey School brought in 45 kids. Kids aged from 5-14 came to the weeklong hockey school to work on skill development and to just have fun. The kids spend the week running drills, hanging out on the bench and in the locker room with Powe and McNally.

“The camp went great,” said Ian McNally, “ We get a pretty wide range of age and skill levels that attend and so we just try to keep everybody moving and having fun.  A lot of the kids go through a noticeable improvement over the course of the week and we get some nice e-mails from their parents as a result which is rewarding.”

Powe who was recently traded to the Minnesota Wild for the 2011-12 season is also happy to sign everything the kids throw their way. “Of course, they all enjoy just getting to hang out with Darroll every day,” McNally adds, “The absolute best part though is rehashing all the crazy stuff the youngest kids said and did out there when the day’s over.  They’re hilarious.”

Some of the proceeds raised from the camp each year are donated to HP4K and their initiatives around the world.

Elmira, New York is the homebase of the ECHL’s Jackals and some outstanding HP4K members. Throughout the entire 2010-2011 season, the guys have been making great use of their free time and helping out in the community. One member, Chris Frank, has been using his days off to visit with patients at the Elmira Psychiatric Center.

Patients at the Center range in age — from 5 to 90 — and benefit from a wide array of comprehensive psychiatric services. Chris has worked with both children and adults, but finds that his niche is spending quality time with the kids. Chris assists the Center’s Recreation, Rehabilitation and Intensive Case Management staff in providing safe, structured activities for the children, in which they learn and experience positive attributes such as self control, confidence, good self esteem, and good sportsmanship.

As of mid-March, Chris has logged more than 90 hours at the Center, mentoring, interacting with and offering an ear to kids in need.

In a letter written by the Center’s Supervisor of Rehabilitation, Joanne Hastrich, she expresses great admiration for Frank. “It is not often that we see this kind of person, who so freely gives of their time, seeming to get as much out of the experience as the patients receive from him. He is able to connect with some of our children and adults in ways that our paid professionals have not.  Chris’s easygoing manner has allowed some patients to trust him and open up to him with their personal interests and struggles.“

Chris tells us that his visits usually begin by spending the morning with some of the adult patients. He will usually sit in on some group sessions and give the adults the opportunity to speak more about what’s on their mind, rather than their disabilities. Around 3 p.m. he visits with the kids during their gym time. Many of the children who are patients are dealing with behavioral issues and gym time gives them a chance to put that energy into playing and learning. Chris helps to teach them the importance of sportsmanship, team-building, and how to follow simple rules — something Chris can give a first person account of due to his hockey career.

Staying for dinner is something he does often as well, and Chris enjoys spending time visiting each table to speak one-on-one with the kids. “Conversations vary from who the best superhero is to, ‘Does is hurt to get punched in the face?’” said Chris.

Chris has even been able to help organize day trips where kids are rewarded for good behavior with attending a Jackals game. The ones who attend get to high-five the Jackals as they come out for warm-ups and even get to explore the locker room. A skating clinic was put together at one point for the kids who were on their best behavior. About 10-15 people participated in the clinic and one boy in particular really took to the hockey program. Chris was able to meet with him for one-on-one sessions after the group clinic.

“The most exciting part of that whole experience for me,” said Chris, “was meeting the children’s families and seeing what their family environment was like.”

Chris Frank is a perfect example of how it takes just giving a little of yourself and your time in order to make a big difference in someone’s life.