Fans raise close to $200,000 for charity with beards

EAST AURORA, N.Y. -- NHL fans across North America have come together this playoff season to raise over $197,000 in the first round of the Stanley Cup® Playoffs. The sixth annual Beard-A-Thon®, proudly presented by Just For Men, encourages hockey enthusiasts to grow their own playoff beards for the 2014 Stanley Cup® Playoffs, or pledge their favorite NHL players. In addition to participating in a great hockey tradition, beard growers are raising money for charities across the nation in a one-of-a kind way.

In the past five seasons, over 30,000 fans have participated in the Beard-A-Thon® program, raising over $2.5 million for charity. This season, the goal is to raise an additional $1 million for NHL team charities.

Currently, Boston Bruins fans have led the way, raising over $67,000 for the Martin W. Richard Charitable Foundation and the Boston Bruins Foundation. Fans of the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Los Angeles Kings combined have raised over $71,000 for local charities.

By receiving pledges, participants promise not to shave until their team wins the Stanley Cup® or is eliminated from the playoffs. Fans that are unwilling or unable to grow playoff beards can also pledge their favorite players, local celebrities, or build their own beard with the "Build-A-Beard"™ web application.

For more information on Beard-A-Thon®, to make a donation or to get involved, simply log onto www.beardathon.com. All donations to Beard-A-Thon® are tax deductible.

About the Playoff Beard

A playoff beard is the superstitious practice of a National Hockey League player not shaving his beard during the Stanley Cup® playoffs. The player stops shaving when his team enters the playoffs and does not shave until his team is eliminated or wins the Stanley Cup®. It is believed that the four-time Stanley Cup® Champion New York Islanders started the tradition in the 1980s. In recent years, other sports and other players have claimed the playoff beard tradition, but it is, and always will be, a hockey tradition.