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 NHL All
Star game goalie mask
Goalie mask soldier tribute
 Trooper
Mark Wilson’s death in Afghanistan has inspired a special piece of art
that’s being passed among elite NHL players to become part of the
upcoming all-star game.
Sports artist David Arrigo, a friend of one of Wilson’s relatives, was
hit hard by the October death of the London soldier and inspired to
design a military-themed goalie mask.
“It just sort of pushed me — this is going to be my addition to thanking
the soldiers,” said Arrigo, who has done work for years for the NHL, NFL
and other pro sports leagues.
“(But) I didn’t want this piece to be about any one person — it’s more
about all the soldiers in Afghanistan.”
 The
detailed mask design, Arrigo explained, has two distinct sides: The
right is called “the mission,” and features images of an Afghani girl
reading and a Canadian soldier. The left side, called “the memory,”
includes a bagpiper and a soldier pinning a poppy on a wreath.
They have also photographed the mask with hockey celebrities such as Don
Cherry, who mentioned the project during Coach’s Corner on Hockey Night
In Canada.
NHL officials in the U.S. were so
impressed, they have asked Arrigo to make a mask with an American theme.
Those photos will eventually be posted at NHL.COM and on Arrigo’s own
website, darrigoart.com. Arrigo’s mask will then be auctioned off on the
NHL’s website with the money raised going to tbenefit the United
Services Organization (USO), the Canadian Forces Personnel Support
Agency (CFPSA) and The Sapper Mike McTeague Wounded Warrior Fund.
Sabres'
Miller honoring soldiers at All-Star event
 Sabres
goalie Ryan Miller and several other NHL players are going to
Dallas-Fort Worth airport on Tuesday to greet returning soldiers from
Iraq and Afghanistan. The Stanley Cup also will be there (although it
would be shocking if Miller broke hockey code and actually picked up the
Cup before earning it on the ice).
Also, while visiting with the troops Miller is going to show two new
goalie masks custom-designed to honor U.S. and Canadian troops. The
masks, designed by renowned sports artist David Arrigo, will be
displayed in the terminal during the visit. Arrigo has done paintings
for all sports and sporting events. He designed the Canadian mask after
a relative of a friend of his was killed in combat in Afghanistan. After
seeing it, the NHL asked him to design one with an American theme.
By the time the returning soldiers see the masks at the airport, the
masks will already be part of an online auction on NHL.com. They'll go
up on the auction at 3 p.m. Monday. Proceeds from auction will benefit
the United Services Organization (USO), the Canadian Forces Personnel
Support Agency (CFPSA) and The Sapper Mike McTeague Wounded Warrior
Fund.
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Photos
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