Philadelphia Flyers fans can sleep well knowing they didn’t throw their hats onto the ice for nothing after all.
With the Flyers leading the Colorado Avalanche 2-0 in the first period on Tuesday, Jakub Voracek threw a puck towards the net from the hashmarks. At first glance, it looked like Wayne Simmonds had shovelled his third goal of the night behind goaltender Jeremy Smith.
Flyers fans reacted accordingly, covering the ice with hats — 396 of them, to be exact.
In response to the rink-wide miscue, Voracek said he will purchase 396 Flyers hats and donate them to sick children battling cancer.
While Voracek’s goal may have unintentionally robbed Simmonds’ thunder and fooled everyone in the building, the Flyers came away with a 4-0 win and hundreds of deserving kids in the Philadelphia area will reap the rewards of the phantom hat-trick.
“Well, it’s for a good cause, right? So, that’s all that matters,” Voracek said after the game, also apologizing to Flyers fans.
It looked like Simmonds was the only one in the building who knew he didn’t score. After Voracek was named in the goal announcement, the crowd voiced its displeasure, but based on the production the dynamic duo has put up this season, it was likely soon forgotten.
Voracek leads the team in points this season with 52 and Simmonds has the team-high in goals with 27.
“I think that’s the first time, and hopefully last time, I get booed when I scored a goal,” Voracek said.
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