St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen has been playing extremely well lately and appears to have turned his season around after a very frustrating slump. He didn't do anything differently ... he just read some fan mail.
Allen says he read an encouraging letter written by a five-year-old fan named Mason Gilbert and it lifted his spirits. Mason wrote, "Dear Jake Allen, you are my favorite player. I hope you win tonight. I know you can do it. You're a great goalie. Love, Mason. I'm five years old."
Allen says the letter became his good luck charm because from that moment on he's played extremely well, winning four of his next five gams.
Allen was so appreciative for the letter that he reached out to Mason and invited him to a team practice to meet up and hang out.
Mason's mom brought him to the practice on Monday, where he got to meet his favorite player – who thanked him with a puck and an autographed stick. Afterwards Allen said, "That's what it's all about. Any time you can make a kid's day, it's a no-brainer. It doesn't matter what the situation is, when it is, where it is. As soon as I saw him this morning, it put a smile on my face and a smile on his. I'm glad I got to speak to him after." (NHL.com)