"Over the years, a countless number of kids have taken to the ice between periods at Blues games, entertaining a Scottrade Center crowd, fantasizing about taking the same ice as an NHL player some day. One of those kids realized that dream Tuesday night.

Pittsburgh forward Joe Vitale made his first NHL appearance on Scottrade ice Tuesday, as the Blues played host to the Penguins. For the Sunset Hills native and CBC grad, it was almost surreal.

"I have some good memories here as a kid, playing between periods of Blues games and then in high school playoffs and championships, so to come back and play the Blues is pretty crazy," Vitale said. "It'll probably sink in sometime later this week when I'm on the (All-Star) break."

Vitale grew up playing in the Affton hockey program and later with the Junior Blues. He also played in the Missouri Mid-States Championship for CBC when it defeated DeSmet in overtime to win the Challenge Cup in 2004."