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The Montreal Canadiens’ playoff hopes might be evaporating, but the power of P.K. is still inspiring fans.

Just ask James Thomas Lowden. He turned 11 on Jan. 11 and wanted to invite a whole slew of friends to his birthday party, thrilled that his teammates on his Lakeshore soccer team and friends from Beacon Hill elementary, where he attends Grade 5, would be able to spend the afternoon playing ball hockey at the Terra Nova centre in Dorval. He drew up his guest list. But when his mother saw the list of 28 names, she had a little talk with her son.

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Sarah Thomas explained it would be too much for him to receive gifts — or expect to receive them — from so many people. That wouldn’t be right. But James was excited about hosting an afternoon of sports for his friends. So, he made a suggestion. Instead of gifts, why not ask his guests to make a voluntary donation that he would then give to the Montreal Children’s Hospital, just like Canadiens’ defenceman P.K. Subban? After all, James had been a patient at the hospital a few months earlier, when he was treated for a broken thumb, an injury he suffered while playing soccer at school.