More than 230 Jr C Otters fans brought a bevy of bears to their November 23 game to help the team spread some joy this holiday season.
The Otters met the Schomberg Cougers at the Don Lough Arena for a fast-paced game in which the home team earned their first goal near the end of the first period.
The fans were on a high with the Otters leading 1-0 as they lined up along the railings ready to toss their bears to the ice for the annual Teddy Bear Toss. With a countdown 3-2-1, bears of all sizes and colours flew from the stands and over the glass.
A few Huntsville Sting girls’ hockey players supported the Otters and their hometown community by volunteering to collect the donated bears. The Junior C Otters will donate the bears that were collected to the ‘Stuff-a-Truck’ initiative at Huntsville Walmart on December 1, and they will then will be distributed within the community. The Otters thank their hometown fans and community for all of their support.
Teddy Bear Toss volunteers (from left) Pam Nadrofsky, Kelly Graham-Tanner, Ryder MacKinnon
Neil and Karen Brown are regular spectators and a team sponsor as Neil Brown Well Drilling
Fans awaited the moment when they could toss their bears to the ice
Huntsville Sting players (from left) Miah Tilstra, Tessa Easy, Alexis Waters, and Waverly Earl collected the bears that had been tossed on to the ice
As the players returned for the second period, Schomberg was quick to respond to Huntsville’s earlier goal and sent the puck past Otters defense and goalie Ty Sparling to tie up the game.
In the third period, both teams were fighting for the win with the Cougars scoring first and the Otters answering with a goal of their own. The win could have gone to either team, but in the final minute Schomberg scored to take the win, 3-2.
The game was close but the Otters did feel as if they won for their community with the collection of teddy bears building up the team’s spirit of Christmas giving.
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