Fans toss nearly 10,000 teddy bears for charity during Kitchener Rangers game

Kitchener Rangers 27th Teddy Bear Toss on Dec.6 against the Guelph Storm.

Nearly 10,000 stuffed animals were tossed onto the ice Tuesday night as the Kitchener Rangers hosted its 27th annual Teddy Bear Toss at The Aud.

It was only 4:17 into the game when Rangers captain Francesco Pinelli, scored the first goal of the night.

Fans then threw 9,962 stuffed animals onto the ice, which have since been collected and destined for donation to local charities.

“It’s a great feeling to see all the fans that support us, and all the teddy bears that went out on the ice. It was a special moment,” said Pinelli.

Last year, the Rangers collected 7,406 stuffed animals, meaning this year saw 2,556 more bears donated compared to last year.

"We are the community's team, and we take that, facilitate it and bring these stuffed animals and teddy bears to the community. So we want to be a pillar here, and this game fully encompasses what the Kitchener Rangers are in the Waterloo Region,” said Dominic Hennig, senior director of communications with the Kitchener Rangers.

The Rangers have donated over 170,000 stuffed animals since the toss began 27 years ago.

The stuffed animals go to local charities so less fortunate kids can still get a gift during the holidays

Rangers fan Ashley Atcheson along with her two kids brought a bag full of plush toys to the game to toss on the ice.

"There's a duck, two bears, and I think it's like a cub, a lion," said Atcheson.

When the first goal hit the back of the net, stuffed animals rained down onto the ice, and those in the front row were able to retoss the ones that didn’t quite make it onto the ice.

"Most of the time we get hit in the head with a teddy bear, so I get to re-throw it, so that's fun,” said Rangers fan Olivia Moniz.

It was a successful night off the ice as the event brought in over 6,600 fans, a season-high, and also a victorious night on the ice.

The Kitchener Rangers defeated the Guelph Storm 4-1 in another installment of the Highway 7 rivalry. The Rangers have now won three of their last four games.