The Kitchener Rangers invited their fans to help make holiday dreams come true on Tuesday, December 6th at the annual TEDDY BEAR TOSS GAME! The team hosted the London Knights at 7pm and fans who attended the game were asked to bring a new or good, used teddy bear and immediately following the Rangers first goal, they threw their teddy bears onto the ice surface. The bears would go to local charitable organizations just in time for Christmas.

Zellers was also on hand to sell bears during the game. All proceeds from the salesbenefited Cystic Fibrosis and their other charities.

This year marks the 17th season that the ice at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium was filled with the feel-good childhood toys. Over the past 17 years, Rangers fans have generously donated an incredible 82,757 bears for local charitable groups.

Zach Lorentz scored the Teddy Bear goal at the 7:54 mark of the first period in the Rangers’ victory over the London Knights. Kitchener fans are renowned around the league for their rowdy receptions for each goal, but this time Rangers Nation outdid itself. A record 7,762 cuddly stuffed animals sailed to ice level, bringing joy to children all around the Waterloo Region.

In regards to distribution: Teddy Bears are available for pickup on a first come first serve basis in the zamboni bay of The Aud beginning at 9am on Wednesday, December 7.

Groups interested in the teddy bears can fax their recipient form to 519-576-7571 or email them to Brad Sparkes at bsparkes@kitchenerrangers.com. For more information, please contact Brad Sparkes at 519-576-3700, ext.24

Past teddy bear goal scorers and bears collected:

1995-96- PAUL TRAYNOR (1,452)
1996-97- DARCY HARRIS (2,092)
1997-98- JEFF AMBROSIO (2,100)
1998-99- SERGE PAYER (3,896)
1999-00- MIKE MAZZUCA (4,265)
2000-01- STEVE EMINGER (4,305)
2001-02- JEFF SZWEZ (4,607)
2002-03- EVAN MCGRATH (5,051)
2003-04- JESSE BOUCHER (5,069)
2004-05- MIKE DUCO (5,096)
2005-06- YVES BASTIEN (5,472)
2006-07- KEVIN HENDERSON (5,666)
2007-08- JUSTIN AZEVEDO (6,013)
2008-09-JASON AKESON (6,528)
2009-10- JASON AKESON (6,831)
2010-11 - MATT TIPOFF (6,952)
2011-12 - ZACH LORENTZ (7,762)