The 2011 edition of the Teddy Bear Toss game was held this past Sunday, and once again it was a hit.  Although, for a while it almost seemed as though a Hitmen goal would never come.

Nearly 40 minutes into the game, the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers held a 1-0 lead, and goaltender Tyler Bunz appeared to be in the zone.  But with 1:39 remaining in the second period, Hitmen rookie Calder Brooks broke the shutout and set off a flurry that saw over 25,000 stuffed animals land on the ice.

It took over 20 minutes for the Hitmen players, staff and volunteers to clean the ice, but when the action resumed in the third period, it appeared as though the clean-up had taken just enough out of the Hitmen players to allow the Tigers to escape with the 2-1 victory.

It was a disappointing way to end one of the season’s biggest game for Calgary, but it wasn’t all bad news, as a total of 25,303 stuffed animals were collected and will be delivered to the Alberta Children’s Hospital, as well as over 50 other agencies around the city.

Here is a look at what a teddy bear storm looks like.

Hat Tip – [Calgary Herald]

The melee began with 1:23 left in regulation, as a member of the Broncos was checked hard into the boards by a Portland defender.  That got all five players on the ice from both teams involved in some pushing and shoving, and before you knew it, ten pairs of gloves were sprawled on the ice as punches started to fly from every angle.  Finally, Portland netminder Mac Carruth and Swift Current’s goalie Austin Smith took the long skate from their respective nets to center ice in order to give the fans exactly what they were hoping for…

…A Goalie Fight!

When it was all said and done, 66 minutes in penalties and 10 game misconducts were handed out by the officials.  Here is a look at how it all transpired.

Hat Tip – [TSN]

That was precisely what happened to Jesse Pearson of the Edmonton Oil Kings during his bout with Curt Gogol of the Chilliwack Bruins a few months ago.

Due to the lack of fight’s from last night’s three NHL contests, we couldn’t provide you with a “Frozen Fisticuffs Fight of the Night” today, but this knockout from the WHL should suffice.

Special thanks to reader Sean for the find.

I have always wondered if referees wear jock straps while officiating these games.  Judging by the fact that this linesman was able to bounce right back up to his feet without showing any visible signs of pain leads me to believe that the answer to that question is “yes.”

At about this time each year the Calgary Hitmen ask their fans to bring teddy bears to a game and when the first goal is scored by the Hitmen those in attendance shower the ice with the stuffed animals.  This year it was Cody Sylvester recording the first goal of the game at 3:49 of the first period.  And only seconds later the tossing ensued.

Fans showered the ice with teddy bears for approximately 40 minutes, tossing a total of 23,096 onto the playing surface during Sunday’s game against the Red Deer Rebels.  The following day the Hitmen players personally delivered the teddy bears to the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

The Hitmen and their fans have been performing the Teddy Bear Toss for 16 years, and although this year’s total was not enough to break their world record performance of 26,919 in 2007, it was enough to eclipse last years total of 16,755.

Here is a look at the scene inside the Scotiabank Saddledome during this year’s Teddy Bear Toss.

Hat Tip – [Puck Daddy]

Here is a look at both rounds between these two juniors.  Enjoy!

Thankfully, Josh Nicholls of the Saskatoon Blades was able to escape serious injury after he was sent flying head-first into the end-boards following a brutal check-from-behind from the Tri-City Americans’ Brendan Shinnimin last Wednesday.  Nicholls is expected to miss at least one week with a concussion and back injury, while Shinnimin has been handed a 12-game suspension from the WHL for the hit.

Whether 12-games will be enough to send a message across the league remains to be seen, but the job of protecting players should not be placed entirely in the hands of the league.  Instead, it is the responsibility of each and every player to maintain a certain level of respect for their opposition while on the ice.  Sure, all athletes are expected to compete, but hitting a defenseless player from behind it not competing.  Instead, it is more along the lines of assaulting, and if hockey players from all leagues continue to neglect that fact, perhaps we may eventually come to a point where all dangerous hits will be dealt with as acts of assault.  After all, just because something takes place within the confines of a hockey arena, does that mean it should not be subject to the full extent of the law?

I have seen individuals prosecuted for far less than this in the past.

When he was born in the city of Brandon, Manitoba seventeen years ago his parents gave him the name Wheaton to go along with the family name King.  They must have had their home town Brandon Wheat Kings team in mind and now Wheaton has taken his hockey career to the place his name has foreshadowed since the day of his birth.

King’s name can currently be found on the Brandon Wheat Kings’ roster, as he was able to survive camp and make the 2009-10 team.  Although he has yet to suit up for the squad two games into the season, expect the name Wheaton King to become a household one in the Brandon Wheat Kings’ organization.  Some would argue it already has.

Wheaton King

Hat Tip – [Extra Mustard]

After losing their first two games to Drummonville and Rimouski, Windsor needed to defeat Kelowna in their third round robin game in order to advance to a tie-break game.  They would get the 2-1 victory and go on to face Rimouski for a place in the semi-finals.  After defeating Drummonville in overtime, the Spits found themselves in an unlikely position, going from down and out to the Memorial Cup Finals.

Kelowna had endured a lengthy rest of four days, last playing on Tuesday when they lost to Windsor.  The Spitfires would take advantage of that rust in the final game, going up 3-0 in the first and never looking back.

After a great season and dominating playoffs, the Spits looked as though they had crashed after the first couple of days of the tournament.  Instead, they were only heating up, getting better as each game passed, and hitting full stride in time for the championship game.  The victory puts an end to what has been an unforgettable year for the team from Windsor.

Just over a year ago, Spitfire captain Mickey Renaud passed away at the age of 19 with a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.  His team has since hung his sweater in their dressing room so he can still be there with them for every game.  This season and the way they fought hard in the end to give it the perfect ending is a testament to their fallen teammate and friend.  It also comes at a perfect time as the city of Windsor has fallen on hard times with the struggles of the auto industry.

We at TPS would once again like to congratulate the Windsor Spitfires on a terrific Memorial Cup victory and a great season all around.  Good luck next year, although it is unlikely they will need it with most of their players expected to return, making them early favorites to win the OHL again.

Just one more thing now that it is all over.  What is going to happen to all those terrible playoff mushaches and beards?

“Up 5-1 going into the third period, the game began to disintegrate at the 6:33 mark of the period. As Ryan Letts joined the Spokane rush into the Tri-City zone, Letts ran into Pickard, who dropped to the ice. Meanwhile, a melee ensued as things went downhill from there. Pickard, who needed help off the ice went straight to the locker room and did not return. Back-up Brett Martyniuk entered the game in his place and played the final 13:27.’” (AMSHockey)

I enjoy a good hockey fight as much as the next guy, however I’m starting to think that it is losing its place within the game.  This brawl could have been avoided because there is no reason to run a goalie late in a 5-1 game.  I think that if hockey ever wants to become bigger in the United States something has to be done about all the fighting.  If fights continue like this it will always be viewed in a negative way.