It was another record setting year for the Hershey Bears’ annual teddy bear toss night. For the last few years, defensemen have scored the goal to send the teddy bears, but this year it was Hershey Bears forward Garrett Mitchell. Let’s see how the action unfolded from the night: 

The night started with some friendly shoving during warm ups.

and of course lots of smiles

Liam O’Brien tested out a new way to screen the goalie. He won’t be able to see a thing.

Tyler Lewington got to practice some dad skills helping the youth players of the game put their helmets back on.

Someone made Nathan Walker angry. (Imagine being yelled at in an Australian accent)

Walker wasn’t angry for too long after Garrett Mitchell sent the teddy bears flying.

Goal celebrations are always better when you’re being hit with teddy bears.
 You especially want to hit the goal scorer with a fashionable panda.

Meanwhile on the bench, you see that bear behind Bowey’s head…

Yeah that’s the same one in Djoos’ face, courtesy of his BFF Tyler Lewington.

All smiles, all the time during the teddy bear toss game.

The stuffed animals are piling up on the ice.

Liam O’Brien can’t deflect a bear away and gets hit in the head. I think Boyd liked it though.

Lewington is struggling with a bear that is magically stuck to his stick.

Zach Sill wins the prize for finding a battery in the stuffed animal stack.

Colby Williams throws Pooh at Lewington. (haha, jokes)

Williams tests out the dorky emoji face. I think Lewington semi-likes it, but Labrie is just confused.

The captain helps to clean up the mess he made.

Bagging bears.

It’s not every game that you can whack your fellow defensemen with a bag of stuffed animals, so you have to take advantage of it when you can.

Travis Boyd using the backwards double bag drag. Great method.

Djoos looks weird using a goalie stick.

Lewington dekes up the ice with a teddy bear.

Christian Thomas carries the last of the teddy bears off the ice.

But enough with that teddy bear stuff, we’re at a hockey game!

Find someone who can do both: Garrett Mitchell can score beautiful goals and take down hockey players in a fight.

After what seemed like a third period of never ending penalties, Aaron Ness scores to give the Bears the lead again.

I think the boys were a little excited about it too.

‘Atta boy, Nessie.

Then everyone loved Zach Sill after he scored in the empty net.

It wasn’t pretty but the Bears pulled out a 4-2 win with only 13 shots on goal.

Since Vrana is recalled, Vanecek has to hug(?) Aaron Ness.

His neck might be a little stiff after that hug.

Yay! Joe Cannata with a big 35 save performance.

Fist bumps for earning 5 out of 6 points on the weekend.

Zach Sanford scores his first AHL goal and earns third star of the game honors. Nice work, kid.