From The Los Angeles Loyolan
By Catherine Galanti
“One word: electric.”
That’s how sophomore sociology major Ryan Towers described the atmosphere at LMU hockey’s Teddy Bear Toss game on Dec. 3.
High energy games are nothing new for LMU ice hockey. The team is known for fast action and high fan engagement, equally due to the nature of the game itself and the effort that the team puts in to boost visibility.
“I think all of the guys on the team do a very good job at marketing themselves with their social media. They make a lot of really good social media posts, but also, it’s just a good atmosphere here,” said Towers. “All the guys are good, it’s fun. See these guys getting in fights right now? Everyone wants to see people getting in fights.”
The reputation that LMU hockey has worked to build proved to hold true for the team’s Teddy Bear Toss game.
The Teddy Bear Toss is a tradition that the Lions, and many other teams, have enjoyed over the years. After the first home goal, stuffed animals are tossed onto the ice to be collected and donated after the game. LMU hockey hosts their Teddy Bear Toss to benefit the Richstone Family Center, a charity focused on helping children and families who have suffered from domestic abuse.
The Teddy Bear Toss is one of LMU hockey’s biggest games of the year, and that was reflected by the game’s attendance. Over 300 fans packed the stands at the Skating Edge Arena in Harbor City, many of whom bussed from campus in another one of the hockey team’s traditions — team sponsored bus games.
“I think the only thing that really compares is our home opener. Both games have been really good,” said freshman defenseman Jack Hogan. “[For our] home opener, I think we had over 300 people, but this is a pretty close second.”
The crowd had plenty to cheer for, as LMU put up a 7-6 win over California State University Northridge (CSUN). The action got started with a CSUN goal, but sophomore forward Connor Kaczmarek became the Lions’ hero by tying up the game with six minutes left in the first period.
That first goal sent hundreds of teddy bears soaring onto the ice, resulting in a 10-minute game delay. The official number of bears collected was 556, shattering the previous record of 301.
“It was tough going down one goal, but once [Kaczmarek] scored that goal, it was exciting for the whole team,” said Hogan. “I mean, we all jumped on and gathered all those teddy bears. That was really nice to see.”
Kaczmarek’s opening goal was only the beginning. He went on to score two more goals in the game to complete a hat trick, and additional goals by Adam Nishino, Bryson Martin, Christopher Manzer and captain Gabi Rodriguez carried the Lions to victory.
“It was just as fun [as last year’s Teddy Bear Toss]. We’re happy, we got a good crowd, and you know, we really wanted to put on a good show,” said Kaczmarek. “I think it was on par with last year, if not better.”
While LMU’s offense was locked in, CSUN put up a good fight, scoring six goals on 42 shots on goal in the back-and-forth game. Tempers also flared, with penalties being taken on both sides and one of Northridge’s players getting ejected.
“It was a big win against a good team, a team we’ve lost to in the past. To have a win like that, in front of everyone, that was a lot of fun,” said Kaczmarek. “There was a lot of emotion. Like I said, this is a team we’ve lost to in the past, so I know a lot of the boys were pretty heated tonight and sometimes our emotions got the best of us, but our penalty killers did a great job killing off everything.”
The Lions currently hold a 10-3-3 record. The Teddy Bear Toss capped off the first half of the Lions’ season, but they’ll return to action after winter break. The team is currently battling a few injuries, so the break comes at a good time, but they hope to return strong as they look to continue their mission to return to the American Collegiate Hockey Association regionals.
“I’m looking forward to fighting for a regional spot. It’s obviously not easy. We went last year, so we’re trying to make it a norm,” said Kaczmarek. “I think the excitement of the good teams we’re playing next semester and the opportunity we have, it’s exciting and I think we have another group of guys who can do it.”
(Originally published at https://www.laloyolan.com/sports/club_sports/club-hockey-delivers-thrilling-game-with-teddy-bear-toss-tradition/article_fb2d2319-fc41-5f28-a00c-624af1c390c7.html)
