The OHL is tossing teddy bears and throwing hands all at the same time.
A teddy bear toss is supposed to feature plenty of fuzzy animals being thrown onto the ice in a heartwarming moment for charity. While the game featuring the Ottawa 67s and Barrie Colts did consist of a number of plush toys covering the ice, those weren’t the only things being thrown on Sunday night.
A brawl broke out during the OHL contest on Dec. 8 in the midst of a showering of teddy bears onto the ice. While teddy bear tosses are a frequent part of the Canadian junior hockey scene, the fisticuffs involved in the midst of the sequence are not.
Here is more to know about the Teddy bear toss brawl between Ottawa and Barrie in the OHL.
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Hockey teddy bear toss brawl video
During Sunday’s 2-1 win for the Colts over the 67s, a fight sequence broke out after the first goal of the game. Ottawa forward Luca Pinelli lit the lamp, causing the teddy bears to be thrown onto the ice.
However, as the hundreds of fluffy animals made their way to the playing surface, the skaters on the ice elected to throw punches. Multiple fights and wrestling matches could be seen among the sea of teddy bears.
A truly unique edition of The Beautiful Game, as the Ottawa 67’s and the Barrie Colts get into a kerfuffle in the middle of the Teddy Bear Toss. pic.twitter.com/2zXj2a1QQc
— David Castillo (@DavidCastilloAC) December 8, 2024
In the end, six minor penalties and four misconducts were handed out to those involved. The brawl resulted in 52 penalty minutes being handed out.
Sunday’s festivities weren’t the only teddy bear toss that drew more eyes than normal. Saginaw Spirit star forward Michael Misa was suspended one game for shooting objects out of the playing surface, after he used his stick to send three stuffed animals back over the glass into the stands during a game against the Sarnia Sting.
What is a teddy bear toss?
A teddy bear boss is a charity event that commonly occurs at hockey games.
Fans are asked to bring teddy bears and other fluffy animals to the rink in order to donate to charity. When the first goal of the game is scored by the home team, those teddy bears are thrown onto the ice.
It’s a regular occurrence in minor league games, as well as at the junior level.
The Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, has become known for their annual teddy bear toss. The team set a record last year during its charity event, with nearly 75,000 stuffed animals collected.
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