The Campbell River Storm are hosting their annual Teddy Bear Toss game this Friday against the Comox Valley Glacier Kings. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. at the Rod Brind’Amour Arena. Black Press file photo

The Campbell River Storm are hosting their annual Teddy Bear Toss game this Friday against the Comox Valley Glacier Kings. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. at the Rod Brind’Amour Arena. Black Press file photo

Campbell River Storm host Comox Valley for Teddy Bear Toss game Friday

Team asking fans to make it 'rain teddies'

The Campbell River Storm hope to keep their Teddy Bear Toss night win streak alive this Friday. The Junior B team hosts the Comox Valley Glacier Kings at the Rod Brind’Amour Arena at 7:30 p.m.

Coach Lee Stone says that in the last six years he’s been coaching the team, they’ve outscored their opponents 52-5 in the teddy bear toss game.

“It’s usually a pretty exciting game for the fans,” he said.

The Storm will be looking to pack the Brindy again this Friday and are asking people to bring along plush toys to toss on the ice when they score their first goal of the game.

“It’s something we definitely love to do to give back and without the fans coming and making it rain teddies, we wouldn’t really be able to do that,” said Stone.

The week after the game, the Storm will start their community visits to hand out the teddies. Their usual stops include Yucalta Lodge, Evergreen Seniors Home and the hospital. Stone said that handing out the teddy bears is memorable for players.

“It always ends up being something that is incredibly rewarding for the boys,” he said. “It’s kind of neat to see how much they appreciate going and doing it because we really do make people’s day or week.”

A few times in the past, they’ve received thank you messages from people whose family members were visited by teddy-toting Storm players.

“I think they’re stunned at how much it means to the people they’re giving them out to,” said Stone. “Some folks, their family lives out of town so they don’t get regular visitors and to have our guys come in and spend some time with them, it’s a pretty special scenario for us.”

Campbell River Mirror