Get your bears prepared

By Ryan McCracken on November 30, 2018.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com  @MHNMcCracken

Get your bears prepared.

The Medicine Hat News Teddy Bear Toss returns to the Canalta Centre for another holiday spectacle when the Tigers host the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Saturday night at the Canalta Centre.

“It’s an event the community can get behind and show a lot of support, and it’s just a lot of fun for us,” said Tigers alternate captain Ryan Jevne who will be part of the group tasked with handing out donated stuffed animals to children at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital later in December.

“It’s big for us letter guys. We get to go after the game and take them to those young kids who spend a lot of time in the hospital and that’s tough on them. We’re members of the community, we go in there and just to see the smile on their faces, it’s a good feeling, especially around this time of year.”

Fans are encouraged to bring as many stuffed animals, as well as any winter gear they would like to Saturday’s game. Following the first goal, those in attendance will be prompted to throw every last donated item onto the ice below.

Jevne and teammate Dylan MacPherson have both predicted centre Ryan Chyzowski will score Saturday’s coveted first goal to send thousands of teddy bears cascading over the glass, but there are plenty of other names floating around the Tigers dressing room.

Chyzowski — who has four opening goals this season, good enough for fifth in the Western Hockey League — says a handful of Tigers are hoping to see 17-year-old defenceman Daniel Baker net the first goal of his career to send the bears flying, but he’s still predicting 18-year-old sparkplug Baxter Anderson will net the teddy tally.

“I think he’s got a good shot at it,” Chyzowski said of Baker. “He almost had one (Wednesday), but I’m sticking to my prediction. I’ve got Andy.”

While it will be Jevne’s fourth and final Teddy Bear Toss, it will be fellow alternate captain Bryan Lockner’s first since joining the Tigers at last season’s trade deadline. The former Regina Pat has already seen what fans at the Brandt Centre had to offer in previous seasons and says he can’t wait to see what the Gas City can do this weekend.

“That’ll be awesome,” said Lockner, whose Tigers will also be in Regina for the Pats’ Teddy Bear Toss Sunday. “We like to do stuff like that for the people. I love everything about it and I’m super excited for it.”

The Tigers and Hurricanes drop the puck Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

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