It's Raining Teddy Bears
December 12, 2014 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Topeka Pilots News Release
This Saturday night, December 13, 2014, the Topeka RoadRunners of the NAHL will host the Wenatchee Wild at the Kansas Expocentre, and the night's promotion is the annual Teddy Bear Toss. According to Wikipedia, "A teddy bear toss is a popular Christmas season promotion at many minor and junior hockey arenas throughout North America. Fans are encouraged to bring teddy bears to the game, and to throw them onto the ice when the home team scores its first goal. The toys are then gathered up to be donated as Christmas presents to hospitals and charities." The RoadRunners will donate the collected bears to the Topeka Rescue Mission. It's said the Teddy Bear Toss was first conceived by the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League in the 1993-94 season.
Last season, the Teddy Bear Toss was scheduled for December 14, 2013 when the RoadRunners faced off against their South Division rival Amarillo Bulls. The RoadRunners had defeated Amarillo on that Friday night, and the next morning, veteran forward Peter Halash went into the room of his billet brother and teammate, goaltender P.J. Bridges and excitedly woke him up, proclaiming, "Wake up, PJ! Today's the day! I'm gonna make it rain teddy bears!"
Halash's line jumped on the ice about :40 seconds into the game. An Amarillo pass up their left wing was broken up by defenseman Ryan Polin, who moved it back up the wall to Jake Kamrass. Kamrass pushed the puck ahead to Halash, who dropped it back to Kamrass as they entered the Bulls zone. Kamrass fed a one-touch pass sharply back to the speeding Halash who drove down the right side, and curled around behind the cage before tucking home a tight wraparound goal just :53 seconds into the game, launching the barrage of teddy bears onto the ice, tossed by a roaring crowd of 1,710 fans. On his very first shift of the game, Peter Halash made good on his promise to make it rain teddy bears.
Tragically, just 22 days later, 19 year old Peter Halash lost his life in single car accident attributed to icy roads in Topeka. Hailed as a true leader, his uniform number #21 has since been retired by the organization in his memory. When the RoadRunners score their first goal on Saturday in their game against Wenatchee, it will once again rain teddy bears in the Kansas Expocentre. And the organization, from owners Don and Barbara Stone to Head Coach/GM Scott Langer, every single RoadRunner past and present and every fan and member of RoadRunner Nation will think of Peter, his lasting legacy, and the night he made it rain teddy bears.
North American Hockey League Stories from December 12, 2014
- Rennaker Powers Runners To 3-0 Win - Topeka Pilots
- IceRays Finish Comeback in 3-2 Overtime Thriller over Bulls - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Power-Play Goals Propel 'Cats Past Bees - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Banged up Bruins Win Fifth Straight - Austin Bruins
- Tomahawks Fall to Jr. Blues 2-1 on Friday Night - Johnstown Tomahawks
- Amarillo Bulls Tender Forward/Defenseman Brycon Johnson - Amarillo Bulls
- Lone Star Brahmas Sweep Rio Grande with 4-0 Shutout - Lone Star Brahmas
- Timber and Players Visit Essentia-St. Marys Children's Hospital - Minnesota Wilderness
- Wilderness Lose in a Shootout in Austin - Minnesota Wilderness
- Wilderness Top Kenai Wearing Ugly Christmas Sweater Jerseys - Minnesota Wilderness
- Wilderness Auctioning Specialty Jerseys - Minnesota Wilderness
- Vidmar Commits to Union College - Lone Star Brahmas
- Wilderness Lose Second Straight Shootout - Minnesota Wilderness
- Spencer Kuhlman Called up to USHL - Minnesota Magicians
- Road Warriors - Minot Minotauros
- It's Raining Teddy Bears - Topeka Pilots
- Soo Eagles Return Home to Take on the Michigan Warriors - Soo Eagles
- Bulls Fall to IceRays 8-4 - Amarillo Bulls
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