The Big Teddy Bear

Ask any hockey prospect New York Ranger or New York Islander if being able to score a "Teddy Bear" goal is not a special moment in their career. It is one of the best holiday traditions among the juniors and college hockey.

The "Teddy Bear Toss" is an annual event where fans are encouraged to bring stuffed animals to a designated game and when the home team has scored their first goal of the game to toss the animals on the ice.

Tonight's Star Steven Fogarty

It is one thing to score a "Teddy Bear" Goal as that is an automatic star but Steven Fogarty (NYR 2011 3rd) made his night a legit night with a 1-2-3 evening to help his Penticton Vees stretch their unbeaten streak to 7 games after a 4-1 win over the Merritt Centennials.

Fogarty's 12th goal of the season at 7:37 of the first period got the stuffed animals airborne as he gave the Vees a 1-0 lead that they would not give back. The full story of Fogarty and the other Ranger prospects can be found here.

No Islander prospect in our eyes really stood out as you had a 2 goal performance by Brock Nelson but 1 was an empty netter.

Corey Trivino had a goal which helped Boston University win but it was an insurance goal. And of the Islander prospects who played none earned a star or did something that made their performance stand out.

The Islander report can be found right here

We will leave you with what for us was the best "Teddy Bear" goal as it is the only one we know of that was a game winning goal in overtime. Current Ranger Michael Sauer did his imitation of Brian Leetch and went end to end setting up teammate Kyle Bailey for a 1-0 win.



(Fogarty-Penticton Vees, Islander logo courtesy of the New York Islanders)