The Lehigh Valley Phantoms will host their sixth annual Teddy Bear Toss game, presented by Dan’s Camera City, inside of PPL Center in downtown Allentown on Saturday, December 14, at 7:05 p.m. when the team takes on the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Fans are encouraged to bring new or gently-used stuffed animals to throw on the ice after the Phantoms score their first goal. All of the stuffed animals will then be counted and donated to Valley Youth House for distribution to children across the Lehigh Valley.
Over the past five seasons, the Phantoms have collected and donated over 20,000 stuffed animals.
2014-15: 1,728
2015-16: 2,773
2016-17: 4,125
2017-18: 4,970
2018-19: 7,148
Through those five Teddy Bear Toss games, Lehigh Valley has seen five different players send the fur flying on to the ice.
2014-15: Brett Hextall (6:08 of the second period)
2015-16: Andrew MacDonald (10:03 of the first period)
2016-17: Nic Aube-Kubel (:59 of the first period)
2017-18: Matt Read (1:25 of the first period)
2018-19: Connor Bunnaman (4:06 of the first period)
https://twitter.com/LVPhantoms/status/1071564981072732160?s=20
While the game is often overshadowed by the Teddy Bear Toss itself, the Phantoms currently own a 2-1-1-1 record in those fun-filled contests. Overall, three of Lehigh Valley’s five Teddy Bear Toss games have needed extra time to decide the winner.
December 6, 2014: Bridgeport Sound Tigers 3, Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2 (SO)
December 12, 2015: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 5, Springfield Falcons 4 (SO)
December 10, 2016: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4, Rochester Americans 2
December 2, 2017: Laval Rocket 4, Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3 (OT)
December 8, 2018: Cleveland Monsters 4, Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2
Over the course of the Phantoms five seasons in the Lehigh Valley, the roster has changed quite a bit, however there are some players that seems to excel when the Teddy Bear Toss game comes around.
Overall Teddy Bear Toss Night Points
- Nic Aube-Kubel 1G-3A, 4 Points (Teddy Toss Goal)
- Danick Martel 1G-2A, 3 Points
- Greg Carey 1G-2A, 3 Points
- Andrew MacDonald 2G, 2 Points (Teddy Toss Goal)
- Jordan Weal 1G-1A, 2 Points
Phantoms with Multi-Point Teddy Bear Toss Nights
- Andrew MacDonald (2G) December 12, 2015
- Nick Cousins (2A) December 12, 2015
- Petr Straka (2A) December 12, 2015
- Jordan Weal (1G-1A) December 10, 2016
- Danick Martel (1G-1A) December 10, 2016
- Nic Aube-Kubel (1G-1A) December 10, 2016 (Teddy Toss Goal)
- Greg Carey (1G-1A) December 2, 2017
Random Teddy Bear Toss Game Facts
- All five of the Phantoms Teddy Bear Toss goals have been the first goal of the contest.
- Greg Carey has the primary assist on two of the Phantoms five Teddy Bear Toss goals.
- Alex Lyon is the only Phantoms goaltender to have played in more than one Teddy Bear Toss game. Other goalies include Rob Zepp (2014-15), Anthony Stolarz (2015-16) and Dustin Tokarski (2017-18).
- Four out of five of the Lehigh Valley Teddy Bear Toss goals have been scored by players that have seen time in the National Hockey League.
- Of the five players that have scored Teddy Bear Toss goals for the Phantoms, only one of them, Matt Read, was undrafted.
- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have twice scored Teddy Bear Toss goals against goaltenders that would eventually don the Orange and Black. In 2016-17 the Phantoms netted their goal against Rochester’s John Muse who would go on to play for the Phantoms the next season. Last season, Lehigh Valley scored on Cleveland’s J-F Berube who currently plays for the team.
Limited single-game tickets are still available for Saturday night’s Teddy Bear Toss game, presented by Dan’s Camera City, against the Wolf Pack, so secure your seats online by clicking HERE.
