Tigers edge Hitmen in Teddy Bear Toss

The Medicine Hat Tigers got a 37 save performance from Edmonton Oilers draft pick Tyler Bunz and a pair of goals from Curtis Valk in a 2-1 win over the Calgary Hitmen Sunday evening at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Calder Brooks scored the lone Hitmen goal triggering an avalanche of 25,303 stuffed toys in the 17th annual Petro-Canada Teddy Bear Toss.

                                                  Picture taken by Avery Buye

The distribution and delivery of Sunday’s bears will take place on Monday.  The day begins at the Petro-Canada Westhills gas station, the teddy bear distribution site, where more than 50 agencies will pick up their donated bears from 7:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.  The Calgary Hitmen will then visit the Alberta Children’s Hospital to deliver 400 teddy bears to patients.

Since 2000, over 186,000 bears have been donated to local agencies including the Alberta Children’s Hospital, Stephen’s Backpacks, the Boys and Girls Club of Calgary, YWCA, Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Calgary Food Bank and Treaty 7 groups.

Fans are encouraged to join the Calgary Hitmen in supporting the CBC Calgary Suncor Energy Food Bank Drive by visiting http://www.hitmenhockey.com/ to bid on game worn teddy bear jerseys. 

The online auction opens Monday, Dec.5 at 9:00 a.m. and closes Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 9:00 p.m.  Fans with the winning auction bids will be presented with their signed jersey on Friday, Dec. 16 when the Hitmen host the Regina Pats.

Check out some photos from Sunday here. Thanks to photographer Linda Coward.

Medicine Hat Tigers 2 at Calgary Hitmen 1
Sunday, December 4, 2011 - Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, AB

Medicine Hat 1 0 1 - 2
Calgary 0 1 0 - 1

1st Period-1, Medicine Hat, Valk 7 (Etem), 6:06.
Penalties-Bowman Cal (interference), 10:40.

2nd Period
2, Calgary, Brooks 2 (Gayle, Trzonkowski), 18:21.
Penalties-Sylvester Cal (tripping), 3:10; Rissling Cal (high sticking), 8:06; Lewington M.h (hooking), 13:03; Etem M.h (hooking), 15:21.

3rd Period
3, Medicine Hat, Valk 8 (Etem), 10:00.
Penalties-Humphries Cal (roughing), 3:06; Shinkaruk M.h (high sticking), 4:45; Humphries Cal (holding), 6:55; Grbavac M.h (slashing), 7:51; Brassart Cal (slashing, 10-minute misconduct), 19:53.

Shots on Goal-Medicine Hat 3-9-5-17. Calgary 8-12-18-38.
Power Play Opportunities-Medicine Hat 0 / 6; Calgary 0 / 4.
Goalies-Medicine Hat, Bunz 16-8-2-2 (38 shots-37 saves). Calgary, Driedger 8-6-1-1 (17 shots-15 saves).
A-16,014
Referees-Brett Montsion (54), Jon Stephenson (38).
Linesmen-Michael Roberts (87), Justin Slimm (105).