Hershey Bears Fans Toss 18,115 Teddy Bears for New Record (Photos and Video)

HERSHEY, PA – Bears d-man Erik Burgdoerfer, who scored the teddy bear toss goal, looks at a pile of teddy bears on Giant Center’s ice. (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)

It was a record setting night as the Hershey Bears took on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Bears fans collected 18,115 plush animals to help benefit local charities.

Bears defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer found the back of the net for the Chocolate and White, setting off the throwing of the stuffed animals. “I’ve never scored one of those before,” Bugdoerfer said. “It was good to get it out of the way in the first period.”

Hershey would win the game against their division rivals Wilkes-Barre, 4-1, closing the gap between first and second place a bit more “We’ve been creeping along right around five/six hundred [point percentage] the last couple weeks, so it was good to be a little greedy and get five out of six points [this week]. We’re starting to gel offensively and getting more shots on net and creating more chances.”

Below, check out photos and video from the tossing of the Bears.

VIDEO: 2015 Hershey Bears Teddy Bear Toss pic.twitter.com/v6c7Q9IRDN

— Chocolate Hockey (@ChocHockey) December 6, 2015