Marquette's 'Teddy Bear Toss' a success

Kent Daavettila’s goal at the 12:42 mark of the first period of Friday’s Marquette Rangers-U.S. Under-17 Team game ignited a teddy bear storm on the Lakeview Arena ice, and with good reason.

The Rangers held their first ever “Teddy Bear Toss” that night, in which fans were asked to bring a stuffed animal to the game and hold onto it until the Rangers scored their first goal. 

Over 375 various animals of all colors, shapes and sizes hit the ice after Daavettila lit the lamp.

“Our fans really responded well to this,” said Rangers spokesperson Mark Evans.  “Any time you host an event for the first time you wonder how well it’s going to go, so to get this many animals the first time out is great.”
 
The animals were collected by the players and will be distributed to various pediatric units at Marquette General Health Systems, including MGH EMS for use in its ambulance fleet out in the field.

“The Marquette community has always been very generous when it comes to giving in times of need, and this promotion is just another example of that giving spirit here in the Upper Peninsula,” Evans added.

Marquette and the USNTDP split their two-game weekend set.

JENSEN HEADED TO WJC: For the second straight year, Bismarck Bobcats forward Nicolas Jensen will compete in the World Junior Championship for Denmark, which will play in the Division IB pool of the tournament from December 15-21 in Aalborg, Denmark.

“We’re very excited for Nick,” said Bobcats head coach Byron Pool. “It’s a special honor any time a player is selected to represent his country in international play.  This will be something he’ll remember for a lifetime.”

In 18 games with the Bobcats this season, the 19-year-old Jensen has five goals and six assists.

“Nick is just starting to adjust to the North American game,” said Pool.  “He’s a big (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) and plays a power forward-type game. 

“He has a tremendous amount of skill and his hockey sense is off the charts.  We expect very big things out of Nick in the second half."

At the WJC, Jensen will be teamed with his younger brother on Denmark’s squad.

Demark is joined in the Division IB pool with Austria, Hungary, Italy, Norway and the Ukraine.