Watch: Hockey fans throw 28,815 teddy bears on ice (for charity)

The Calgary Hitmen endured a 40-minute delay as fans donated over 28,000 teddy bears by throwing them on the ice.

The Calgary Hitmen endured a 40-minute delay on Sunday as fans donated over 28,000 teddy bears by throwing them on the ice.

The Teddy Bear Toss is an annual tradition for the Hitmen (and many other junior teams), now in its 21st year. Since its inception in 1995, the promotion has collected nearly 300,000 teddy bears.

Sunday’s game against the Swift Current Broncos saw a record-setting 28,815 bears showered down on the ice after Calgary’s first goal. The game was the Hitmen’s first ever sellout, as 19,289 fans packed the arena they share with the NHL’s Flames. That works out to 1.49 teddy bears per fan. 

The game was halted for about 40 minutes while players helped clear the toys from the ice. 

• No goal makes OHL team’s Teddy Bear Toss kind of awkward​

#WHLHitmen defenceman Keegan Kanzig having a blast at the @petrocanada #TeddyBearToss! #TeddyConfettiYYC pic.twitter.com/ny3iIT3uo7

— Calgary Hitmen (@WHLHitmen) December 7, 2015

Calgary, you are amazing. Thousands of bears rained down at the annual #TeddyBearToss at the @WHLHitmen game -EM pic.twitter.com/nRzJJlEIYW

— Crazy Eddie (@Crazy_Red_Eddie) December 7, 2015

The toys collected at the game will be donated to over 50 local charities.

- Dan Gartland

[​via Puck Daddy]