Watch 24,605 teddy bears hit the ice in Calgary!

In possibly the coolest tradition in all of hockey, the Calgary Hitmen hosted their annual Teddy Bear Toss game tonight from the Scotiabank Saddledome as they took on the Moose Jaw Warriors in WHL action. Immediately following the Hitmen’s opening goal, fans littered the ice with 24,605 teddy bears for local children’s charities.

It was a moment that has to be seen to be believed. So, check it out for yourself. Here’s what it looked like following Vladislav Yeryomenko’s opening goal:

During the 40 minute delay to clean up all the toys, Yeryomenko said, “It’s an unforgettable moment. It’s possible it can only happen once in your life and it happened to me. I enjoyed the moment of it all.”

The Hitmen have been holding the annual Teddy Bear Toss since 1995 and including this tonight’s total, the team has collected 347,948 stuffed animals for local charities.