Monsters win; fans toss more than 16,000 stuffed animals onto FieldHouse ice

If you’ve ever had a bad day at home or on the job, stepped in a puddle (or worse) when you weren’t paying attention or simply need a boost, attend a Monsters home game on a special theme night and chances are very good you will leave the arena in better spirits.

Dec. 16 was the annual Teddy Bear Toss night for the Monsters at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. It is always a highlight of the season, but not the only highlight. The Jan. 6 game with Rochester is University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Night. The Monsters players will wear special “I skate for (a patient’s name)” patches on the front of their jerseys that night after having visited patients in the hospital.

The first period Dec. 16 between the Monsters and Belleville Senators was scoreless thanks to brilliant play by both goalies — especially Jet Greaves of the Monsters, who was still on fire after minding the net in the 5-1 home win over the Senators on Dec. 14. Fans were restless, eager to toss their stuffed animals onto the ice after the first Monsters goal, knowing the colorful, fluffy animals will become Christmas gifts to needy children in the Cleveland area.

Fans did not have to wait long once the second period began. James Malatesta skated down the right side of the ice toward the Belleville net. He snapped a pass ahead to left wing Justin Pearson bearing down on the left post and then Pearson beat Kevin Mandolese glove side at the 17:37 mark for a 1-0 Monsters lead. The goal sparked a 2-1 victory. The Monsters lead the AHL North at 16-7-1-0.

On cue, the crowd of 13,096 began tossing the stuffed animals onto the ice. Many fans arrived at the FieldHouse with more than one animal, because the final count showed 16,112 were collected — a record number for the event.

The goal by Pearson wasn’t only the first of the game. It was the first pro goal for the 25-year-old rookie from Nashua, New Hampshire.

“It was a whirlwind of emotions,” Pearson said. “Getting the puck into the back of the net felt great, then having all the teddy bears come down was something special and then celebrating with all my teammates, so it was a great moment.”

Pearson said he plans to have the puck framed to commemorate his first goal.

The score remained 1-0 until Mikael Pyyhtia scored an empty net goal with 1:56 remaining. Angus Crookshank spoiled the shutout with a sixth-attacker goal for Senators with 55 seconds left. The Monsters kept the visitors at bay until the final horn sounded.

Greaves stopped 39 of 40 shots. He made 33 saves on 34 shots in the Dec. 14 game.

THE SCORE

Monsters 2, Senators 1