In an emotional game of solidarity between athletes and their community, #3 Regis Jesuit’s Varsity Ice Hockey team played their hearts out on Friday, December 8th. The team skated off the ice with a 4-1 win over #4 Ralston Valley, but held an even greater win for Colorado Children’s Hospital. 

The student section piled into South Saburban’s ice rink right before the first puck drop- loud and dressed in red. In celebration of Regis’ first CHSAA season game, fans and families brought teddy bears of all shapes and sizes, waiting for their perfect moment. The buzzer sounds and the first puck is dropped, Peterson (25) and Damrath (9) get early shots in to start an exciting game against the Mustangs. 

With 10:51 left in the second period, Junior Vincent Cieslak (92) cracks down with a slap shot through Ralston Valley’s towering goalie. It’s in, it’s good and it’s finally “Teddy Bear Time!” The first bear was thrown on the ice before hundreds more came crashing down on our very own players. It’s unbelievably loud and there are players belly-sliding through the pool of plush. 

Dozens of bags are filled, the bears waiting to be sent to their new forever homes at the Children’s Hospital in Denver. The boys played an intense last two periods, scoring three more times with their final goal by Senior Captain Ian Beck (17) with under 30 seconds left on the clock. 

As the team filed off into the ice rink, reporters Maya Collins ‘24 and Sophia Miles ‘24 were lucky enough to catch some words with Senior Assistant Captain Edison Barnes (51) and Senior Captain Ian Beck (17). When asked about their feelings on the game, Beck responded with a wide grin and those sweet words they all waited for, “It’s Teddy Bear Time.”