One goal was enough to turn a nearly sold-out rink into something much bigger than a hockey game.
When Victoria Royals 16-year-old forward Ludovic Perreault scored three minutes into the second period against the Vancouver Giants on Dec. 12, the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre erupted, not just in cheers, but in motion.
— Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals) December 13, 2025
Teddy bears flew from every corner of the building, 2,713 of them, as the Royals’ annual Teddy Bear Toss once again transformed fan energy into direct community support.
The goal tied the game. The toss carried far more weight.
For many in attendance, the tradition is a highlight of the season, a rare night when fans are encouraged to break the rules and throw something onto the ice.
“My parents always tell me that this is the one game of the year that I can throw something over the glass,” said eight-year-old Cara Parker, squeezing her pink pig plushy. “I love getting stuffies at Christmas, and I know all kids do. So I think they’re all going to be excited to get them.”
After the toss, the bears were sorted and distributed to six local organizations: Surrounded by Cedar Child & Family Services, Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island, Mustard Seed, Victoria General Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Esquimalt Celebration of Lights Committee, and the Salvation Army.
Each group received 452 teddy bears to give to children, families, and individuals in need across Greater Victoria.
Fans were encouraged to bring stuffed animals to the Royals’ Dec. 12 game against the Giants. After the team’s first goal, the bears were tossed onto the ice and later distributed through six organizations across Greater Victoria. (Tony Trozzo/Victoria News)
Just days after the toss, the Royals were already delivering bears to partners like the Mustard Seed, where they will be included as part of Christmas hampers going out this week.
“The stuffed animals collected by the Victoria Royals are always a huge hit with everyone who receives a Christmas Hamper — kids, teens, and even adults alike,” said Mustard Seed director of development Claudia Rezende.
The bears will be handed out alongside food and essential items as clients visit the food bank in the lead-up to Christmas.
“They will be distributed on Tuesday and Wednesday as clients visit the food bank to receive gifts, fresh produce, food items, and grocery gift cards. This year, we will be distributing 1,200 hampers, supporting more than 2,000 people in our community,” Rezende said.
The need continues to rise.
Rezende said demand for Mustard Seed services has grown significantly over the past year, adding urgency to initiatives like the Teddy Bear Toss.
“The demand for our services continues to grow. Food bank usage has increased by 24 per cent over the past year alone, and interest in the Christmas hampers was especially high, with online registrations filling up in just three hours,” she said.
For the Royals, the event is about using the reach of the game to support the city that fills the building night after night.
“Once again, the community rallied behind our team in what is one of the most impactful traditions in hockey,” said Royals vice-president of hockey operations Joey Poljanowski. “The over 2,500 teddy bears that were collected on Friday night have been distributed to our key partners.”
The Mustard Seed will hand out teddy bears as part of its holiday hampers distributed to community members during the holiday season. (Tony Trozzo/Victoria News)
Poljanowski said the response reflects the connection between the team and the community it represents.
“We are very grateful to belong to a city that recognizes the impact of this game and comes together in such strength to support local children and families, especially during the holiday season,” he added.
Friday’s game drew 5,167 fans, the largest home crowd of the season, highlighting the pull of the event.
On the game side, Perreault’s goal marked his sixth of the season, with Cowichan Bay’s Eli McKamey drawing the lone assist, but the visiting Giants took the extra point with a 5-4 shootout victory.
Victoria currently sits ninth in the Western Conference, one point outside of the final playoff spot. They have earned points in seven consecutive games, going 3-0-2-2 over that span.
The teams will meet again at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on Thursday, Dec. 18, before closing their pre-Christmas schedule in Langley on Dec. 19.
But on Dec. 12, the standings mattered less than what left the building in garbage bags and boxes.