By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
A giant American flag covered much of the ice at the Memorial Coliseum for the playing of the National Anthem Sunday evening as the Fort Wayne Komets held their annual Military Appreciation Night.
The flag was unfurled – with the help of Komets players – prior to the start of the game, a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones.
The team wore special camo jerseys for the game, with one shoulder patch recognizing the USS Indianapolis.
A silent auction for the game-worn jerseys was held in the aena lobby, with proceeds to benefit the Mission: Fill the Boot non-profit, which benefits veterans with PTSD and TBI, and supports suicide prevention efforts in Northeast Indiana.
All active-duty military personnel and veterans – who are honored prior to each game throughout the season – were offered special ticket prices for Sunday’s game.
The club’s Military Appreciation Night is normally held on Veterans’ Day. However, since the addition of a new ice plant at the Coliseum forced the first 11 games of the season to be played on the road, the Komets moved the event to Pearl Harbor Day.
TOSSIN’ TEDDIES: Another popular special event, the Teddy Bear Toss, will be held this Friday when the Komets host the Kansas City Mavericks in a 7:30 game.
Fans bring Teddy Bears and other stuffed animals to the game and toss them onto the ice when the Komets score their first goal.
They will then be collected and donated to Goodwill and Lutheran Children’s Hospital.
A total of 3,002 “stuffies” were collected last season.
The Teddy Bear Toss began well over 10 years ago and has spread throughout hockey in the U.S. and Canada, and into other sports as well.
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