The Steamboat Wranglers are in action on their home ice these weekend, on the Olympic-sized sheet at Howelsen Ice Complex. The Cheyenne Stampede heads up to Northwest Colorado with an 0-15-1 record, looking for some big wins on the road. Steamboat is 2-12-0, and hoping to score big for the hometown fans, and move up in the Mountain Division of the Western States Hockey League.

The Wranglers have invited all of the college students who are attending Colorado Mountain College on the Steamboat campus to the game, so a rowdy crowd is expected on Friday night. The team enjoyed dinner at the cafeteria there this week, where the Student Events Coordinator, April Gilliland, raffled off a jersey to the students, with help from Wrangler and CMC student, Sebi Culver.  Sebi Culver Video at CMC  Sebi takes  college classes up at the campus, which is an enticing aspect of playing junior hockey in Steamboat Springs. CMC Steamboat offers associate and bachelor degrees.

Saturday night is the infamous Teddy Bear Toss, but done with a twist. The local food bank and thrift shop is LiftUp of Routt County They’ve been collecting teddy bears and stuffed animals for months, in preparation for the game. Staff will be at the door with bags of teddy bears to sell, for a donation to LiftUp. Executive Director Sue Fegelein.

Then, when the Wranglers score their first goal, everyone throws the teddy bears on the ice. They’ll be gathered up by the U10 Steamboat Stampede hockey girls. LiftUp with take them to the thrift store to sell, and may donate some to the local hospital. All money raised by selling the teddy bears will go back to LiftUp, which provides emergency assistance to unemployed or impoverished individuals and families in Routt County, Colo.

Head Coach Ryan Dingle says, “Being a part of a hockey team is not only within the locker room but it’s also within the community and it’s hugely important to give back to people who are less fortunate or who are in need. The Teddy Bear Toss is one that really is close to our hearts, taking care of younger kids, older kids, and their families, who are less fortunate but could aspire to be good people. These are situations that really mold an individual into a better person later down the line, when a 16- to 20-year-old hockey player contributes to the happiness or the growth of an individual or a younger person. It makes them really understand what it’s like to be a good

human being.”

The Wranglers have special jerseys with big blue teddy bears on them, which will be auctioned off to parents and the highest bidders. Portions of those proceeds will also be donated back to LiftUp.

Also, the nearly 500 runners who participated in the recent Girls on the Run 5K are all invited to the game as well, to support the local hockey team.

The puck drops at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, and then at noon on Sunday. All games are at Howelsen Ice Arena in Steamboat Springs, and available to watch at www.BDEHockey.com