HERSHEY, Pa. — It's one of those rare occasions where the result of the game isn't as important as the events that take place away from the ice.
The Hershey Bears hosted their annual Hockey Fights Cancer game on Sunday afternoon in the Giant Center to recognize and honor local cancer patients and their families.
"It affects everybody, it doesn't matter who you talk to," said Bears Head Coach Todd Nelson. "They always have somebody that's fighting it off or has just been diagnosed. It's a horrible disease and it's good that hockey does these things and brings awareness to it."
The first thing you notice about the Hockey Fights Cancer game is the color; lavender boards, lavender lines and lavender warm-up jerseys, all to bring attention to a deadly disease while competing against their rivals from Lehigh Valley.
A 3-year-old cancer patient from Penn State Children's Hospital, Adley, dropped the ceremonial first puck. There was also a special moment of recognition from both teams and the crowd for Bears forward Garrett Roe, whose mother recently passed away from cancer.
The Bears are in first place, but they didn't have their best game against the Phantoms, losing 4-1. It was a forgettable result, but it's still a game that stands out among the rest.
The day finished with the Hockey Fights Cancer Jersey Auction, which had fans eagerly bidding on the warm-ups worn by the players. The final bid for almost every single jersey made it well into the thousands of dollars.