Wild second period sees teddy bears fly, Knights lose

The London Knights fell to the Kitchener Rangers 4-3 at Canada Life Place in their annual Teddy Bear Toss game Wednesday night.

The big moment belonged to Linus Funck, who scored his third goal of the season early in the second period, sending thousands of plush paraphernalia over the glass.

Knights Fan Club members said they had collected more than 6,000 stuffies ahead of time, and after a final count, smashed their own OHL record with 20,597 bears collected for the Salvation Army.

Funck’s goal brought London within a goal, and the Knights built on the teddy bear-fueled momentum, scoring twice more in the frame to take the lead.

However, the Rangers rallied right back before the end of a second period. The teams combined for six goals, with Kitchener carrying a 4-3 lead into third.

A cagey final period saw the Knights manage just three shots on goal, failing to draw level again.

London’s next game is Friday night, when they host the Windsor Spitfires at Canada Life Place.