Defenceman Carson Woodall made Spitfires history on Sunday by scoring the fastest Teddy Bear Toss goal in Windsor club history, sparking a 5-1 victory over the Guelph Storm at WFCU Centre.
The 19-year-old Belle River native needed just 93 seconds to find the net, breaking the previous record of one minute and 52 seconds set by Justin Shugg in 2009. Woodall's early marker sent thousands of stuffed animals flying onto the ice in the 16th annual Teddy Bear Toss event benefiting Sparky's Toy Drive.
Record-Breaking Moment
Carson Woodall admitted he wasn't thinking about the Teddy Bear Toss tradition when he took his historic shot. "I just tried to make the right play," Woodall said. "I wasn't really thinking about the Teddy Bear toss goal, but I kind of just got a shot, took it and scored and kind of froze."
The defenceman, who leads all OHL blueliners with 32 points in 25 games, described the moment as surreal. "All the guys were laughing at me, I just didn't do anything for a couple seconds after I scored. Awesome moment."
Community Impact and Tradition
Fans responded to Woodall's record-setting goal by tossing 4,325 stuffed animals onto the ice, significantly surpassing last year's total of 3,954 donations. The event marked the Spitfires' 15th consecutive victory in their annual Teddy Bear Toss game, with the team having lost only the inaugural event in 2009.
Woodall had previously experienced the tradition from a different perspective, assisting on Oliver Peer's Teddy Bear Toss goal in 2023. "That was a cool feeling just to be a part of that kind of goal," Woodall recalled. "To score it's an awesome moment and for a good cause, too."
Behind the Scenes of the Toss
The Teddy Bear Toss creates unique challenges for those near ice level, as not every stuffed animal finds its intended target. Several become tangled in the netting or accidentally hit spectators and staff members.
Spitfires head coach Greg Walters shared his own experience: "I took one there off the back of the head." Walters revealed he used the extended delay for bear cleanup to make a strategic exit. "I drink a lot of water on game days, so I actually got out of there. I've got to go to the bathroom quickly with that long delay, so I got back quick."
The victory came despite Windsor missing key players. Centre Jack Nesbitt sat out due to a league suspension, while top-scoring forward Ethan Belchetz was away attending a prospects event in Alberta.
