Sound Tigers Honor Sandy Hook
Sunday · Dec 23 · 2012 | 12:25 PM PST
Bridgeport, Conn. AHL club holds touching tribute
The AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers had the youngest victims of last week's school shooting on their mind when they hit the ice yesterday against the Adirondack Phantoms. Twenty children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. on Dec. 14.
There's no one who doesn't already know the story. But what you may not know is the Sound Tigers' close connection to the school.
“Sandy Hook Elementary School has been a part of our family, supporting the Sound Tigers at games and community events since the team began calling Bridgeport home, 12 years ago,” Sound Tigers president Howard Saffan said. “We are honored to recognize the victims of the heartbreaking events that happened less than 20 miles up the road.”
Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images via Sound Tigers (official Facebook)
Players wearing names of young victims in place of their own
From Thursday's Sound Tigers press release:
In place of each player’s last name, every jersey worn at home beginning on Sat., Dec. 22 when the Sound Tigers take on the Adirondack Phantoms, will have the name of one of the 20 students whose life was lost on Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn. The names of the six adult victims will appear on the center hung digital scoreboard throughout the entire game.
The Sound Tigers will wear their black alternate jerseys for these games. The month-long tribute concludes on Jan. 20 when the team hosts the Springfield Falcons.
During that game, the Sound Tigers will honor the Newtown community, as members or representatives from each family will be invited to take home their jerseys off the players’ backs at the conclusion of the contest.
The Sound Tigers will hold a number of promotions and auctions over the next few weeks, the proceeds of which will go to Sandy Hook Elementary.
Sound Tigers tribute will continue through rest of season
The tribute to the Sandy Hook victims doesn't end on Jan. 20.
Earlier this week, the team announced that they will wear commemorative ribbon patches on the jerseys and stickers on their helmets for the remainder of the 2012-13 American Hockey League season, and a graphic with the initials “S.H.E.S.” and the date “12.14.12” will be painted into the ice behind each net at Webster Bank Arena.
For more pictures of the black jerseys worn during last night's game, The AHL's Official Facebook page has a great photo album you can check out.
Reader Comments (1)
That is awesome!!