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ICEHOGS WELCOME BACK BRYAN BICKELL FOR JERSEY AUCTION NIGHT
ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Rockford IceHogs today announced they have partnered with the Bryan & Amanda Bickell Foundation for the team’s 19th annual Jersey Auction game, sponsored by Insurance King, on March 31 against the San Jose Barracuda at 6 p.m.
Two of the primary benefactors for this year’s event will include the Bryan & Amanda Bickell Foundation and the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society – Greater Illinois Chapter.
As part of the event, the IceHogs will be hosting three-time Stanley Cup champion and former Chicago Blackhawks and IceHogs forward, Bryan Bickell. The NHL veteran skated in 395 career games with the Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes before announcing his retirement in 2017 due to a diagnosis of MS. He skated for parts of four seasons with the IceHogs during his professional career, collecting 115 points (56g, 59a) in 227 contests from 2007-10 and 2015-16.
The 2018 Jersey Auction Game is Hawaiian Night at the BMO Harris Bank Center. The festivities for the event will feature tropical IceHogs jerseys, a luau with live beach music and hula dancers, a pig roast and a stencil pattern of the Hawaiian hibiscus flower throughout the ice. The contest will mark the first time an AHL team has incorporated a stencil design into the ice surface.
Fans can also enjoy live music throughout the evening from local artist “Flip Flop Dave,” who will perform covers of classic beach-style hits and a variety of his own music in the Blue Flame Lounge. In addition, fans can buy Hawaiian leis for just $1 during the event, courtesy of BMO Harris Bank, with all proceeds benefiting the MS Society – Greater Illinois Chapter.
The IceHogs’ Hawaiian-themed jersey for the game on March 31 is gray with a black floral pattern adorning the torso, back and arms. It also features a striking orange contrast along the shoulders, under the arms and around the wrists, and has the imprint of white hibiscus flowers throughout the design. The crest is a unique “Tiki Hammy” logo, which contains Hammy’s likeness wearing a hula skirt in front of a banana leaf background.
The jerseys will be available for live auction on the ice surface of the BMO Harris Bank Center immediately following the IceHogs game. Fans in attendance can bid on the specialty, game-worn sweaters, with all proceeds from the auction benefitting the IceHogs Charitable Foundation. Following the auction, the IceHogs Charitable Foundation will, in-turn, donate a portion of the money raised from the jersey auction to the Bryan & Amanda Bickell Foundation, National MS Society – Greater Illinois Chapter and several other local charities.
A select number of jerseys will also be available for online auction the following week, and two jerseys will be raffled off at the game on March 31.
Last year, the IceHogs “April Fools” themed jersey raised more than $50,000 for charity. Through 18 seasons, the IceHogs and their fans have helped raise $934,926 for Rockford-area charities, good for an average of $51,940 per season.
ABOUT BRYAN & AMANDA BICKELL FOUNDATION:
The Bryan & Amanda Bickell foundation is dedicated to creating awareness for the compassionate, loyal, and misunderstood dogs labeled pit bulls, and working with them to assist abused children. Founded by former Chicago Blackhawks left winger, the foundation now also works to provide service dogs to individuals living with multiple sclerosis.
