HOCKEY

Winning ugly just what Walleye want

The Walleye will be wearing these special jerseys on Ugly Sweater Night during Saturday's game against Cincinnati.

The Toledo Walleye organization is taking its annual Ugly Sweater Night event to another level.

The Walleye will be wearing special jerseys designed to look like ugly sweaters for its game Saturday against Cincinnati.

The uniforms feature reindeer and snowflakes with the fish on the Walleye logo donning a Santa Claus hat. The team has held an Ugly Sweater Night every season.

“I think it's great,” Walleye rookie defenseman C.J. Chartrain said. “It's fun for the fans and it's also cool for the players. I'm a big Christmas fan, so I'm definitely excited about the ugly sweater jerseys.”

Fans also are encouraged to wear an ugly sweater to the game.

The game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off after the contest with proceeds benefiting Walleye Sled Hockey, a program where children with physical disabilities are provided competitive and recreational adaptive sports opportunities.

This is the second time this year that the Walleye players have worn specialty jerseys. On Nov. 2 against Kalamazoo, the players donned Star Wars-themed jerseys.

The Walleye players wore X-Wing Pilot jerseys, representing the Rebel Alliance on Star Wars Night. Their opponent, the Wings, represented the Dark Side and wore Darth Vader-themed jerseys.

Both teams' jerseys were auctioned off with proceeds benefiting the National MS Society and the Wounded Warrior Project.

Contact Mark Monroe at: mmonroe@theblade.com, 419-724-6354 or on Twitter @MonroeBlade.