March 24, 2008

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University hockey team put on a benefit to raise funds and awareness for children's cancer on Mar. 1st when they hosted defending National Champion Michigan State at the BGSU Ice Arena. The total funds raised from the event were $7,859, which went to the Peter Eigner Fund to support the son of falcon hockey alum Ty Eigner (1988-93).

The hockey game was the finale of a "Super Saturday" on the Bowling Green campus, a tripleheader that also featured home games for both the men's & women's basketball teams earlier in the day.

A silent auction featuring items donated by Falcon hockey alums and supporters took place at all three events, culminating with the hockey game Saturday evening. Some of the items donated included Cleveland Cavaliers and Lake Erie Monsters club seats (courtesy of the Cavs), 2008 CCHA Championship ticket and hotel packages provided by the CCHA, Cleveland Indians tickets provided by David Gassman of CC Electro, and various autographed memorabilia donated by Falcon hockey alums and the 2007-08 BGSU Hockey team. All proceeds from the silent auction benefited the fund to support the youngster's ongoing treatment, as well as a portion of the evening's Falcon Club Chuck-A-Puck 50-50 funds and monetary donations from fans.

Ty Eigner (1988-93) is a proud father of three children including a son, 5-year old Peter. Peter is your typical fun-loving child in a lot of ways. He loves spending time with his little sisters Ellie and Kate, is a big fan of the Minnesota Twins - especially his favorite player, Joe Mauer - and as you might expect given his dad's background, is a hockey fanatic, and quite the little player. What sets Peter apart from most other youngsters his age is a battle he fights on a daily basis against neuroblastoma cancer. Peter was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, most commonly found in male infants under the age of 5, on August 17, 2006.

To support the Eigner family's ongoing battle against Peter's cancer, BGSU assistant hockey coach Doug Schueller organized an effort with the entire BGSU hockey family to come together throughout that Saturday's tripleheader of home games on the Bowling Green campus.

Peter and his family traveled to Bowling Green and were in attendance at the hockey game, and appropriately, just prior to the opening faceoff, Peter, smiling and doing something he loves...dropped the ceremonial first puck on the ice.

To learn more about Peter Eigner and the Peter Eigner Benefit Fund, go online to www.petereigner.com.

The Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation (CNCF) is also in existence to support the needs of children and their families fighting neuroblastoma, and to raise funds for research of the disease. To learn more about the CNCF, go online to www.cncf-childcancer.org.