Coyotes raise more than $165,000 for fallen firefighters

The Phoenix Coyotes announced Thursday that more than $165,000 was raised during an intrasquad scrimmage Wednesday to benefit families of 19 firefighters killed this summer battling a fire in the small town of Yarnell, Ariz.

More than 6,300 fans filled Jobing.com Arena to see the game. A combination of ticket sales, a 50/50 raffle, an auction of autographed player jerseys, and donations from the club, Coyotes players and the Coyotes Alumni Association raised a total of $165,198.

"We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support we received from Coyotes fans [Wednesday]," Coyotes president and CEO Anthony LeBlanc said. "The game was all about giving back to the community and helping those in need. We have some of the most loyal and dedicated fans in the entire National Hockey League and we can't thank them enough for their incredible support."

A pregame ceremony featured a bagpipe performance, a moment of silence and a video tribute for the 19 fallen firefighters.

"It was an unbelievable, successful night," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett told the team's website. "… Tonight was about giving back to the community and helping those families, and it was an excellent night."

In the game, a Shane Doan-led Team Red got goals from Mikkel Boedker and Andy Miele in a 2-1 win against Team White, which was led by Keith Yandle.