About 2,500 people packed Terry Conners rink in Stamford Thursday night for a good cause.

The second annual Shoulder Check Showcase honors the memory of Hayden Thorsen, a Darien hockey player who took his own life in 2022.

"We want folks to leave the building having felt the power of the message we’re trying to send," Hayden's dad Rob Thorsen says. "The simplest idea, the simplest gestures can sometimes make the biggest difference."

NHL players, like New York Rangers captain Chris Kreider, Matt Rempe and PWHL star Ella Shelton took part.

Youth hockey teams will play in honor of Hayden all weekend.

You can find out more about the Shoulder Check initiative here.