Watch Scot Pollard come heartbreakingly close to winning $50,000 for Indy's Julian Center

The crowd erupted as former Indiana Pacers forward Scot Pollard appeared to nail a $50,000 shot from center ice. The money would go to the Julian Center in Indianapolis.

This was no easy shot, either, having to squeeze the puck into a small opening that covers the front of the net. (There are bigger openings on either side.) The Indy Fuel have had fans and local celebrities attempting this for three years before a 16-year-old Brebeuf Jesuit student hit it for the first time last week. The Fuel, Indy's ECHL team, awarded him $50,000 to benefit the Junior Fuel Hockey Club. 

So Pollard was at center ice windmilling his arm and pumping his fists.

Then the PA guy broke the collective heart inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

"I have some very bad news fans," he said. The puck was sticking maybe an inch out of the board that Pollard had mostly avoided from nearly 100 feet away. The Fuel's official "Shoot the Puck" rules say the puck has to completely clear the line.

"The (Julian Center) could have used this money!," his wife, Dawn Pollard tweeted. "It takes $11,000 a day to run their amazing operation to help victims and survivors of domestic violence."

Pollard's reply on Twitter was only: "I tried!"

You can find IndyStar sports producer Dakota Crawford on Twitter: @DakotaCrawford_.

More reaction to the shot: