Andrew Cristall’s assist streak may have ended at seven games, but his point streak is now at nine after lighting the lamp twice this weekend.
Cristall scored once in the Hershey Bears’ 4-1 victory over the Bridgeport Islanders on Saturday and added another in their 3-1 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Sunday.
The goals end a nine-game drought for Cristall, coming a month after he last scored on November 20 against the Cleveland Monsters.
Saturday, December 20 against Bridgeport
Cristall’s tally against the Islanders came after a hardworking play by Ilya Protas along the end boards. Little Pro won a puck battle and sent a pass to Cristall, who was streaking toward the net. The winger then buried a shot past goaltender Henrik Tikkanen to give Hershey a 3-0 lead with 1:38 remaining in the second period.
After the victory, goaltender Mitch Gibson rewarded Cristall with the team’s player of the game award, a firefighter uniform.
Sunday, December 21 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Cristall’s goal against the Penguins came off a lucky bounce. As the rookie winger sent a centering pass down low, the puck ricocheted off Penguins defenseman Scooter Brickey and in past goaltender Sergei Murashov. The tally came with 6:09 remaining in the third period, narrowing the Penguins’ lead to 2-1.
The Bears ultimately could not complete the comeback, however, with Owen Pickering sealing the game on an empty-netter with 1:32 remaining.
Cristall now has 11 points (2g, 9a) during his nine-game point streak, which first began on November 29 against Wilkes Barre/Scranton. On the season, he ranks second on the Bears with 22 points (5g, 17a) in 26 games. Cristall is tied for sixth overall in AHL rookie scoring, and shares the lead in rookie assists (17) with Coachella Valley’s Tyson Jugnauth.
