Andrew Cristall and Ilya Protas tore apart the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday night.
The two Hershey Bears rookies and top Washington Capitals prospects combined for a staggering 11 points (4g, 7a) in an important 8-1 victory in Hartford. Protas finished the game with a career-high six points (1g, 5a), while Cristall notched his first professional hat trick with his own five-point performance (3g, 2a).
The starring pair got their work started early, combining on both of Hershey’s goals in the first period. They would go on to factor in on six of Hershey’s eight goals.
Cristall goal no. 1, Protas assist no. 1 (HER 1-0)
The Bears went up 1-0 just 1:16 into the first period with Cristall finding the back of the net on the team’s first shot of the game. Protas was sprung down the ice for a 2-on-1 chance with Cristall by an outlet pass from Bogdan Trineyev, who also had four points (2g, 2a) in the win.
Protas made one pass to Cristall, and the 21-year-old winger beat goaltender Callum Tung over the right pad.
Cristall goal no. 2, Protas assist no. 2 (HER 2-0)
The dynamic duo combined again for Hershey’s second goal, 14:23 into the first frame. Protas picked up a rebound from a Leon Muggli shot near the point in the offensive zone and slung a pinpoint pass to Cristall, who was crashing the far post.
Protas goal no. 1, Cristall assist no. 1 (HER 3-1)
After the Wolf Pack got their lone goal in the game just 10 seconds into the second period, Protas put the Bears back up by two 3:27 later. Cristall fed defenseman Ryan Chesley with a breakout pass, who then hit a streaking Protas already on his way into Hartford’s zone.
Protas collected the pass, deked around defenseman Connor Mackey twice, and fired a wicked wrister past Tung’s glove hand.
Protas assist no. 3 (HER 5-1)
Protas then made a nice forechecking play to help set up Trineyev’s first goal of the game. The center’s long reach knocked the puck off Juuso Parssinen‘s stick, and after some fencing by Dalton Smith, Trineyev picked up the loose biscuit and rifled it top shelf.
Protas assist no. 4, Cristall assist no. 2 (HER 7-1)
After Protas’s solo work to end the second period, he combined with Cristall again for both of Hershey’s third-period goals. First, 8:20 into the final frame, Cristall blocked a Hartford clearing attempt and poked the puck to Protas. The big Belarusian worked his way deeper into the Wolf Pack zone and wrapped a pass to a wide-open Trineyev at the back post.
Cristall goal no. 3, Protas assist no. 5 (HER 8-1)
Cristall completed his hat trick with just 3:35 remaining in regulation. Protas made a zone-entry pass to Trineyev, who fed the puck back to the rangy pivot in the high slot. Protas faked a shot and instead fired a quick pass to Cristall, who practically had the entire net to aim for.
With his huge game, Protas jumped out to a four-point lead on Quinn Hutson for the AHL’s rookie scoring lead. He now has 62 points (28g, 34a) in 66 games this season, which is also good for sixth in overall league scoring.
Cristall is now just one point behind Hutson with his 57 points (19g, 38a) in 67 games and is tied for the eighth-most points in the AHL.
The Bears desperately needed a win on Saturday night after dropping two games to start April against their direct Atlantic Division playoff-qualifying competition, the Bridgeport Islanders and Springfield Thunderbirds. With the win, Hershey moves five points clear of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the final playoff spot in the division.
