Game information
#5 Hershey Bears (3-1) at #2 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (1-1)
May 5, 2026 | 7 p.m. | Giant Center | Series tied, 1-1
Referees: Jack Young (24), Morgan MacPhee (43)
Linespersons: Jud Ritter (34), Scott Allan (63)
Broadcast Information
PXP: Zack Fisch, Garrett Mitchell, Mitch Lamoureux, and Todd Sadowski
TV: Antenna TV (WPMT FOX 43.2, Xfinity Ch. 247 and 1178, Verizon FiOS Ch. 463, Blue Ridge Ephrata Ch. 91, and Blue Ridge Newberry/Duncannon Ch. 88)
Radio: WFVY-100.1-FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, In-arena 88.9-FM
Watch live: AHLTV on FloHockey
Listen live: Froggy Valley 100.1-FM Stream, Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m; Television coverage starts at 7 p.m.
Game preview
The Hershey Bears took one of two from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on the road to open the series, evening things up with a clutch 2-1 victory in Game 2.
“Well, I just reminded them how we played good enough, like we played good enough to win that hockey game – the first one – but don’t be comfortable with just good enough,” Bears head coach Derek King said. “There’s another level of us being better, and they took it upon themselves today, and they showed that whether we were hemmed in or not, we played hard hockey.”
Brett Leason got the Bears on the board first at the 16:25 mark of the first period, batting a puck out of mid-air past Penguins goaltender Sergei Murashov. Bogdan Trineyev then took a brilliant feed from Andrew Cristall to double Hershey’s advantage at the 17:11 mark of the second period.
“Obviously, kind of a lucky bounce to go in, but we needed a good start, play with the lead,” Leason said postgame. “I think these past few playoff games, we’ve really shown how we can be defensively and play with the lead. And I thought we played that to a ‘T’ today.”
Bogdan Trineyev scores game-winning goal in Game 2 to tie Hershey Bears-WBS Penguins series 1-1
Clay Stevenson allowed just one goal to Aidan McDonough in the third period, stopping 36 total shots in his third victory of the playoffs.
The Bears seem unlikely to get veteran forward Sonny Milano back from illness for the matchup, but defenseman Ryan Chesley looks like he could be available.
Per the Bears, they enter tonight’s game with a lifetime record of 72-63 in Game 3s, with a 35-35 mark at home. When a series is tied 1-1, the Bears have gone 33-28 in Game 3. Protas, Cristall, and Trineyev are all tied for the team lead in scoring during the playoffs with an identical five points (2g, 3a).
Puck drop for tonight’s game is at 7 pm.
Lines
Hershey Bears
Unavailable for the Bears tonight due to injury/illness: Cam Allen, Spencer Smallman, Eriks Mateiko, Sonny Milano
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
Phil Kemp pounces on a turnover to put the Penguins up one early in the first period.
1-0 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Goal: Phil Kemp (1). Assists: Tristan Broz (1), Ville Koivunen (2). Time: 03:15
Sergei Murashov stops Andrew Cristall in tight, and the Penguins go down the other way and add to their lead.
2-0 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Goal: Mikhail Ilyin (1). Assists: Tristan Broz (2), Harrison Brunicke (1). Time: 06:16
Ivan Miroshnichenko responds for the Bears as he snipes home a drop pass feed from Henrik Rybinski.
2-1 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Goal: Ivan Miroshnichenko (1). Assists: Henrik Rybinski (2), Ryan Chesley (1). Time: 09:49
Ryan Chesley finds himself all alone in front, but gets stuffed by Murashov. Clay Stevenson then makes two big saves at the other end.
Power play
Harrison Brunicke hooking penalty at 15:31
Wyatt Bongiovanni has his stick slashed in half and is not getting the call. Somehow.
Ilya Protas dishes the puck to Bogdan Trineyev, and we have a tie game. That Hershey first line remains on fire.
2-2 Tie
Goal: Bogdan Trineyev (3). Assists: Ilya Protas (4), Andrew Cristall (4). Time: 18:09
At intermission: The game is tied after two goals apiece in the first period. Hershey leads in shots on goal, 14-7.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Brett Leason bangs home a feed from Grant Cruikshank to give the Bears their first lead of the game, less than a minute into the second period.
3-2 Hershey Bears
Goal: Brett Leason (2). Assists: Grant Cruikshank (3), Sam Bitten (1). Time: 00:37
Penalty kill
Henrik Rybinski tripping penalty at 06:10
The Penguins are pushing to get the game-tying marker, up 7-3 in shots on the Bears with 9:52 remaining in the second.
We have matching roughing penalties for Bokondji Imama and Sam Bitten. Four-on-four hockey for the next two minutes.
David Gucciardi fires on a 3-on-2 Bears rush, but Sergei Murashov challenges at the top of his crease to make the save.
Another absolutely dominant shift from Hershey’s top line. No goal, but massive amounts of pressure in the Penguins’ zone.
Harrison Brunicke hits the outside of the post with a sharp-angle shot, and Clay Stevenson finds the puck to freeze.
The two teams get into a big scrum at the end of the frame after David Gucciardi takes down Tristan Broz.
At intermission: The Bears are up one after Leason’s early-period strike. Hershey still leads in shots on goal, 21-17.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
The third starts four-on-four as Ilya Protas and Tristan Broz received matching roughing penalties at the end of the second period.
Avery Hayes hits the post, and the puck gets swept off the goal line by the Bears.
Power play
Joona Koppanen tripping penalty at 03:57
Really stingy third period as the Bears have protected center ice.
Andrew Cristall tries to pull off the Michigan, but the puck rolls off his stick.
Clay Stevenson freezes the puck with 3:03 remaining in the third period. The Penguins call a timeout with the Bears still up one.
Sergei Murashov has been pulled for an extra attacker.
Penguins get a quick goal from Avery Hayes. Protas had his stick slashed out of his hands to free Hayes up. No call from the referees.
3-3 Tie
Goal: Avery Hayes (2). Assists: Unassisted. Time: 17:07
We are headed to overtime.
At intermission: Extra session after the late equalizer. Bears up in shots, 27-26.
Overtime
Puck is dropped.
Sam Bitten puts a rebound off the outside of the goal while falling. Close one for the Bears to start the extra frame.
Unbelievable move from Bogdan Trineyev, but he lifts the puck over the goal.
Ilya Protas gets a clean look, but Murashov makes the save, and the rebound gets cleared.
Rutget McGroarty deflects home the overtime winner.
4-3 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Goal: Rutger McGroarty (1). Assists: Sebastian Aho (1), Gabe Klassen (2). Time: 05:03
Oh, my god. The puck doesn’t look like it went in, but the referees have left the ice. They aren’t reviewing the play. What in the world is going on. Fans are throwing trash on the ice.
Bears play-by-play man Zack Fisch confirms he has seen a replay of the puck hitting the back bar. Good goal.
Penguins win 4-3 and go up 2-1 in the series. The Bears need to win two in a row to stay alive in the playoffs.
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