Game information
#5 Hershey Bears (2-1) at #2 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (1-0)
May 2, 2026 | 6:05 p.m. | Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton leads, 1-0
Referees: Ben Betker (42), Adam Tobias (16)
Linespersons: Brandon Grillo (75), Chris Martenet (92)
Broadcast Information
PXP: Zack Fisch, Garrett Mitchell, 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
Watch live: AHLTV on FloHockey
Listen live: Froggy Valley 100.1-FM Stream, Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 5:35 p.m; Television coverage starts at 6 p.m.
Game preview
The Hershey Bears fell in their opening game to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but left with a sense of confidence that their best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinal series was winnable.
“I think we battled hard. I thought it was a good hockey game,” Bears head coach Derek King said. “I like the way we competed. We battled. You know, the old ‘too dumb to quit,’ right? We didn’t stop. So those guys, I think they believe it, and we believe it. We can give them, stay with them for a whole three periods, and we’ll give them a good game Saturday.”
After Atley Calvert, Aidan McDonough, and Owen Pickering (PP) all scored to give WBS a 3-0 lead, the Bears fought back, like they have all season, getting goals from Ilya Protas and Henrik Rybinski. Hershey seemed ready to tie — and it appeared they did momentarily. On a two-on-none shorthanded break, Brett Leason‘s backhanded shot hit the crossbar before bouncing off Rybinski’s glove hand and in. Officials waived off the tally.
“Yeah, he went off the crossbar, and it kind of went off me in a weird way,” Rybinski said. “So, unfortunate, but, yeah, pretty close to being tied.”
Will reinforcements be coming? The Bears had to change up their lineup with Sonny Milano out due to illness in Game 1, so King gave 18-year-old forward prospect Milton Gastrin his AHL debut.
On the Penguins’ side, Bokondji Imama (abuse of officials) and Tanner Howe (cross-checking) will be eligible to return to WBS’s lineup after serving a one-game suspension. Both players sat up near media row during Game 1.
Per the Bears, the victor of each game at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza this season (five regular season and one playoff), have scored first. Bogdan Trineyev (1g, 3a) and Ilya Protas (2g, 1a) both carry three-game playoff point streaks into today’s contest.
Puck drop for tonight’s game is at 6:05 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
Waiting for puck drop.
Aaron Ness gets his stick up high on Ville Koivunen after a whistle and draws blood. Early penalty-killing work.
Penalty kill
Aaron Ness high-sticking penalty at 03:41
Bears kill off all four minutes of the Penguins’ power play.
Avery Hayes cuts to the middle and rings the crossbar behind Clay Stevenson.
Just five total shots on goal in the first period with five minutes remaining.
Power play
Finn Harding high-sticking penalty at 14:54
Bogdan Trineyev takes a puck up high, and play has been stopped. Trineyev makes his way off the ice with the team’s trainer.
Brett Leason bats a puck out of mid-air past Murashov after taking a feed from Ilya Protas.
1-0 Hershey Bears
Goal: Brett Leason (1). Assists: Ilya Protas (2), Andrew Cristall (2). Time: 16:25
Penalty kill
Wyatt Bongiovanni roughing penalty at 19:57
Some rough stuff to end the first frame.
At intermission: The Bears are up 1-0 with Leason’s power-play tally. Hershey also leads in shots 8-3.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
The Penguins start the second on a power play.
Bogdan Trineyev is back on the ice.
Sergei Murashov makes a big stick save on Ilya Protas after the Bears created a dangerous 3-on-2 shorthanded chance.
Power play
Ville Koivunen roughing penalty at 05:21
Protas dangles through multiple Pens defenders but can’t get a shot off on Murashov from the slot.
Power play
Sebastian Aho high-sticking penalty at 12:22
Another fruitless Bears power play. The best chance was a shorthanded breakaway for the Penguins that Clay Stevenson stopped.
Stevenson makes a point-blank save on Aidan McDonough.
The Bears go down the other way, and Andrew Cristall sets up Bogdan Trineyev for a finish past Murashov.
2-0 Hershey Bears
Goal: Bogdan Trineyev (2). Assists: Andrew Cristall (3), Ilya Protas (3). Time: 17:11
Penalty kill
Wyatt Bongiovanni high-sticking penalty at 17:59
Hershey kills off a fourth Penguins power play to end the second period.
At intermission: The Bears are up 2-0 after Trineyev’s goal. Hershey also leads in shots 18-15.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
The Penguins get an early goal in the period from Aidan McDonough. Tough bounce off of Louie Belpedio’s leg and past Clay Stevenson.
2-1 Hershey Bears
Goal: Aidan McDonough (2). Assists: Rafael Harvey-Pinard (1), Alex Alexeyev (3). Time: 01:12
Ivan Miroshnichenko sets up Henrik Rybinski in tight, and Sergei Murashov flashes his pad to make a brilliant stop.
Ilya Protas gives the puck away to Rutger McGroarty, but Stevenson bails him out with a big save.
The Bears are soaking up a ton of pressure as the Penguins push to tie this game. 4:15 remaining in regulation.
Timeout called by the Penguins with 2:38 remaining in the third period.
Murashov to the bench for an extra attacker.
Andrew Cristall beats out an icing to kill more time off the clock.
Stevenson makes a glove save and freezes the puck with 11 seconds remaining.
Matt Strome pins the puck against the boards and kills the rest of the period.
Hershey Bears win 2-1 and tie the series 1-1. Bogdan Trineyev gets the game-winner, and Clay Stevenson makes 36 saves in the victory.
The series will now move to Hershey, with the Giant Center hosting both Game 3 and Game 4. Let’s go, Bears!
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