Bears Head into Break After Dropping 3-1 Decision to Penguins

December 21, 2025

Andrew Cristall scored a goal to extend his point streak to nine games, but the Hershey Bears (14-11-1-0) came away with a 3-1 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (21-7-1-1) on Sunday afternoon at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza, in Hershey's final match before heading into its holiday break.

The game marked the first road game for the Bears since Nov. 22 at Cleveland, as the club was coming off a franchise-record nine-game homestand from Nov. 29-Dec. 20. Hershey's record in the season series with the Penguins now stands at 1-3-0-0, following the first road game of the series for the Bears.

BOX SCORE

NOTABLES:

• Zach Gallant gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 7:04 of the second period when his shot from the left flank squeaked past Clay Stevenson. Matt Dumba earned the secondary assist on Gallant's goal and scored what would be the eventual game-winning strike at 5:15 of the third period.
• Andrew Cristall extended his point streak to nine games (2g, 9a) dating back to Nov. 29 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton when he netted his fifth of the season at 13:51 from Jon McDonald and Eriks Mateiko to cut the 2-0 deficit in half. Owen Pickering eventually restored the two-goal edge for the hosts with an empty-net power-play goal at 18:28.

SHOTS: HER 27, WBS 25

GOALTENDING: HER - Clay Stevenson, 22-for-24; WBS - Sergei Murashov, 26-for-27

POWER PLAY: HER - 0-for-3; WBS - 1-for-4

THEY SAID IT:

Bears head coach Derek King on what he is able to positively take away from today's result and how does the team maintain a good attitude despite not being able to convert on scoring chances:
"I thought we played a great game. The positives are we had some opportunities, some chances, they're just not going in for us right now. [...] It's more just telling them positive things on the bench. They're bound to go in, and when they go in, hopefully they go in in bunches."

King on the progression of Andrew Cristall's development:
"He's obviously offensive-minded, but I think the big thing with him is he's starting to play a more 200-foot game, and without the puck he's really focusing on playing ."

King on facing Wilkes-Barre/Scranton again after the holiday break:
"We know what we have to do. We'll look at the video over the break, and obviously we play them right away again. I think the big thing for us is to continue to play for three periods the kind of hockey we need to play. We're going to have to get in front of [Murashov], get in front of his eyes, and sift pucks to the net."

Andrew Cristall on if he's seen growth in his 200-foot game:
"I think I've been adapting well. Trying to do my best on both sides of the ice. I'm an offensive guy, and that's kind of my bread and butter, but to play here and to play at the next level, you've got to be a really good two-way player, so it's only going to help me if I'm really buying in and starting to put it together."

(Answers edited for clarity)

The Bears continue the 2025-26 season, presented by Penn State Health, when they return from the holiday break and visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 6:05 p.m. at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza. Hershey returns home to host the Charlotte Checkers on Sunday, Dec. 28, at 5 p.m. at GIANT Center for Mascot Mania and Belco Kids Night. The first 3,000 kids 14-and-under will receive a pair of Coco earmuffs, courtesy of Belco. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for this game.