Game Preview: Bears at Penguins, 6:05 p.m.

December 27, 2025

The Hershey Bears continue the 2025-26 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they return from their holiday break with a road match against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Hershey Bears (14-11-1-0) at. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (21-7-1-1)
Dec. 27, 2025 | 6:05 p.m. | Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza
Referees: Chris Conway (33), Austin O'Rouke (19)
Linespersons: Jud Ritter (34), J.P. Waleski (14)

Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, on the call
RADIO: WFVY-100.1-FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM (joined in-progress)
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

LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears went into their holiday break with a road clash against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Dec. 21, falling 3-1. Zach Gallant gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 7:04 of the second period, and Matt Dumba scored what would be the eventual game-winning goal at 5:15 of the third period. Andrew Cristall scored his fifth of the season at 13:51 to cut the 2-0 deficit in half, but Owen Pickering netted an empty-net power-play goal at 18:28 to put the game away.

SHAKING OFF THE HOLIDAY RUST:
For the fifth straight year, the Bears will emerge from the Christmas holiday break with a match against their I-81 foe, with Hershey winning each post-break clash against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season that began after the New Year, the Bears have also won their first game after the holiday break in each of the previous six campaigns.

KEEP COUNTING FOR CRISTALL: 
With his fifth goal of the season in last Sunday's game against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, forward Andrew Cristall extended his point streak to a team-leading nine games, tallying 11 points in that stretch (2g, 9a). Cristall's marker was his second in as many games after going without lighting the lamp for a month, and it gave him 22 points (5g, 17a), moving him into a tie for sixth among AHL rookies in scoring. Cristall's 17 assists are tied for the most among rookies this season with Coachella Valley's Tyson Jugnauth. The last 10-game point streak by a Bear occurred during the 2022-23 campaign, when Connor McMichael collected 10 points (4g, 6a) from March 11-April 2.

RING THE 'BEL': 
Defender Louie Belpedio enters the weekend with 14 points, good for the team lead among blueliners, and ranks tied for 17th in scoring among AHL defensemen. Belpedio's two power-play assists lead Hershey's active defensemen. His two first goals and 31 penalty minutes also lead all Bears defensemen.

BEARS BITES:
Forward Graeme Clarke (currently on loan to Team Canada for the 2025 Spengler Cup) earned an assist against the U.S. Collegiate Selects squad in the Canadians' opening tournament game, a 3-2 win, on Friday...Defenseman Leon Muggli (currently on loan to Team Switzerland for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship) was named captain of his nation's under-20 squad as he leads the Swiss into their first game of the tournament this evening at 6 p.m. against the United States, which counts fellow Washington Capitals prospects Cole Hutson and Nicholas Kempf on its roster...Jon McDonald has assists in each of his last two games...10 players were recalled/re-assigned from Wheeling of the ECHL to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday...Both teams are slated to wear throwback jerseys in celebration of the AHL's 90th anniversary season.

ON THIS DATE IN BEARS HISTORY:
Dec. 27, 1987 - The Bears battled back from 4-1 and 5-4 deficits to top the Baltimore Skipjacks in a 10-7 seesaw game at Baltimore Arena that saw Hershey's power play go 5-for-5, while Don Biggs led the way with three goals and two assists.