Weekly Release: Bears Continue Homestand Against Bruins

The Hershey Bears (3-1-0-0, first in Atlantic Division) continue the 2026-27 regular season, presented by Penn State Health, as they host the Providence Bruins this weekend in a pair of home games at GIANT Center.

2026-27 SEASON LEADERS:
Goals: Bogdan Trineyev (3)
Assists: Andrew Cristall (8)
Points: Andrew Cristall (8)
PIMs: Spencer Smallman (10)
Power-Play Goals: Bogdan Trineyev (1)
Shorthanded Goals: Bogdan Trineyev (1)
Game-Winning Goals: Jonny Brodzinski, Josh Dunne, Bogdan Trineyev (1)
Plus/Minus: Andrew Cristall (+6)
Shots: Johnny Brodzinski (15)
Wins: Mitch Gibson, Cal Petersen (1)
Shutouts: N/A
GAA: Mitch Gibson (1.00)
SV%: Mitch Gibson (.960)
Statistics reflective of active roster

PUBLIC PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Friday, Oct. 16
11 a.m., Practice at GIANT Center

Saturday, Oct. 17
9 a.m., Morning Skate at GIANT Center

The practice schedule is subject to change. Please check HersheyBears.com daily for updates or changes.

Security will open doors 15 minutes prior to practices at GIANT Center. All fans must sit in Section 121 during practice or morning skates. 

Visiting team practices or visiting team morning skates are NOT open to the public. 

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:

• Saturday, Oct. 10 – Hershey 2 vs. Texas 1
• Sunday, Oct. 11 – Hershey 6 vs. Texas 1

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE:

Saturday, Oct. 17 vs. Providence Bruins, 6 p.m. – CLICK TO PURCHASE TICKETS

• Penn State Health Pink the Rink Night – Join the Bears and Penn State Health in the fight against breast cancer.
• Penn State Health gel phone light cover – All fans are encouraged to light up their phones and join us in the fight against breast cancer, using a Pink the Rink gel phone light cover, courtesy of Penn State Health..

Sunday, Oct. 18 vs. Providence Bruins, 3 p.m. – CLICK TO PURCHASE TICKETS

• Reese’s Trick-or-Treat Night (kids 15-and-under) – All fans 15 & under will receive a Trick-or-Treat bag upon entry and have the opportunity to trick-or-treat around the concourse during pre-game and the first intermission.
• Bears Brunch – Hope you’re hungry! Specialty brunch offerings will be available at select locations on the concourse.

All times Eastern.

Video Coverage: AHLTV on FloHockey; Radio Coverage: GIANT Bears Radio Network

TEAM NEWS AND NOTES:

TURN UP THE A.C.:
Andrew Cristall enters the week atop the league leaderboard in several statistical categories. The second-year forward is in a four-way tie for the league scoring lead with eight points. Cristall is also tied with Coachella Valley’s Tyson Jugnauth for the league lead with eight assists, and he is tied with Cleveland’s Tate Singleton and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Bill Zonnon for the league lead in plus-minus at +6.

GOALIE GLUT:
Prior to Hershey loaning Garin Bjorklund to the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays on Monday, the Bears were the only team in the AHL that has used three different goaltenders who have recorded a win, as Bjorklund, Cal Petersen, and Mitch Gibson each had notched a victory for Hershey through the club’s first four games. It marks the first time that the Bears have made use of three goalies through their first four contests since the 2012-13 season, when Hershey used Braden Holtby, Dany Sabourin, and Philipp Grubauer; only Sabourin recorded a win.

3-1 START:
27th time in franchise history that the club has opened a season with three wins through its first four games. The most recent instance occurred during the 2023-24 campaign, when Hershey dropped its home opener to Belleville 3-0 before winning its next three games by a combined 13-8 score. That club went on to set a franchise record by finishing with a .771 points percentage.

HOLL GETS THE CALL:
The Washington Capitals recalled defenseman Justin Holl from Hershey on Monday. Holl had appeared in three games this season with Hershey; he got into nine NHL games with St. Louis last season. The Capitals visit the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at 6:45 p.m.

SHORTHANDED BANDITS:
Bogdan Trineyev’s shorthanded goal on Sunday was Hershey’s first of the season, and the sixth of Trineyev’s career. Last season, the Bears notched 11 shorthanded goals, good for sixth in the league behind Laval and Utica (13), and Manitoba, San Diego, and Syracuse (12). Trineyev’s six career shorthanded goals for Hershey are tied for the team’s active lead with Grant Cruikshank, who tied for the league lead last season with five shorthanded markers.

BRUINS COME TO TOWN:
Providence makes its lone visit to Hershey this season with a pair of games this weekend. Last season the Bears went 1-4-0-0, winning the opening meeting on Nov. 1 at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Of returning players, Ryan Chesley (1g, 2a), Bogdan Trineyev (1g, 2a), Louie Belpedio (3a), and Andrew Cristall (3a) shared the team scoring lead against the Bruins. Providence signed former Bear Wyatt Bongiovanni during the offseason after Bongiovanni finished last season with Hershey following a trade between Washington and the Ottawa Senators organization, recording five points (3g, 2a) in 11 games with Hershey. The Bruins are in their first year under new head coach Trent Whitfield.

DOWN ON THE FARM:
Hershey’s ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays, open their season on Friday at Jacksonville. South Carolina’s roster includes several players under contract to the Bears: goaltenders Garin Bjorklund and Ben Kraws, forwards Alex Gaffney, Kyle Jackson, Jalen Luypen, Landon McCallum, and Cam Morrison, and defensemen Noah Beck, Jérémie Biakabutuka, and Rhett Parsons. The Stingrays are also bolstered by NHL-contracted forwards Tyler Kopff and Ludwig Persson.

BEARS BITES:
Joey Anderson’s next point will be his 200th in the AHL…Josh Dunne is two points away from his 100th AHL point…Spencer Smallman matched his AHL single-game career high with a three-point outing (1g, 2a) in Sunday’s win over Texas.