Bears Get Point in 5-4 Shootout Loss to Penguins

March 12, 2025

The Hershey Bears (35-15-5-1) battled back from three separate deficits to force overtime but ultimately fell by a 5-4 final in the shootout to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (32-16-7-1) on Wednesday night at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza, as the club continued its 2024-25 season, presented by Penn State Health.

The Penguins won the game in the fifth round of the shootout after Sam Poulin scored the lone goal of the session on Clay Stevenson, while Ethan Bear was denied a chance to extend the shootout by Sergei Murashov.

The Bears rallied from 2-0, 3-2, and 4-3 deficits during the course of the game. The point earned via forcing the game past regulation along with Hartford's regulation loss at Grand Rapids has reduced Hershey's Magic Number towards clinching a playoff berth to six points. Hershey's record against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season is now 5-3-0-1. The Bears are 3-0-0-1 in their last four road games.

BOX SCORE

NOTABLES:

• Dalton Smith picked up his second of the season 11:19 of the first period to cut Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's 2-0 lead in half. The goal marked Smith's 100th pro point. Smith then fought Dan Renouf at 3:30 of the second period.
• Ivan Miroshnichenko tied the game at 2-2 just 57 seconds into the middle frame with his 18th of the season, extending his point streak to seven games (6g, 4a).
• Priskie's goal marked his 11th of the season; the defender also assisted on Smith's goal for his fifth multi-point game of the season.
• Alex Limoges scored his 15th of the season at 12:24 of the third to tie the game at 4-4 after Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Avery Hayes scored 41 seconds into the frame.
• Clay Stevenson made eight saves in the third period and another five in overtime, which began with Hershey on the penalty kill for the first 1:36 of the extra frame. Despite the shootout loss, Stevenson is 4-0-1 in his last five decisions.
• Hershey is 3-1 in the shootout this season; the loss was Hershey's first via the shootout since March 15, 2024 at Utica (4-3 SOL).

SHOTS: HER 35, WBS 30

GOALTENDING: HER - Clay Stevenson, 25-for-29; WBS - Sergei Murashov, 31-for-35

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

THEY SAID IT:

Bears head coach Todd Nelson's assessment of Hershey's performance:
"We played a really good game. We controlled the game for the most part. We had plenty of chances. I thought their goaltender played well, but I liked the way we played. I can't be upset with the way our guys played. We deserved better than that, but it was good to get to one point."

Nelson on whether Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's fourth goal may have been offsides:
"We thought it was. [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defender Jack St. Ivany's] glove was clearly over the blue line but we can't review that and challenge that. So you're kind of in the referee's hands at that point and they declared it as a good goal, but we battled back from that and tied it up, and like I said, I'm still happy with the way the guys played - we deserved a better fate tonight for sure."

Nelson on the team's ability to rally from three separate deficits:
"After [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton] scored the first goal, we were saying, 'Hey guys, don't change a thing. We're playing really well.' I think that was their second shot on net while we had like seven or eight shots and we were taking it to them pretty good. If we play like that the rest of the way here, we're going to win a lot of games."

Nelson on the play of Clay Stevenson:
"Well, he made a couple big saves there late in the game when they had the power play with about maybe five or six seconds left. They tried to feed a guy back-door and then they tried the wrap-around and he got his pad across and it was just great because if he doesn't, all of a sudden they win the game outright and we don't get a point. But it was just a great effort by him."

Nelson on the play of Dalton Smith:
"He just plays his game - he sparked us. We were down 2-0. It was shades of what we went through here about a month and a half ago. And then he sparked us with a goal. And then he also went to war for our hockey team. But, you know, he just keeps it simple, does great work, finishes his checks. He's hard to play against."

NEXT GAME:

The Bears continue the 2024-25 regular season, presented by Penn State Health, when they visit the Chicago Wolves on Saturday, March 15, at 8 p.m. (ET) at Allstate Arena. Hershey returns home to host the Utica Comets on Sunday, March 30, at 5 p.m. at GIANT Center for Hall of Fame Night and Toyota Postcard Night. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.