Joe Szymanski

Szymanski: Battling Bears Fall Short in Comeback Attempt, Lose Game One of Atlantic Division Semis 4-2 to Penguins

Credit: Hershey Bears Hockey

Hershey, coming off a sweep of the Bridgeport Islanders in the play in round, visit their arch rivals Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in game one of the Atlantic Division Semifinals.

I will admit, after Hershey’s victory last Thursday to complete the sweep, I did not think they’d be playing the Baby Penguins in the semis. Charlotte, after an 8-1 victory over Springfield in game one of their play in round, looked destined to coast and beat the Thunderbirds, which would have set them up with WBS. But a series comeback by Springfield means the 6th seeded Thunderbirds will take on Providence, and we get to watch a good ole I-81 rivalry.

Couple changes for Hershey. For the forward group, Milton Gastrin and Wyatt Bongiovanni came in for Sonny Milano and Jaylen Luypen. Luypen is still with South Carolina after being sent down for their playoffs, while Milano was a scratch.

Hershey also made one adjustment on defense as Leon Muggli came in for Jon McDonald on the back end. Otherwise, no other changes to lines or personal for the Chocolate and White.

Postgame Takeaways

  • Hershey has dealt with slow starts all season. Last night was no different, as the Penguins struck three minutes into the first.
  • Of the three Clay Stevenson allowed on the game, none were his fault, but the first one would probably be the one he’d say he’d most want back. He wasn’t screened on the shot, nor was it a point blank opportunity, but it was a rip by Calvert blocker side on Stevenson. Hard shot to adjust to.
  • Hershey would come alive in the last ten minutes of the period. After two successful penalty kills, the Bears had adjusted to Wilkes-Barre’s early pressure and came up with a few great chances of their own. Sergei Murashov has been kryptonite to Hershey all season though, and last night was no different with some of the saves he made.
  • Hershey saw two 19-year olds play last night in Ilya Protas and Leon Muggli, along with the debut of 18-year old Capitals 2025 draft pick Milton Gastrin. Gastrin came in for the ill Sonny Milano, while Muggli replaced Jon McDonald on defense. Both performed well, and Gastrin impressed me with his skating ability, I liked what I saw there from the youngster. Protas was Protas, which means he was very good, as usual.
  • The second period has been Hershey’s true struggle period this season, and the first ten minutes of the second last night was the worst hockey they’ve played in over two weeks.
  • First, it was multiple failed clearing attempts that led to Aiden McDonough getting a point blank chance in front of Stevenson, which he converted to make it 2-0 Penguins.
  • This period got very testy as well, which nearly boiled over after Ivan Miroshnichenko boarded a Penguin almost eight minutes into the second. This felt like a passion penalty taken by Miroshnichenko, who was good all night, but I felt this was his one blemish on the evening.
  • It would turn into a bigger blunder when Owen Pickering scored on the ensuing power play to make it 3-0 Penguins.
  • But, as Derek King has said all year, this group really just is too dumb to quit. Down 3-0 away from home, we’ve seen Hershey collapse in those situations multiple times this season, but the Bears did not quit.
  • It helped that Ilya Protas scored his second of the playoffs 1:16 after Pickering made it 3-0. Hershey finally got some sustained zone time and a perfect change from Protas put him on the ice with fresh legs as he ripped one past Murashov to get Hershey on the board.
  • From there on it was mostly Hershey on the front foot. The Bears had the better opportunities the rest of the game.
  • Hershey nearly capitalized on the power play right after the Protas goal, after Harrison Brunicke punched Cristall in the back of the head and then proceeded to cross check him three times while AC was down on the ice. In my opinion, that probably should have been four minutes for both the rough and the cross checks delivered to Cristall, but such goes playoff hockey.
  • It was a beautiful pass from Miroshnichenko that broke Henrik Rybinski in on a breakaway that Rybinski finished off, bringing Hershey within one goal only 1:09 into the third.
  • The Penguins would play very defensively from there, switching to a 1-1-3 defense meant to limit the Bears dump and chase opportunities, which worked well.
  • Hershey failing to capitalize on a power play opportunity just before halfway to go in third also seemed to dampen their momentum.
  • A strong first showing for the Bears on the road though, once that will give them momentum to even up the series tomorrow back in Wilkes-Barre.

Postgame Comments

Derek King: https://youtu.be/OXp2Jw-FVUM?si=GvhYQwNOwEyKVFQu

Henrik Rybinski: https://youtu.be/0Z4RLStTVt0?si=l68yK8l90jP7JqtW

Ilya Protas: https://youtu.be/Nh9YXtJcKJE?si=3faQHMegcgn4yPUG

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