The Hershey Bears’ 2025-26 season came to a heartbreaking end on Thursday night as they fell 4-1 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals. The loss completed a 4-1 series defeat on home ice at Giant Center.
The Turning Point: Cristall’s Missed Opportunity
With 13:53 left in the second period and the Bears on a power play trailing 2-1, rookie forward Andrew Cristall had a golden chance to tie the game. After a give-and-go with Ivan Miroshnichenko, Cristall fired at a wide-open net but clanged his shot hard off the far post.
Just seconds later, the Penguins transitioned the other way. Defenseman Harrison Brunicke scored the eventual game-winning goal off a Gabe Klassen rebound, turning a potential 2-2 scoreline into a 3-1 deficit in a devastating 10-second swing.
Reactions from the Locker Room
Defenseman Louie Belpedio captured the frustration: “That’s just how it goes sometimes. You think you’re scoring on one end, they go down, they score on the other. It’s just one bad thing after another.”
Head coach Derek King noted the moment summed up the Bears’ season, where strong pressure often failed to produce results while opponents capitalised on chances.
Cristall’s Postseason Performance
Despite the painful miss, the 21-year-old Cristall had a strong playoff run. He recorded an assist on Hershey’s lone goal and finished as the team’s leading postseason scorer with 7 points (2G, 5A) in six games. Coach King was supportive of the young player, emphasising the importance of generating chances.
Series Outcome and Penguins’ Advance
The Penguins added another goal from Ville Koivunen in the third period and sealed the win with an empty-netter. They now advance to face the Springfield Thunderbirds in the Atlantic Division Finals.
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