\t\t\t\t\tGame information<\/p>\n
#5 Hershey Bears (2-0) at #2 Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton Penguins (0-0)
April 30, 2026 | 7:05 p.m. | Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza | Series tied, 0-0
Referees: Morgan MacPhee (43), Nick Isaacson (81)
Linespersons: Dylan Blujus (57), John Rey (16)<\/p>\n
Broadcast Information<\/p>\n
PXP: Zack Fisch, Garrett Mitchell, and Todd Sadowski Game preview<\/p>\n After sweeping the Bridgeport Islanders out of the first round of the playoffs, the Hershey Bears have a taller task waiting in front of them in the second round. The Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton Penguins, the Atlantic Division\u2019s second seed, will be the Bears\u2019 opponent in the best-of-five series.<\/p>\n Hershey will face WBS thanks to former Bears defenseman Calle Rosen. Traded earlier in the season, the Springfield Thunderbirds\u2019 rearguard scored the OTGWG in Game 3 of their first-round series to help sixth-seeded Springfield upset the third-seeded Charlotte Checkers.<\/p>\n Due to reseeding, Springfield is set to play the Atlantic Division champion Providence Bruins, the number-one seed, while the Bears get a fun matchup with their I-81 Rival.<\/p>\n Both the Bears and Penguins should be well rested as Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton comes into Game 1 after a first-round bye and a 12-day break in action, while Hershey has been off for seven days.<\/p>\n The last time the Penguins were in action, they blew out the Rochester Americans 8-0 in their regular-season finale on April 18. Rutger McGroarty<\/a> and Rafa\u00ebl Harvey-Pinard<\/a> each collected a pair of goals while Sergei Murashov<\/a> earned a 27-save shutout.<\/p>\n WBS will get no extra help player-wise from their parent NHL club, which was just eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last night<\/a>. Their playoff roster has been set since the final weekend of the AHL regular season.<\/p>\n Hershey comes into the series led by goaltender Clay Stevenson<\/a>. \u201cMud\u201d was dominant in the Bears\u2019 opening two playoff games, posting a 2-0 record along with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage.<\/p>\n While Hershey struggled against WBS in the regular season (3-5-2 record), Stevenson was in net for two of Hershey\u2019s three victories against the Penguins, sporting a 2-1-1 record with a 1.86 GAA and a .934 save percentage. In 16 career outings versus Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton, Stevenson is 9-4-2 with a 2.52 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage, and one shutout.<\/p>\n Coming into tonight\u2019s Game 1, the Bears are led in playoff points by Bogdan Trineyev<\/a> with 3 (1g, 2a), while three other Hershey skaters have 2: Andrew Cristall (2g), Ilya Protas<\/a> (1g, 1a), and Grant Cruikshank (2a).<\/p>\n The Bears will see one familiar face on the other end of the ice. Alex Alexeyev, who previously suited up for the Washington Capitals<\/a> and Bears earlier in his career, signed with the Penguins over the offseason before getting sent down to the minors early in the season.<\/p>\n Alexeyev is close friends with Ivan Miroshnichenko<\/a>, whom he may end up matching up against for much of the series.<\/p>\n Miro has had much success against the Penguins in the past. Per the Bears, Miroshnichenko has 14 points (9g, 5a) in 25 career regular-season games against Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton, representing the largest offensive total of his career against an individual AHL opponent in the regular season; he had seven points (4g, 3a) in eight contests against the Penguins during the 2025-26 campaign, including the game-winner in Hershey\u2019s 5-1 win at Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton on April 15.<\/p>\n WBS has home ice in this series. They host Games 1, 2, and 5 (if necessary).<\/p>\n
TV: Antenna TV (WPMT FOX 43.2, Xfinity Ch. 247 and 1178, Verizon FiOS Ch. 463, Blue Ridge Ephrata Ch. 91, and Blue Ridge Newberry\/Duncannon Ch. 88)
Radio: WFVY-100.1-FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM
Watch live: AHLTV on FloHockey
Listen live: Froggy Valley 100.1-FM Stream<\/a>, Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream<\/a><\/p>\n