Ilya Protas had some special guests in the stands for his final game before the AHL All-Star Break.
A day after the NHL’s stoppage for the 2026 Winter Olympics began, Aliaksei Protas, Ilya’s older brother, traveled over 100 miles north to Giant Center for the Hershey Bears’ matchup against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Big Pro was joined at the game by his wife, Tanya, and his daughter, Alisa.
Ilya made sure to have a game they wouldn’t forget, either. Seven minutes and 57 seconds into the first period, Ilya sent a huge shot from the top of the circles past Penguins goaltender Sergei Murashov on the power play. The goal, his team-leading 18th of the season, narrowed the Penguins’ early lead to 2-1.
To celebrate, Protas bent down and pumped his fist before hugging his teammates. Then he did something else.
“I’m not sure if you guys noticed that point from Little Pro that was to Big Pro, who was in the building tonight,” FOX 43’s Todd Sadowski observed. “He pointed up to the suite where Aliaksei Protas is standing, and for his big bro, that was a big shot there.”
Shortly after, the Bears introduced Aliaksei to the crowd along with two other Calder Cup champion players, Garrett Roe and Clay Stevenson. (Stevenson is still technically on the Capitals’ roster due to the NHL requirement that two healthy goaltenders must be on a team’s 23-man active roster at all times. At some point, he may be “returned” to Hershey in exchange for Garin Bjorklund so that he can play during the Olympic break.)
Ilya later assisted on an Ivan Miroshnichenko goal in the second period, marking the 11th multi-point game of his rookie season. He has 37 points (18g, 19a) in 44 games, second-most among all AHL rookies.
Ilya will now head to Rockford, Illinois for the 2026 AHL All-Star Game, a nod he learned of through his brother.