The Hershey Bears hockey team defeated the Springfield Thunderbirds 6-1 Saturday night at MassMutual Center, earning a split of their weekend series and improving to 8-5-0-0. Petr Sikora scored twice, and Mitch Gibson made 20 saves in the victory.
Hershey Bears Build Four-Goal Lead
Andrew Cristall opened the scoring at 14:26 of the first period with a power-play goal on a 5-on-3 advantage. Jonny Brodzinski and Jacob MacDonald recorded assists on Cristall’s first goal of the season.
Dalton Smith extended the Hershey Bears’ lead at 1:13 of the second period with his first goal of the season. Smith returned to the lineup after sitting out the previous three games, and his goal became the eventual game-winner.
Petr Sikora scored shorthanded at 3:05 of the second period for his fourth goal of the season. Jonny Brodzinski added his fifth goal at 9:17, giving Hershey a 4-0 lead.
Sikora Caps Two-Goal Performance
Ryan Chesley scored an empty-net goal at 14:15 of the third period for his first goal of the season. Sikora capped the scoring at 18:15, completing his two-goal performance.
Grant Cruikshank recorded two assists in the victory. Dylan McIlrath assisted on Sikora’s first goal, giving the defenseman his first point as a Bear since March 8, 2024, at Charlotte.
Joey Anderson returned after sitting out the previous four games and recorded an assist. The point extended Anderson’s streak to five games, during which he has recorded three goals and three assists.
Gibson, Special Teams Secure the Win
Mitch Gibson earned his second win of the week with a 20-save effort. Springfield goaltender Will Cranley stopped 32 of 37 shots.
The Hershey Bears outshot the Springfield Thunderbirds 38-21 and went 1-for-3 on the power play. Springfield finished 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
Next Game for the Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears will host the Hamilton Hammers Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. at GIANT Center for Hometown Heroes Night. The game will also be Berks Dollar Dog night, with Berks hot dogs available for $1 at select concourse locations.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
The Hershey Bears received contributions throughout the lineup in the 6-1 victory, including two goals from Petr Sikora, two assists from Grant Cruikshank and a 20-save performance from Mitch Gibson. Hershey also scored on the power play and shorthanded while holding Springfield to one goal on 21 shots.
The win moved the Hershey Bears to 8-5-0-0 and secured a split of the weekend series. Hershey’s next game is Wednesday against the Hamilton Hammers at GIANT Center.
Source: Original report
