Ivan Miroshnichenko scores 2:26 into overtime as Hershey rallies from a third-period deficit to close the regular season with a win. April 19, 2026.

Rochester Americans 4, Hershey Bears 5 (OT) Giant Center, Hershey, PA

Hershey needed a win to finish fifth in the Atlantic Division and they got it — just not easily. The Bears trailed heading into the final minutes of the third period before clawing back to force overtime, then Ivan Miroshnichenko netted his fifth game-winner of the season — and third in overtime, tying a franchise mark — at 2:26 of the extra frame to give Hershey a dramatic 5-4 win over the Rochester Americans on Sunday afternoon at Giant Center. Clay Stevenson made a career-high 40 saves, Ilya Protas closed the year as the AHL’s leading rookie scorer, and the Bears punched their ticket to the Calder Cup Playoffs in style.

How It Happened

First Period: Neither team found the back of the net in a scoreless opening period despite Rochester putting 23 shots on Stevenson. The Amerks came out with urgency and the Bears goaltender had to be sharp early.

Second Period: The scoring opened in a flurry. Trevor Kuntar gave Rochester a 1-0 lead at 1:36 on the power play — Wahlberg won the draw, Jones backhanded a shot towards the cage that caromed off bodies in front, and Kuntar scooped it home. A potential Rochester goal at 6:02 was waved off when Riley Fiddler-Schultz was called for a double-minor high-sticking, giving Hershey a four-minute man advantage — and the Bears made it count. Bogdan Trineyev netted the tying goal at 9:35 from Brett Leason and Alex Suzdalev. Ilya Protas gave Hershey the lead at 13:37 from Trineyev and Andrew Cristall, but Rochester’s Konsta Helenius answered 29 seconds later to knot it at 2-2. Four goals in 13 minutes and the teams headed to the third deadlocked.

Third Period: The third period was just as wild. Jake Leschyshyn put Rochester back in front at 3:16 from Jack Rathbone and Olivier Nadeau. Wyatt Bongiovanni leveled it for Hershey at 5:49 — Suzdalev assisting — before Andrew Cristall gave the Bears the lead at 10:31 from Protas and Trineyev. Carson Meyer tied it again for Rochester at 12:45 from Zac Jones and Riley Fiddler-Schultz — the tying goal also helped the Americans secure the final playoff berth in the North Division. Four more goals in the third, eight combined in regulation, and still no winner.

Overtime: Hershey controlled the extra frame from the start, limiting Rochester’s possession. With the period nearing its halfway mark, Rybinski drove down the wing on an odd-man rush alongside Miroshnichenko, sent a quick pass to the top of the crease — and Miroshnichenko had a yawning net at 2:26. Game over.

Goaltending

Clay Stevenson was outstanding in a game that demanded everything from him. The Hershey netminder stopped a career-high 40 of 44 Rochester shots (.909 SV%) in 62:26 — earning his 18th win of the season and the 63rd victory of his tenure with Hershey, moving into a tie with John Henderson for 14th in franchise history. Rochester put up 23 shots in the first period alone, a Bears season high, and 44 on the night — another season high. Without Stevenson, this game isn’t close. Devon Levi took the overtime loss for Rochester in his league-leading 52nd appearance of the season, finishing with 26 saves on 31 shots (.839 SV%) across 61:31 of work. He was pulled early in the first period after allowing zero goals on six shots in 8:44, returned at 9:39, and was eventually beaten by Miroshnichenko in OT. It’s the third time Levi has backstopped Rochester to the playoffs in his professional career. Stevenson closed the year 18-13-3.

Special Teams

Rochester: 2-for-4 PP | Hershey: 2-for-4 PP | Penalties: Rochester 13 min (5 infractions), Hershey 13 min (5 infractions)

Three Stars

⭐ Ivan Miroshnichenko (HER) — 1G (OT winner) ⭐⭐ Bogdan Trineyev (HER) — 1G, 2A ⭐⭐⭐ Clay Stevenson (HER) — 40 saves, .909 SV%, 62:26 TOI

Team Statistics

Shots by Period

Scoring Summary

First Period

• No Scoring

Second Period

• 1:36 ROC — Trevor Kuntar (21) — Assists: Zac Jones (51), Konsta Helenius (42)
• 9:35 HER — Bogdan Trineyev (17) (Power Play) — Assists: Brett Leason (30), Alex Suzdalev (13)
• 13:37 HER — Ilya Protas (29) — Assists: Bogdan Trineyev (27), Andrew Cristall (40)
• 14:06 ROC — Konsta Helenius (21) — Assists: Trevor Kuntar (16), Noah Laaouan (7)

Third Period

• 3:16 ROC — Jake Leschyshyn (13) (Power Play) — Assists: Jack Rathbone (13), Olivier Nadeau (13)
• 5:49 HER — Wyatt Bongiovanni (15) — Assists: Alex Suzdalev (14)
• 10:31 HER — Andrew Cristall (20) — Assists: Ilya Protas (37), Bogdan Trineyev (28)
• 12:45 ROC — Carson Meyer (14) (Power Play) — Assists: Zac Jones (52), Riley Fiddler-Schultz (16)

Overtime

• 2:26 HER — Ivan Miroshnichenko (14) — Assists: Henrik Rybinski (20), Leon Muggli (6)

AHL Prospect Flags

• Ivan Miroshnichenko (HER) — OT winner; Washington Capitals prospect closing the regular season strong
• Ilya Protas (HER) — goal and assist; Washington Capitals prospect with a big night
• Andrew Cristall (HER) — goal and assist; Washington Capitals prospect
• Bogdan Trineyev (HER) — 1G, 2A; Washington Capitals prospect
• Brett Leason (HER) — assist on Trineyev’s PP goal; Washington Capitals prospect; Leason assist total now 30
• Zac Jones (ROC) — two assists; Buffalo Sabres prospect

Key Notes

• Hershey finished fifth in the Atlantic Division and will face the fourth-place Bridgeport Islanders in a best-of-three Atlantic Division First Round series — Game 1 is Tuesday, April 21 at 7 PM at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport; Game 2 is Thursday, April 23 at 7 PM at Giant Center
• Ivan Miroshnichenko’s overtime winner was his fifth game-winner of the season and third in overtime — tying a franchise record held by John Sorrell (1942-43), Dunc Fisher (1953-54), Willie Marshall (1959-60), Éric Perrin (2003-04), and Alex Limoges (2023-24)
• Ilya Protas finished the regular season with 66 points (29G, 37A) to lead the Bears and finish first in AHL rookie scoring; Andrew Cristall posted 60 points (20G, 40A) for second in team scoring and third in AHL rookie scoring — the pair is the first set of Bears rookies to finish 1-2 in team scoring and the first to both reach 60 points in club history
• Clay Stevenson’s 40 saves were a career high; the win was his 18th of the season and 63rd of his tenure with the Bears — moving him into a tie with John Henderson for 14th in franchise history
• Rochester’s 23 first-period shots against Hershey were a Bears season high; the 44 total shots faced also set a new season high
• Bogdan Trineyev’s three-point night (1G, 2A) included the power play tying goal set up by a Fiddler-Schultz double-minor high-sticking call that negated a potential Rochester goal at 6:02
• Carson Meyer’s tying goal secured Rochester’s fifth straight Calder Cup Playoff appearance and 51st overall in the 70-year history of the franchise — the Amerks face the Toronto Marlies in Game 1 on Wednesday, April 22 in Toronto
• Devon Levi made his league-leading 52nd appearance of the season — it’s the third time he has backstopped Rochester to the playoffs in his professional career
• Attendance: 10,171 at Giant Center (Fan Appreciation Night — Jersey Off Our Backs postgame ceremony)

Up Next

Rochester Americans: Calder Cup Playoffs — North Division First Round vs. Toronto Marlies | Game 1: Wednesday, April 22 in Toronto Hershey Bears: Calder Cup Playoffs — Atlantic Division First Round vs. Bridgeport Islanders | Game 1: Tuesday, April 21 at 7 PM at Total Mortgage Arena (Bridgeport) | Game 2: Thursday, April 23 at 7 PM at Giant Center (Hershey)