The Hershey Bears defeated the Providence Bruins 5-1 on January 5, 2025, at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The game showcased dominant play by the Bears, particularly during the second and third periods, and included a strong individual and team performance.
Game Details:
First Period:
Providence’s Max Jones opened the scoring early scoring at 1:20 to give Providence a 1-0 lead.
Mike Sgarbossa answered for Hershey at 14:45, igniting the crowd and triggering the annual Teddy Bear Toss, which collected 102,343 stuffed animals for charity.
Second Period:
Hershey surged with three consecutive goals:
Matt Strome scored on a rebound to make it 2-1.
Grant Cruikshank followed less than a minute later, extending the lead to 3-1.
Spencer Smallman added another late in the period, pushing the score to 4-1.
Third Period:
Smallman scored his second goal of the game, cementing the final score at 5-1.
Player Highlights:
Hershey Bears:
Spencer Smallman:
2 goals, including the game-clinching tally in the third period.
Grant Cruikshank:
1 goal and an assist, contributing to the Bears’ second-period surge.
Clay Stevenson (Goalie):
Stopped 18 of 19 shots, anchoring Hershey’s defense.
Providence Bruins:
Max Jones:
Scored the lone goal for Providence in the first period.
Patrick Brown:
Assisted on Jones’ goal and was one of the more active offensive players for the Bruins.
Team Stats:
Shots on Goal: Hershey outshot Providence 33-19.
Power Plays:
Hershey converted on 1 of 5 opportunities.
Providence went 0 for 4, struggling to generate momentum with the man advantage.
This victory continues Hershey’s successful season and highlights their community impact through the Teddy Bear Toss, which benefits over 35 local charities.
CLICK IMAGE FOR FULL GALLERY
