On October 3, 2024, I attended the Hershey Bears’ first preseason game against the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, which was also an educational STEM day for students. The atmosphere was a bit boring, but there were tons of students there—someone even said there were forty school buses! They were loud and made it lively, but I was really focused on the game.

Throughout the game, there were various STEM activities, and I learned about interesting topics like the heart, blood, and iron in your blood. At one display, they scanned my finger, and it humorously said I was “dead!” Even with all the fun learning, my eyes were on the ice.

The Bears lost in an overtime shootout, but I enjoyed watching the younger players trying to make the team. A player with the last name of Adams even gave me a practice puck, which was so cool! I got to sit right behind the bench, which was awesome, and I also received a game puck.

One of the highlights was when I was talking to an equipment guy named Kyle. I asked him for a puck, and he handed me a stick. To my surprise, it was Hendrix Lapierre’s stick! I couldn’t believe it—how did a Lapierre stick end up in Wilkes-Barre when he was playing with the Capitals? I was so excited because now I have two of his sticks!

I also got a photo with Tux, the Penguins’ mascot. At first, Tux ran away from me because I was wearing my Bears jersey, but he finally stopped for a picture, which was a lot of fun! Plus, I met Zack Fisch, the radio voice of the Hershey Bears, which made my day even better.

Even though the Bears didn’t win, it was an unforgettable experience to see all the new players, collect some cool items, and enjoy a day filled with hockey and learning. I can’t wait for the rest of the season!