The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are set to open the Calder Cup Playoffs this week with a best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinals series against the Hershey Bears.
The Penguins will host the first two games of the series at home on Thursday and Saturday. If necessary, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will also host the decisive fifth game on May 9 at Mohegan Arena.
Games 3 and 4 are scheduled for Hershey at Giant Center on May 5 and May 7.
This will be the ninth all-time playoff meeting between the Penguins and Bears, the most against any opponent in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton history. The previous eight series are split evenly at 4-4. Furthermore, in the 40 games played across those eight different playoff series, the results are also shared equally, 20-20.
The last time the Penguins clashed with the Bears in the postseason was the 2022 Atlantic Division First Round, a series that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won 2-1 with an overtime triumph at home in the decisive third game.
The Bears are coming off of a successful best-of-three showing against the Bridgeport Islanders in the Atlantic Division First Round, winning the series 2-0. During that time, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was on a first-round bye thanks to its 101-point regular season.
ATLANTIC DIVISION SEMIFINALS
Game 1: Thursday, Apr. 30 – Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 7:05 p.m. Mohegan Arena
Game 2: Saturday, May 2 – Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 6:05 p.m. Mohegan Arena
Game 3: Tuesday, May 5 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton @ Hershey, 7:00 p.m. Giant Center
*Game 4: Thursday, May 7 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton @ Hershey, 7:00 p.m. Giant Center
*Game 5: Sunday, May 9 – Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 6:05 p.m. Mohegan Arena
* = if necessary
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