The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will face the rival Hershey Bears in a best-of-five Atlantic Division semifinal round of the Calder Cup playoffs.
That matchup was determined on Saturday with the sixth-seeded Springfield Thunderbirds defeating the third-seeded Charlotte Checkers in a first-round series. With the second-seeded Penguins receiving a bye through the first round, they wound up being matched against the fifth-seeded Bears, the highest-seeded team to emerge from the first round.
A schedule for the series was also announced on Saturday.
April 30 – Hershey at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 7:05 p.m.
May 2 – Hershey at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 6:05 p.m.
May 5 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Hershey, 7 p.m.
May 7 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Hershey, 7 p.m.-*
May 9 – Hershey at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 6:05 p.m.-*
*-if necessary.
The Penguins went 7-3-0-0 against the Bears during the regular season.
Forward Matthew Quercia had a goal and two assists for the Wheeling Nailers in a 5-1 win against the Reading Royals in Game 2 of a North Division semifinal round at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, W.Va. on Saturday.
The Nailers lead the best-of-seven series, 2-0.
Forwards Craig Armstrong and Blake Bennett each contributed a goal and an assist for Wheeling while goaltender Taylor Gauthier made 32 saves on 33 shots, boosting his postseason mark to 2-0.
Highlights:
Game 3 at Reading is scheduled for Wednesday, 7 p.m.