Springfield Thunderbirds prepare for Calder Cup Playoffs
10 without a home after fire on Phoenix Street in Springfield
The Thunderbirds will visit Providence for their first playoff game in a series of three against the Bruins, marking the teams' first ever playoff meeting, but it is their fifth post-season meeting, nodding to this New England rivalry.
Springfield took the win in each of the first three series against Providence, while the Bruins were out for payback, and clinched a five-game series win in the division semifinals in 2014. Looking to this series, the T-Birds are coming home to the MassMutual Center for game two in the best of three series.
'The crowd's great in the regular season, it's always loud, it's a good home ice advantage for our team with the energy and for playoffs it's up another notch,' said Steve Konowalchuk, the Head Coach of the Springfield Thunderbirds.
During the regular season, the T-Birds posted a record of seven wins, three losses, and two shootout losses against the bruins, including wins at four of their last five match ups.
Konowalchuk says the team plans to use the same game plan they used all season against the Bruins, adding the excitement of the playoffs and of course, the providence rivalry. If the Thunderbirds defeat the Bruins in the series, they would meet the two-time defending Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears in the Atlantic Division Semifinals.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
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