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The Hershey Bears are set to begin their Atlantic Division Finals series against the Charlotte Checkers tonight (Friday, May 16) at Bojangles Coliseum. The puck will drop at 7 p.m. for Game One of this best-of-five series. Hershey, the top seed in the Atlantic Division and reigning back-to-back Calder Cup champions, aims to continue their impressive playoff run.
The Bears advanced to the Atlantic Division Finals after defeating the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a decisive fifth game of the semifinals. The matchup with the Checkers marks the first playoff series between these two teams since the 2023 Atlantic Division Semifinals, where Hershey emerged victorious in four games. The Bears have a 1-2 series record against Charlotte in previous postseason meetings.
During the 2024-25 regular season, Hershey and Charlotte split their encounters, each winning four games. The Bears are striving to become only the second team in American Hockey League history to win three consecutive Calder Cups, a feat last achieved by the Springfield Indians from 1960 to 1962.
The series schedule includes two initial games in Charlotte, followed by up to three games at Hershey's GIANT Center, if necessary. Fans can purchase tickets for Hershey's home games online starting Monday, May 12.