SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Springfield hockey fans may have more reasons to shake, rattle, and roll after the Thunderbirds clinched a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs Wednesday night.

The Thunderbirds captured their playoff berth with a 7-1 win against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the MassMutual Center.

It will mark the fourth time in five years that the team has made the playoffs. In 2022, they made it all the way to the Calder Cup Finals where they lost to the Chicago Wolves.

The top six teams in the Atlantic Division, including the Thunderbirds, will participate in the playoffs. The top two teams, the Providence Bruins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, will receive byes into the division semifinals while the third- through sixth-place seeds will compete in a best-of-three first round series.

Springfield’s playoff opponent and schedule will be released at a later date. Fans can lock in their seats for the home games with the team’s Pay As We Play Plan.

The Thunderbirds have two regular season games remaining, both against the Hartford Wolf Pack. The first will be Friday night at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford and the second will be Saturday at the MassMutual Center. The AHL regular season ends on Sunday.

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