SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- The Springfield Thunderbirds start their second-round run in the Calder Cup Playoffs Friday, with the Providence Bruins now standing in their path to a championship.

The Thunderbirds are coming off a first-round upset after taking two out of three games from three-seeded Charlotte Checkers. Springfield won the series 2-1 in a goalie duel that took overtime to decide.

The victory came after the Thunderbirds spent much of the season toward the bottom of the standings. “At the end of the day, at some point during this year, it looked like we may not have even made the playoffs,” said Nathan Costa, president of the Springfield Thunderbirds. “So, to be where we are right now, we’re looking at that as a positive, and hopefully, we can continue on with some momentum, get a win.”

Springfield will take on the rival Bruins in a best-of-five series. Providence is the number one seed with a regular season record of 54-16. “Anytime you’re in a playoff series, it doesn’t matter who the opponent is. You know, you want to win,” Costa added. “We’ve had some tough battles with Providence. The boys have really played them really hard all season long. I think we have a decent record against them, so I think the vibes are high going into this.”

Friday and Sunday’s games will be in Providence. The MassMutual Center will host Game 3 on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. and, if necessary, Game 4 on Thursday. Game 5, if necessary, will be back in Providence.

Fans who can’t make the road games can gather at TAP Sports Bar at MGM Springfield to watch. “It’s a pretty cool setup. They’ve had it on the TVs and the sounds going,” Costa said. “So, if you haven’t had a chance to go down, go on tonight or on Sunday.”

Costa thanked the fans for their loyalty throughout the season, calling them the best fans in the game.