First-round playoff schedules set

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League has released the following schedules for the division semifinal round of the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs

Unless building availability dictates otherwise, the best-of-five first-round series are in either a 2-2-1 format or a 2-3 format; in the 2-3 format, the higher seed has the option of playing the first two games or the last three games at home. 

Atlantic Division Semifinals – Series “A” (best-of-5) 
A1-Hershey Bears vs. A4-Portland Pirates
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 22 – Hershey at Portland, 7:00 
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 23 – Hershey at Portland, 7:00 
Game 3 – Thu., Apr. 28 – Portland at Hershey, 7:00 
*Game 4 – Sat., Apr. 30 – Portland at Hershey, 7:00 
*Game 5 – Sun., May 1 – Portland at Hershey, 5:00 
   *if necessary… All times Eastern 

Atlantic Division Semifinals – Series “B” (best-of-5) 
A2-Providence Bruins vs. A3-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 20 – Providence at W-B/Scranton, 7:05 
Game 2 – Thu., Apr. 21 – Providence at W-B/Scranton, 7:05 
Game 3 – Sat., Apr. 23 – W-B/Scranton at Providence, 7:05 
*Game 4 – Mon., Apr. 25 – W-B/Scranton at Providence, 7:05 
*Game 5 – Tue., Apr. 26 – W-B/Scranton at Providence, 7:05 
   *if necessary… All times Eastern 

North Division Semifinals – Series “C” (best-of-5) 
N1-Toronto Marlies vs. A5-Bridgeport Sound Tigers 
Game 1 – Sat., Apr. 23 – Toronto at Bridgeport, 7:00 
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 24 – Toronto at Bridgeport, 5:00 
Game 3 – Thu., Apr. 28 – Bridgeport at Toronto, 7:30 
*Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 29 – Bridgeport at Toronto, 7:30 
*Game 5 – Sun., May 1 – Bridgeport at Toronto, 3:00 
   *if necessary… All times Eastern 

North Division Semifinals – Series “D” (best-of-5) 
N2-Albany Devils vs. N3-Utica Comets
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 22 – Utica at Albany, 7:00 
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 23 – Utica at Albany, 5:00 
Game 3 – Tue., Apr. 26 – Albany at Utica, 7:00 
*Game 4 – Thu., Apr. 28 – Albany at Utica, 7:00 
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 30 – Utica at Albany, 5:00
   *if necessary… All times Eastern 

Central Division Semifinals – Series “E” (best-of-5)
C1-Milwaukee Admirals vs. C4-Grand Rapids Griffins

Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 22 – Grand Rapids at Milwaukee, 8:00
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 23 – Grand Rapids at Milwaukee, 8:00
Game 3 – Tue., Apr. 26 – Milwaukee at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 27 – Milwaukee at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 30 – Grand Rapids at Milwaukee, 8:00
   *if necessary… All times Eastern 

Central Division Semifinals – Series “F” (best-of-5)
C2-Lake Erie Monsters vs. C3-Rockford IceHogs
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 20 – Lake Erie at Rockford, 8:00
Game 2 – Thu., Apr. 21 – Lake Erie at Rockford, 8:00
Game 3 – Sat., Apr. 23 – Rockford at Lake Erie, 7:00
*Game 4 – Mon., Apr. 25 – Rockford at Lake Erie, 7:00
*Game 5 – Thu., Apr. 28 – Rockford at Lake Erie, 7:00
   *if necessary… All times Eastern 

Pacific Division Semifinals – Series “G” (best-of-5)
P1-Ontario Reign vs. P4-San Jose Barracuda

Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 22 – Ontario at San Jose, 10:30
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 23 – Ontario at San Jose, 10:30
Game 3 – Thu., Apr. 28 – San Jose at Ontario, 10:00
*Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 29 – San Jose at Ontario, 10:00
*Game 5 – Sun., May 1 – San Jose at Ontario, 6:00
   *if necessary… All times Eastern 

Pacific Division Semifinals – Series “H” (best-of-5)
P2-San Diego Gulls vs. P3-Texas Stars
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 21 – San Diego at Texas, 8:30
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 23 – San Diego at Texas, 8:00
Game 3 – Thu., Apr. 28 – Texas at San Diego, 10:05
*Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 29 – Texas at San Diego, 10:05
*Game 5 – Mon., May 2 – Texas at San Diego, 10:05
   *if necessary… All times Eastern 

The top four teams in each of the AHL’s four divisions as ranked by points percentage (points earned divided by points available) qualified for the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs, with one possibility for a “crossover” in each conference: if the fifth-place team in the Atlantic or Central Division finishes with a better points percentage than the fourth-place team in the North or Pacific Division, it would compete in the other division’s bracket.

The division semifinals will be best-of-five series. All other series are in a best-of-seven format. 

In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Sixteen clubs will continue to vie for the league’s coveted championship trophy when the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs get underway Wednesday.