The Springfield Thunderbirds, Charlotte Checkers, Hartford Wolf Pack and Lehigh Valley Phantoms all clinched postseason berths on Saturday night, rounding out the six-team field that will participate in the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs in the Atlantic Division.
Springfield and Charlotte officially punched their tickets when Wilkes-Barre/Scranton completed an 8-2 victory at Bridgeport. Hartford got in thanks to a 5-3 win at Providence, and Lehigh Valley joined them when they finished off a 4-3 win over the Thunderbirds.
Springfield returns to the playoffs after winning the Eastern Conference championship and playing in the Calder Cup Finals in 2022. Charlotte, the 2019 Calder Cup champion, is heading to its fifth consecutive postseason. Lehigh Valley is in for the first time since reaching the conference finals in 2018, and there will be playoff hockey in Hartford for the first time since their run to the conference finals in 2015.
These four clubs will join Hershey and Providence, who will get byes into the division semifinals as the top two finishers in the division. The Phantoms, Thunderbirds and Checkers are currently tied for third place, with the Wolf Pack one point back.
The AHL’s 2022-23 regular season ends next Sunday, April 16; for more information and daily updates on the Calder Cup Playoff races, check out the official AHL Playoff Primer.
