with files from Patrick Williams
On Day 8 of the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs the spotlight is on Cedar Park for the opener of the Central Division semifinals.
The Chicago Wolves and Texas Stars get their series underway tonight (8 ET, 
), more than a week after the teams finished their regular season.
Game 1 will also stream free on FloHockey’s social channels and FloHockey 24/7, which is available on Amazon Prime (U.S.), Bell Fibe (Canada), Fubo and the FloHockey app.
Chicago finished the regular season on a 5-0-0-1 run, allowing just nine goals in the six games. Texas was 5-2-1-1 in its last nine, with Rémi Poirier making all nine starts in net.
“We had the week to prepare and get excited about the challenge,” said Stars forward Matthew Seminoff, who led the team with 24 goals in 2025-26. “We had a couple of games at the end of the season that mattered for seeding, so I think we’re going into the playoffs with that mentality already.”
Felix Unger Sörum (17-49-66) led the Wolves in scoring during the regular season, including 12 points in eight games against Texas. But the Stars won seven of the eight meetings, including all four at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.
“We know that none of those games matter now. It’s just a five-game series,” Seminoff said. “We’re coming into it with a fresh mindset. We’ve done our preparation on Chicago, and we know they’ve done the same.”
Texas’ trio of Curtis McKenzie (104), Cameron Hughes (62) and Kole Lind (58) have combined for 224 Calder Cup Playoff games played in their careers. Chicago’s entire roster enters the series with 114 career Calder Cup Playoff games, led by goaltender Cayden Primeau’s 24.
Since the regular season ended, Chicago head coach Spiros Anastas has had the interim tag removed from his title. Anastas, who took over for Cam Abbott on Dec. 12, guided the Wolves to a record of 25-14-5-6.
These teams last met in the postseason back in 2010, the Stars’ inaugural season. Texas won that division final battle on a Game 7 overtime goal by rookie Jamie Benn.
A1-Providence Bruins vs. A6-Springfield Thunderbirds
Game 1 – Friday, 7:05 ET,
Game 1 - Fri., May 1 - Springfield at Providence, 7:05
Game 2 - Sun., May 3 - Springfield at Providence, 7:05
Game 3 - Tue., May 5 - Providence at Springfield, 7:05
*Game 4 - Thu., May 7 - Providence at Springfield, 7:05
*Game 5 - Sat., May 9 - Springfield at Providence, 7:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern
A2-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. A5-Hershey Bears
Game 1 – Thursday, 7:05 ET,
Game 1 - Thu., Apr. 30 - Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 2 - Sat., May 2 - Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 6:05
Game 3 - Tue., May 5 - W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 4 - Thu., May 7 - W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 5 - Sat., May 9 - Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 6:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern
N1-Laval Rocket vs. N4-Toronto Marlies
Game 1 – Wednesday, 7:00 ET,
Game 1 - Wed., Apr. 29 - Toronto at Laval, 7:00
Game 2 - Fri., May 1 - Toronto at Laval, 7:00
Game 3 - Sun., May 3 - Laval at Toronto, 4:00
*Game 4 - Tue., May 5 - Laval at Toronto, 7:00
*Game 5 - Fri., May 8 - Toronto at Laval, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
N2-Syracuse Crunch vs. N3-Cleveland Monsters
Game 3 – Friday, 7:00 ET,
(Series tied, 1-1)
Game 1 - CLEVELAND 3, Syracuse 2 | Recap | Highlights
Game 2 - Syracuse 4, CLEVELAND 1 | Recap | Highlights
Game 3 - Fri., May 1 - Cleveland at Syracuse, 7:00
Game 4 - Sun., May 3 - Cleveland at Syracuse, 3:00
*Game 5 - Sat., May 9 - Cleveland at Syracuse, 5:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
C1-Grand Rapids Griffins vs. C4-Manitoba Moose
Game 1 – Saturday, 3:00 ET,
Game 1 - Sat., May 2 - Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 3:00
Game 2 - Sun., May 3 - Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 3:00
Game 3 - Wed., May 6 - Manitoba at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*Game 4 - Fri., May 8 - Manitoba at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*Game 5 - Sat., May 9 - Manitoba at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
C2-Chicago Wolves vs. C3-Texas Stars
Game 1 – Tonight, 8:00 ET,
Game 1 - Tue., Apr. 28 - Chicago at Texas, 8:00
Game 2 - Thu., Apr. 30 - Chicago at Texas, 8:00
Game 3 - Sat., May 2 - Texas at Chicago, 8:00
*Game 4 - Sun., May 3 - Texas at Chicago, 4:00
*Game 5 - Tue., May 5 - Texas at Chicago, 8:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
P1-Ontario Reign vs. P4-Coachella Valley Firebirds
Game 1 – Wednesday, 10:00 ET,
Game 1 - Wed., Apr. 29 - Coachella Valley at Ontario, 10:00
Game 2 - Fri., May 1 - Coachella Valley at Ontario, 10:00
Game 3 - Tue., May 5 - Ontario at Coachella Valley, 10:00
*Game 4 - Thu., May 7 - Ontario at Coachella Valley, 10:00
*Game 5 - Sat., May 9 - Coachella Valley at Ontario, 9:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
P2-Colorado Eagles vs. P3-Henderson Silver Knights
Game 1 – Friday, 10:00 ET,
Game 1 - Fri., May 1 - Colorado at Henderson, 10:00
Game 2 - Mon., May 4 - Colorado at Henderson, 10:00
Game 3 - Wed., May 6 - Henderson at Colorado, 9:05
*Game 4 - Sat., May 9 - Henderson at Colorado, 8:05
*Game 5 - Sun., May 10 - Henderson at Colorado, 8:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern
In last night’s Stanley Cup Playoff action, Brett Howden tallied two goals and an assist and Shea Theodore scored the overtime winner is Vegas’ 5-4 victory over Utah... 2023 AHL All-Star Michael Carcone netted his first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal for the Mammoth... 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs MVP Artūrs Šilovs made 18 saves for his second straight win as Pittsburgh defeated Philadelphia, 3-2... Alex Bump and Travis Sanheim scored for the Flyers.
