with files from Patrick Williams
Day 3 of the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs features one series getting underway, and one team trying to advance to the division semifinals.
The last of the seven first-round series drops the puck tonight with Bakersfield hosting Coachella Valley in Game 1. It will be the Condors’ only shot on home ice in the series, which shifts to Palm Desert for Games 2 and 3.
Bakersfield was 25-8-3-0 at Dignity Health Arena this season, the third-best home record in the league behind only Ontario and Providence. The Condors also won all four home meetings with the Firebirds, part of a 6-1-0-1 record overall in the season series.
Bakersfield’s offense was powered this season by their duo of Quinn Hutson (30-33-63) and Isaac Howard (24-26-50), who became the first teammates to both make the AHL All-Rookie Team at forward since Rochester’s JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn in 2021-22. Captain Seth Griffith (18-49-67) finished fifth in the league in points and was his team’s leading scorer for the eighth time in his career – including each of the last five years for Bakersfield.
Coachella Valley was 22-12-2-0 on the road in 2025-26, their fourth straight season of 20-plus road wins since entering the league in 2022-23. The Firebirds’ top seven scorers this season were all 23 and younger, led by third-year pro Logan Morrison (29-32-61), second-year pro Jagger Firkus (21-35-56) and rookie defenseman Tyson Jugnauth (9-36-45).
The Hershey Bears can finish off the Bridgeport Islanders with another win tonight as they host Game 2 at Giant Center.
Hershey struck first in the series with a 2-0 victory on Tuesday night, ending the Islanders’ 10-game home winning streak. Rookie defenseman David Gucciardi, a seventh-round pick by Washington in the 2022 NHL Draft who scored just three goals in 52 games during the regular season, snapped a scoreless deadlock with 7:29 left in regulation of Game 1.
“Both teams were waiting for somebody to make a mistake,” said Bears head coach Derek King, the former Islanders first-round pick who played 638 games on Long Island. “Both teams played hard, they were good on the forecheck, they put some pressure on us at times, and we then tilted the ice, and it was waiting for one mistake. It was a game of checkers or chess, whatever you want to call it, but we found a way to get it done.”
Ilya Protas added an empty-net goal with 1.1 seconds remaining, and Clay Stevenson made 18 saves for his first shutout of the season and the first of his Calder Cup Playoff career.
Marcus Högberg got the Game 1 start for Bridgeport and stopped 21 of 22 shots in his Calder Cup Playoff debut.
The Islanders are looking to extend not only their season tonight, but also their 25-year history in Bridgeport. New York is moving its AHL affiliate to Hamilton, Ont., in the fall.
A3-Charlotte Checkers vs. A6-Springfield Thunderbirds
Game 2 – Friday, 7:00 ET, 
(Charlotte leads series, 1-0)
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 22 – CHARLOTTE 8, Springfield 1 | Recap | Highlights
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 24 – Springfield at Charlotte, 7:00
*Game 3 – Sat., Apr. 25 – Springfield at Charlotte, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
A4-Bridgeport Islanders vs. A5-Hershey Bears
Game 2 – Tonight, 7:00 ET,
(Hershey leads series, 1-0)
Game 1 – Tue., Apr. 21 – Hershey 2, BRIDGEPORT 0 | Recap | Highlights
Game 2 – Thu., Apr. 23 – Bridgeport at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 3 – Sat., Apr. 25 – Hershey at Bridgeport, 3:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
A1-Providence Bruins vs. TBD
A2-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. TBD
N4-Toronto Marlies vs. N5-Rochester Americans
Game 2 – Friday, 7:05 ET,
(Toronto leads series, 1-0)
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 22 – TORONTO 5, Rochester 0 | Recap | Highlights
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 24 – Toronto at Rochester, 7:05
*Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 26 – Rochester at Toronto, 4:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
N1-Laval Rocket vs. TOR-ROC winner
N2-Syracuse Crunch vs. N3-Cleveland Monsters
Game 1 – Friday, 7:00 ET,
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 24 – Syracuse at Cleveland, 7:00
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 26 – Syracuse at Cleveland, 4:00
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
C4-Manitoba Moose vs. C5-Milwaukee Admirals
Game 2 – Friday, 8:00 ET,
(Milwaukee leads series, 1-0)
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 22 – Milwaukee 4, MANITOBA 1 | Recap | Highlights
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 24 – Milwaukee at Manitoba, 8:00
*Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 26 – Milwaukee at Manitoba, 3:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
C1-Grand Rapids Griffins vs. MB-MIL winner
Game 1 – TBD,
Game 1 – TBD – Grand Rapids at MB-MIL winner
Game 2 – TBD – Grand Rapids at MB-MIL winner
Game 3 – Wed., May 6 – MB-MIL winner at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*Game 4 – Fri., May 8 – MB-MIL winner at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sat., May 9 – MB-MIL winner at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
C2-Chicago Wolves vs. C3-Texas Stars
Game 1 – Tuesday, 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
P2-Colorado Eagles vs. P7-San Diego Gulls
Game 2 – Friday, 9:05 ET,
(Colorado leads series, 1-0)
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 22 – COLORADO 3, San Diego 0 | Recap | Highlights
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 24 – San Diego at Colorado, 9:05
*Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 26 – San Diego at Colorado, 5:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern
P3-Henderson Silver Knights vs. P6-San Jose Barracuda
Game 2 – Friday, 10:00 ET,
(Henderson leads series, 1-0)
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 22 – HENDERSON 5, San Jose 4 (OT) | Recap | Highlights
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 24 – San Jose at Henderson, 10:00
*Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 26 – San Jose at Henderson, 6:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
P4-Coachella Valley Firebirds vs. P5-Bakersfield Condors
Game 1 – Tonight, 10:10 ET,
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 23 – Coachella Valley at Bakersfield, 10:10
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 25 – Bakersfield at Coachella Valley, 9:00
*Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 26 – Bakersfield at Coachella Valley, 8:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
P1-Ontario Reign vs. TBD
TBD vs. TBD
In last night’s Stanley Cup Playoff action, Trevor Zegras, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nick Seeler scored in a six-minute span of the second period to propel Philadelphia to a 5-2 win over Pittsburgh and a 3-0 lead in their first-round series… Jason Robertson tallied a goal and two assists in Dallas’ 4-3 double-overtime win at Minnesota… Mikko Rantanen added a goal and an assist for the Stars… 2012 Calder Cup champion Alex Killorn notched a goal and two assists as Anaheim defeated Edmonton, 6-4… Josh Samanski scored in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut for the Oilers.
