For the second straight season, the Providence Bruins and Springfield Thunderbirds will face off in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Providence won that series 2-1. The rivals then played 12 times during the regular season, with the Bruins winning five games in regulation and two in overtime. Other than a 7-1 win by Providence over the holidays, every game between the two was close this season.
Providence finished 38 points ahead of the Thunderbirds in the regular season standings on its way to being the league's top team, but Springfield may also be the one team that the Bruins didn't want to play in these playoffs. It didn't look like they would when the Charlotte Checkers defeated Springfield 8-1 in Game 1 of the best-two-out-of-three series, but the Thunderbirds bounced back against the team that finished 21 points ahead of them in the standings.
The hard part of the Calder Cup Playoffs is the long layoff for the teams that finish at the top of the standings. It is supposed to be an advantage, but the last time the Bruins played was Saturday, April 18. They lost both games that weekend to end their season off with a hit to their confidence, and will be sitting for 13 days before kicking off their playoff run.
The Thunderbirds have been playing playoff hockey for over a week now in that timespan, getting in an early 1-0 hole before battling back to beat the Checkers. They are ready to get right into a playoff atmosphere, while it could take the Bruins some time to get going on Friday night in a classic rest vs. rust debate.
The playoff format also doesn't do the Bruins any favors in that this round is a best-three-out-of-five series. In a seven-game series, Providence might be able to have a sleepy Game 1 and have plenty of time to turn it around. Drop Game 1 at home in a five-game series and all of a sudden your backs are against the wall.
This feels like the Bruins' best chance to win a Calder Cup in a long time, but with the Thunderbirds' success against them this season and the long layoff, the first round might be their toughest test.
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