The Hershey Bears finally know their first opponent in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Bears will play their geographic rival, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, in the Atlantic Division Semifinals for a second straight year. Last May, the Bears eliminated the Phantoms in four games.
Hershey will host the series opening Games 1 and 2 at Giant Center on Wednesday and Friday before Games 3 and 4* move to Lehigh Valley’s PPL Center in Allentown, PA. A potentially decisive Game 5* will be held in Hershey on Sunday, May 11.
Schedule
Game 1: Wednesday, April 30 vs. Lehigh Valley, GIANT Center, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Friday, May 2 vs. Lehigh Valley, GIANT Center, 7 p.m.
Game 3: Sunday, May 4 at Lehigh Valley, PPL Center, 5:05 p.m.
*Game 4: Friday, May 9 at Lehigh Valley, PPL Center, 7:05 p.m.
*Game 5: Sunday, May 11 vs. Lehigh Valley, GIANT Center, 5 p.m.
* If necessary. All times Eastern.
The Bears, the AHL’s defending champions in both 2023 and 2024, are looking to become just the second team in AHL history to three-peat, joining the 1960-62 Springfield Indians.
Hershey is led by Alex Limoges (44 points), Ivan Miroshnichenko (23 goals), and Hunter Shepard (23-11-4). Returning Calder Cup champion players from last season include Hendrix Lapierre, Pierrick Dubé, Mike Vecchione, and Chase Priskie. Several talented organizational prospects have also been added to the roster recently, including Ilya Protas, Terik Parascak, and Ryan Chesley.
Here’s the press release from the Hershey Bears:
BEARS ANNOUNCE SCHEDULE FOR ATLANTIC DIVISION SEMIFINALS VS. LEHIGH VALLEY
Hershey starts quest for a third straight Calder Cup next week with a best-of-five series versus the rival Phantoms
(Hershey, PA – April 27, 2025) – The Hershey Bears have announced the schedule for the club’s 2025 Atlantic Division Semifinals playoff series against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Hershey, the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Division during the 2024-25 regular season and defending back-to-back Calder Cup champions, will square off against No. 5-seeded Lehigh Valley in a best-of-five series. This will mark Hershey’s first action in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs after earning a bye for the Atlantic Division First Round.
The complete schedule is as follows:
Game 1 – Wednesday, April 30 vs. Lehigh Valley, GIANT Center, 7 p.m.
Game 2 – Friday, May 2 vs. Lehigh Valley, GIANT Center, 7 p.m.
Game 3 – Sunday, May 4 at Lehigh Valley, PPL Center, 5:05 p.m.
*Game 4 – Friday, May 9 at Lehigh Valley, PPL Center, 7:05 p.m.
*Game 5 – Sunday, May 11 vs. Lehigh Valley, GIANT Center, 5 p.m.
*If necessary. All times Eastern.
Tickets for Hershey’s home games will go on sale tomorrow, Monday, April 28 at 10 a.m. online via Ticketmaster.
This marks the second consecutive year that the Bears and Phantoms will have faced each other in the Atlantic Division Semifinals, with Hershey claiming the series last year in Game 4 in Allentown en route to winning its 13th Calder Cup. The Bears and Phantoms have met in six previous postseason series, with the Chocolate and White owning a 5-1 series record. Hershey went 5-4-1-0 versus Lehigh Valley in the 2024-25 regular season, and the Bears are looking to become just the second team in the American Hockey League to win three consecutive Calder Cups, joining the 1960-62 Springfield Indians.
Fans are asked to continue to check HersheyBears.com and the club’s social media channels for the latest updates on the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs.
