For the first time since 2016, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers are headed to the Calder Cup Playoffs. It will be the third time that the club heads to the playoffs under Brent Thompson and the ninth time in 18 years. The Sound Tigers will open the playoffs in the first round against the Hershey Bears.
The Sound Tigers and Bears have met one other time in the Calder Cup Playoffs in 2010 where the Bears won the series 4-1 and would go on to win the Calder Cup that year. This time around, round one will be a best-of-five game series.
Home Ice Advantage:
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are 26-7-3-2 on home ice this season compared to the Bears who are 23-10-2-1. On the road the Bears are 17-15-2-3 and the Sound Tigers are 16-16-3-1. Home ice will be a huge factor in this series considering Bridgeport’s dominance in Connecticut.
Head-To-Head:
The Sound Tigers and Bears split the season series, with a 3-2-1 record for the Sound Tigers. Hershey turned on the jets late in the season to get from last to third in the division and get into the playoffs, thanks in part to Devante Smith-Pelly, who was called up this morning.
Special Teams:
The Bears’ power-play is 18.0%, good for 17th in the AHL.
The Sound Tigers sit at 26th, scoring 16.6% of the time.
On the PK, Bridgeport is 17th, while Hershey is 27th
Key Stat:
When leading after two periods, the Sound Tigers are 24-2-5-2. Hershey is 27-1-1-2.
Top Players:
For Bridgeport, Chris Bourque, Otto Koivula, Josh Ho-Sang and Sebastian Aho headline. For Hershey, Mike Sgarbossa, Riley Barber and ex-Islander Aaron Ness are the crucial players.
Prediction:
Sound Tigers in five games
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Christian Gardecki

A Native of Danbury, CT. Christian is one of the longest tenured Drive4Five writers, Christian Gardecki began writing for Drive4five In May of 2017. Christian covers Minor League Hockey and the Bridgeport Islanders for Drive4Five. Outside of Drive4Five, Christian was the captain of his High School Hockey team and currently attends Hofstra University with a major in journalism. Christian was the play by play broadcaster for the Danbury Westerners summer collegiate baseball team during their 2021 NECBL Championship. Christian also was the Public Address Announcer for the Danbury Hat Tricks Minor Pro Hockey team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League and NAHL Junior team from 2019-21.