Springfield Thunderbirds Make History, Set for Tough Division Finals Test

The Springfield Thunderbirds defeated the Providence Bruins, 3-1, in the best-of-seven Atlantic Division Semifinals to advance to the division finals for the first time since 2018. Springfield becomes the first AHL team in 25 years to win two playoff series after finishing the regular season at .500 or worse. The Thunderbirds now face the 101-point Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the next round.

Goaltender Georgi Romanov was the standout performer for Springfield, posting a 5-1 record with a 1.42 goals-against average and .954 save percentage in six playoff games. His 37-save shutout in the series-clinching Game 4 was the turning point in Springfield’s run. Romanov’s play has been critical for a team that entered the playoffs with just 82 points.

Springfield head coach Steve Ott took over the team in January when they were last in the Atlantic Division. Under his guidance, the Thunderbirds finished the regular season with a 19-13-2-0 record and have now eliminated the defending Eastern Conference champions and the 2025-26 regular-season champions in the playoffs. "The team is...warriors," Romanov said. "We fight for everyone."

The Thunderbirds' success is part of a larger trend in the AHL playoffs, with four lower seeds advancing in the first round. Cleveland and Toronto both reached the North Division finals after impressive series wins, while the Coachella Valley Firebirds became the third team to eliminate a regular-season division winner.

Cleveland’s series win over Syracuse was defined by resilience. The Monsters won two overtime games on the road, including a triple-overtime thriller in Game 4 where Zach Aston-Reese scored the game-winner at 7:53 of the third extra frame. Toronto’s Marlies also showed grit, defeating Laval in a winner-take-all Game 5 with a late Vinni Lettieri goal. "We showed a lot of resiliency," Lettieri said. "It was a full team effort all the way down."

Coachella Valley’s run to the Pacific Division finals was highlighted by a double-overtime Game 5 win over Ontario, where J.R. Avon scored the series-winning goal. The Firebirds have now won four elimination games this postseason and will face the Colorado Eagles, who dominated Henderson with a 4-1 series win. Colorado’s Alex Barré-Boulet led the offense with 3-4-7, while goaltender Trent Miner posted a .942 save percentage and two shutouts.

The Springfield vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton series begins on Tuesday, May 12, with Game 1 set for 7:05 p.m. ET in Scranton. The Thunderbirds will look to continue their historic run against one of the most consistent teams in the AHL.