WBS Weekly: Wilkes-Barre learns their playoff opponent
'Pens Owen Pickering handles the puck during the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins home opener on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (Photo by Jason Ardan/The Citizens' Voice via Getty Images) The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins finished second in their division this season, which might not sound like a big deal but is a huge deal in the AHL playoff format that grants the top-two teams in the Atlantic Division a pass into the second round of the playoffs.
That means a lot considering the first round is only a best-of-three, a format that sunk WBS’s season last year when they finished in fourth place and were quickly eliminated from the playoffs. Such a result struck again, third place Charlotte (who had a great season to put up 93 points in 72 games) ended up getting bounced in Game 3 by sixth place Springfield. Due to the reseeding, Springfield now moves onto play first place Providence.
That left Wilkes to take on the Hershey Bears, who won their first round matchup against Bridgeport. Hershey it is. We’ll see you Thursday for Game 1, Pens fans!
More info here: https://t. co/KiYymLYHsX Get your tickets here: https://t. co/RkarhiGzmV pic.
twitter. com/mjf20fufF8 — x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 26, 2026 The Bears are the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals and have some quality players. One of them, Ilya Protas, played against Pittsburgh in the final week of the NHL regular season.