The Cleveland Monsters and Syracuse Crunch will drop the puck on the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs with Game 1 of the North Division Semifinals presented by truenorth Convenience Stores on Friday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m. at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Game 2 will take place on Sunday, April 26 at 4:00 p.m. in Cleveland before the best-of-five series shifts to Syracuse. 

The Monsters, the third seed in the AHL’s North Division, earned a bye through the First Round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, setting up a clash with the second seed Crunch, top affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. This is the second-ever playoff meeting between the Monsters and Crunch, with Cleveland defeating Syracuse in a three-game sweep en route to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024. 

2026 MONSTERS CALDER CUP NORTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS SCHEDULE
 

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2026 MONSTERS CALDER CUP PLAYOFF TICKET GUIDE

Single game tickets for Monsters home playoff games are on sale now at clevelandmonsters.com/playoffs! 

Fans looking to attend both games this weekend can bundle tickets to Game 1 and Game 2 of the North Division Semifinals and save up to 25% and pay no fees by taking advantage of a limited-time offer available HERE. 

Looking for even more hockey? Join the Monsters Hockey Club today and you will receive Game 1 of the North Division Semifinals for FREE!  Click HERE to explore Monsters Hockey Club Memberships and take advantage of this limited-time offer.

FEAR THE DEPTHS: GAME DAY EXPERIENCE, GIVEAWAYS AND NEW GEAR AT CENTER ICE

Giveaways for every fan! NEW for the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, ALL fans in attendance at Monsters home playoff games will receive a playoff rally towel, presented in the North Division Semifinals by truenorth Convenience Stores. Additionally, the first 5,000 fans at Game 1 on Friday, April 24 will receive a Fear the Depths playoff t-shirt courtesy of Friedman, Domiano & Smith. 

The Calder Cup Playoff are when the AHL’s best home-ice advantage comes to life at Rocket Arena! After leading the American Hockey League in attendance for the fourth straight season, Monsters fans will provide an intimidating atmosphere for the Monsters’ postseason opponents.

Be early. Be loud. Wave those rally towels! Fans are encouraged to arrive early, wave their rally towels, and be in their seats pregame for new video introductions and special VIP Puck Drops throughout the playoffs. 

Dive into The Deep End! The most fearsome fans in the league can be found in The Deep End secured by TrustedSec located on the south end of Rocket Arena where the Monsters attack twice. Spanning sections 112-116 and M112-M116, the Deep End is key to the best home ice advantage in the league. Just outside The Deep End on the street level concourse, fans can get their game face on with special playoff tattoos and eye black available to all fans. Fans in The Deep End will receive a special edition blue rally towel for all playoff games and assist in showcasing a crowd banner as the Monsters take the ice for the third period.

Pressure’s on! The Monsters tied a franchise record with 10 overtime wins during the 2025-26 season and have excelled in pressure-packed, close games with the help of the best fans in the American Hockey League. The Monsters rallying cry, Fear the Depths, captures the pressure-packed playoff environment inside Rocket Arena. This postseason, that intensity rises even higher: an enhanced third period transition, crowd banner stunt, and more as the Monsters drag their opponents deep into the game and the fans in The Deep End make their impact on the action.

Gear up for the playoffs! Fans can pick up apparel and novelties from the 2026 Monsters Playoff Collection including hats, tees, and more exclusive commemorative playoff gear at Center Ice, the Official Team Shop of the Cleveland Monsters. Fans can also shop the collection at Center Ice, Pinecrest, and MonstersTeamShop.com. Fans who spend $75 or more on Monsters Merchandise during Game 1 will get a FREE Fear the Depths Pin while supplies last. All fans who purchase a Monsters hat during Game 2 will get a FREE hat patch, only at Rocket Arena while supplies last. As a Pinecrest playoff exclusive, fans will get a Free Monsters Autograph Player Card with any Monsters purchase over $150.

COUNTDOWN TO THE CALDER CUP WITH THE MONSTERS

Following each playoff win, one of hockey’s great traditions continues as the Monsters cross off the number of wins remaining on the road to the Calder Cup, spray-painted on a special dasher board located right at center ice. This postseason, that tradition extends beyond Rocket Arena and into the city, as the Monsters will cross off each victory on a billboard along I-90 Eastbound near West 117th Street the morning after every win, bringing the journey to the Calder Cup to fans across Cleveland.

Fans will be able to bring the excitement of the Calder Cup Playoffs to their own house with a replica of the Countdown to the Cup dasher board, a fan-favorite tradition in which the players cross off a number after a playoff win. A limited quantity of 500 dasher boards are available HERE with a $7 donation to the Monsters Community Foundation. Items must be picked up in person at either an official Monsters Playoff Watch Party or a Monsters Home Playoff Game at the Community Corner near Portal 6 on the concourse. Simply show proof of purchase in the form of an e-mail receipt to pick up your decal. 

WHERE TO WATCH: BROADCAST & WATCH PARTIES

Longtime “Voice of the Monsters” Tony Brown will the action of Game 1 on TV alongside Monsters Goaltending Coach Brad Thiessen and Cleveland Hockey Legend and Stanley Cup Champion Jock Callander on Rock Sports with the game simulcast on radio on the Monsters’ flagship station SportsRadio 99.1, powered by Rock Entertainment Group. Games 2 through a potential Game 5 will air on SportsRadio 99.1 and across the Monsters Hockey Network on 1390 The Gambler WNIO-AM in Youngstown with Callander providing analysis alongside Brown. All games are available for streaming live and on-demand via the AHL’s streaming service, AHLTV on FloHockey. Monsters Faceoff Live, hosted by Monsters Digital Content Coordinator Nick Blaesser will get things started prior to each game on radio 30 minutes prior to puck drop. Fans are encouraged to visit watchrocksports.com for channel listings and additional Monsters Playoff content. The full North Division Semifinals broadcast schedule is included below.

Additionally, fans can gather at Monsters Playoff Watch Parties presented by truenorth Convenience Stores for all playoff road games. Featuring prize giveaways and appearances by Monsters in-arena hosts and personalities, playoff watch parties are the next best thing to joining the team on the road! 

The Game 3 Watch Party on Friday, May 1 will take place at The Jolly Scholar in University Circle. Space is first-come, first-served. For more information on Monsters Playoff Watch Parties visit Playoff Central at clevelandmonsters.com/playoffs or sign-up for SMS alerts by texting ‘PLAYOFFS’ to 30594. 

WIN BIG WITH THE 50/50 PLAYOFF JACKPOT presented by Oswald

This Monsters’ Playoff run, fans can participate in the 50/50 Playoff Jackpot presented by Oswald! The raffle will be one single, continuous raffle for each round, resulting in even larger jackpots! Sales end at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on the day after the final home game of that series. Tickets will be sold online at Monsters5050.com at the start of Game 1 and at Rocket Arena during Home games.

The 50/50 Playoff Jackpot for Round 1 will support American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Lorain County. Representatives from Lorain County’s Relay for Life will be at the Arena for Games 1 & 2 selling tickets on the concourse at kiosks located by Portals 5 and 3, as well as circulating throughout the concourse. Fans can continue to enter the Jackpot during away games by purchasing tickets at Monsters watch parties or online.
 

Stay up to date on all Monsters news with the Monsters Mobile App presented by University Hospitals available to download at the Apple Store or Google Play Store. Be sure to follow the Monsters on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

The Monsters and Rocket Arena are proud hosts of the 2027 American Hockey League All-Star Classic that will take place on Sunday, February 7 and Monday, February 8, 2027. For up-to-date information on the 2027 AHL All-Star Classic click  https://clevelandmonsters.com/ahl-all-star