The Albany River Rats now know their opponent in the East Division final — the defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears.
The Bears defeated the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 4-1 on Wednesday to win their semifinal series in five games.
Hershey, the top-seed out of the East and the league-leader in the regular season, will open the division final series by hosting second-seeded Albany in Game 1 on Saturday at 7 p.m. and in Game 2 on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Giant Center.
Games 3 and 4 will be played at Albany, on Tuesday and Thursday, both at 7 p.m.
The Bears have won six of eight meetings with the Rats during the regular season, including all four games in Pennsylvania.
Yet Albany swept Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in four games in the divisional semifinal round, clinching the series with a 5-3 triumph on Monday — after losing six of eight regular season encounters with the Penguins.

EAST DIVISION FINAL
(Best-of-7)

ALBANY VS. HERSHEY
Saturday
Game 1
Albany at Hershey, 7 p.m.
Sunday
Game 2
Albany at Hershey, 5 p.m.
Tuesday
Game 3
Hershey at Albany, 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 29
Game 4
Hershey at Albany, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 1
Game 5
x-Albany at Hershey, 7 p.m.
Monday, May 3
Game 6
x-Hershey at Albany, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 5
Game 7
x-Albany at Hershey, 7 p.m.

x-if necessary