Tournament details | |
---|---|
Dates | April 9–June 5, 2009 |
Teams | 16 |
Final positions | |
Champions | South Carolina Stingrays |
Runner-up | Alaska Aces |
Tournament statistics | |
Scoring leader(s) | Josh Soares (Alaska) (27 points) |
The 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs of the ECHL began on April 9, 2009. The 16 teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played a best-of-7 series for division semifinals, finals and conference finals. The conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the Kelly Cup.
Three league records were set during the first round of the playoffs. Game One of the North Division semifinals became the longest game in ECHL history, as the Elmira Jackals defeated the Trenton Devils 5 – 4 in a game that lasted 126:10. Elmira's Josh Aspenlind scored the game-winning goal at 6:10 of the fourth overtime. [1] Previously, the longest game was the Greenville Grrrowl's 3 – 2 four overtime victory against the Louisiana IceGators in Game Two of the 2000 Southern Conference Finals, which lasted 121:24. The game saw another league record fall, as Elmira and Trenton combined for 145 shots on goal (75 for Trenton, 70 for Elmira), besting the 139 combined shots on goal by Louisiana (82) and the Jackson Bandits (57) in Jackson's 5 – 4 triple overtime victory in Game Two of the 2002 Southwest Division Semifinals. Elmira's goaltender, Michael Teslak made the third most saves in a single game in ECHL history with 71. [2]
April 22 also went down in the ECHL history books as for the first time in the league's 21-year history, two Game 7s were played on the same day as the Stockton Thunder defeated the Ontario Reign 5 – 4 and the Las Vegas Wranglers defeated the Bakersfield Condors 5 – 1, both games were Pacific Division Semifinals matchups. [3]
The Division finals saw the defending Kelly Cup champion Cincinnati Cyclones and the Alaska Aces cruise to easy Conference finals berths, under completely different circumstances. Cincinnati swept Elmira after both teams went the full seven games in their opening series, while Alaska defeated the Victoria Salmon Kings four games to one with both teams having an extended rest, with Victoria sweeping their opening series and Alaska winning their series in five games. The South Carolina Stingrays required a little more effort to oust the Florida Everblades, who sat atop the league's regular season standings, defeating them in six games to advance to play the Cyclones in the conference finals.
Three (Alaska, Cincinnati and South Carolina) of the four teams in the Conference Finals were former Kelly Cup Champions. The American Conference finals was a rematch of the 2008 edition with Cincinnati taking on South Carolina and Las Vegas made their second consecutive trip to the National Conference finals, taking on their most heated rival the Alaska Aces.
The South Carolina Stingrays led the Alaska Aces, 3-1, headed to Game 5 before blowing the lead, and having to face a Game 7, where the Stingrays clinched their third Kelly Cup with a 4-2 win, winning the series, 4-3. The Stingrays tied the ECHL record for most ECHL championships, with three. South Carolina would get their revenge on Cincinnati for defeating the Stingrays in the 2008 American Conference finals by sweeping the Cyclones in four games. The National Conference finals had the same results with Alaska sweeping Las Vegas in four games.
After the 2008–09 ECHL regular season, 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs. The Florida Everblades were the American Conference regular season champions as well as the Brabham Cup winners with the best overall regular season record. The Alaska Aces were the National Conference regular season champions. South Carolina goaltender James Reimer was named the Kelly Cup Finals MVP.
Division semifinals | Division finals | Conference finals | Kelly Cup finals | ||||||||||||||||
N1 | Cincinnati | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
N4 | Wheeling | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
N1 | Cincinnati | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
North Division | |||||||||||||||||||
N3 | Elmira | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
N2 | Trenton | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
N3 | Elmira | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
N1 | Cincinnati | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
American Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
S2 | South Carolina | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
S1 | Florida | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
S4 | Gwinnett | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
S1 | Florida | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
South Division | |||||||||||||||||||
S2 | South Carolina | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
S2 | South Carolina | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
S3 | Charlotte | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
S2 | South Carolina | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
W1 | Alaska | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
P1 | Ontario | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
P4 | Stockton | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
P4 | Stockton | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
Pacific Division | |||||||||||||||||||
P2 | Las Vegas | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
P2 | Las Vegas | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
P3 | Bakersfield | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
P2 | Las Vegas | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
National Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
W1 | Alaska | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
W1 | Alaska | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
W4 | Utah | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
W1 | Alaska | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
West Division | |||||||||||||||||||
W3 | Victoria | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
W2 | Idaho | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
W3 | Victoria | 4 |
These are the top ten skaters based on points. [4]
Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/– | PIM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Josh Soares | Alaska Aces | 20 | 10 | 17 | 27 | +12 | 19 |
Colin Hemingway | Alaska Aces | 20 | 9 | 15 | 24 | +12 | 14 |
Trent Campbell | South Carolina Stingrays | 22 | 5 | 18 | 23 | +2 | 13 |
Travis Morin | South Carolina Stingrays | 18 | 4 | 17 | 21 | +11 | 12 |
Cam Keith | Alaska Aces | 19 | 3 | 17 | 20 | +10 | 19 |
Alexandre Imbeault | Alaska Aces | 19 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 0 | 10 |
Jeff Corey | South Carolina Stingrays | 22 | 11 | 7 | 18 | +3 | 12 |
Nikita Kashirsky | South Carolina Stingrays | 21 | 6 | 12 | 18 | +13 | 18 |
Maxime Lacroix | South Carolina Stingrays | 22 | 12 | 5 | 17 | +6 | 37 |
Pierre-Luc O'Brien | South Carolina Stingrays | 22 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 0 | 16 |
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; Yellow shade = team still in playoffs
These are the top five goaltenders based on both goals against average and save percentage with at least one game played (Note: list is sorted by goals against average). [5]
Player | Team | GP | W | L | SA | GA | GAA | SV% | SO | Min |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jean-Philippe Lamoureux | Alaska Aces | 20 | 15 | 5 | 598 | 38 | 1.89 | .936 | 4 | 1205 |
Josh Johnson | Gwinnett Gladiators | 3 | 0 | 2 | 124 | 7 | 2.10 | .944 | 0 | 200 |
James Reimer | South Carolina Stingrays | 7 | 3 | 3 | 224 | 16 | 2.20 | .929 | 1 | 437 |
Jeff Frazee | Trenton Devils | 4 | 2 | 2 | 116 | 10 | 2.22 | .914 | 0 | 271 |
Curtis Darling | Wheeling Nailers | 7 | 3 | 4 | 274 | 16 | 2.23 | .942 | 1 | 430 |
GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; SO = Shutouts; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes); Yellow shade = team still in playoffs
April 9 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 1 – 4 | Wheeling Nailers | US Bank Arena |
April 10 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 1 – 3 | Wheeling Nailers | US Bank Arena |
April 11 | Wheeling Nailers | 3 – 7 | Cincinnati Cyclones | WesBanco Arena |
April 15 | Wheeling Nailers | 3 – 4 | Cincinnati Cyclones | WesBanco Arena |
April 17 | Wheeling Nailers | 1 – 2 | Cincinnati Cyclones | WesBanco Arena |
April 18 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 0 – 6 | Wheeling Nailers | US Bank Arena |
April 20 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 2 – 1 | 2OT | Wheeling Nailers | US Bank Arena |
Cincinnati wins series 4–3 | |
April 10 | Trenton Devils | 4 – 5 | 4OT | Elmira Jackals | Sovereign Bank Arena |
April 11 | Trenton Devils | 6 –5 | Elmira Jackals | Sovereign Bank Arena |
April 15 | Elmira Jackals | 5 – 0 | Trenton Devils | First Arena |
April 16 | Elmira Jackals | 3 – 1 | Trenton Devils | First Arena |
April 18 | Elmira Jackals | 2 – 3 | OT | Trenton Devils | First Arena |
April 19 | Trenton Devils | 3 – 2 | 2OT | Elmira Jackals | Sovereign Bank Arena |
April 21 | Trenton Devils | 3 – 5 | Elmira Jackals | Sovereign Bank Arena |
Elmira wins series 4–3 | |
April 10 | Florida Everblades | 5 – 3 | Gwinnett Gladiators | Germain Arena |
April 11 | Florida Everblades | 3 – 2 | OT | Gwinnett Gladiators | Germain Arena |
April 16 | Gwinnett Gladiators | 3 – 2 | OT | Florida Everblades | Arena at Gwinnett Center |
April 17 | Gwinnett Gladiators | 2 – 4 | Florida Everblades | Arena at Gwinnett Center |
April 19 | Florida Everblades | 4 – 2 | Gwinnett Gladiators | Germain Arena |
Florida wins series 4–1 | |
April 9 | Charlotte Checkers | 5 – 3 | South Carolina Stingrays | Extreme Ice Center (Indian Trail, NC) |
April 11 | Charlotte Checkers | 5 – 3 | South Carolina Stingrays | Extreme Ice Center (Indian Trail, NC) |
April 14 | South Carolina Stingrays | 4 – 2 | Charlotte Checkers | North Charleston Coliseum |
April 16 | South Carolina Stingrays | 4 – 1 | Charlotte Checkers | North Charleston Coliseum |
April 17 | South Carolina Stingrays | 8 – 3 | Charlotte Checkers | North Charleston Coliseum |
April 19 | Charlotte Checkers | 3 – 4 | South Carolina Stingrays | Extreme Ice Center (Indian Trail, NC) |
South Carolina wins series 4–2 | |
NOTE: Neither team's home arena was available in the first week of the ECHL playoffs; Time Warner Cable Arena was unavailable for this round (final week of NBA games by the Charlotte Bobcats, and the North Charleston Coliseum had rehearsals for a concert tour. The ECHL arranged the playoff series in the following order: two games at the Extreme Ice Center, three games at the North Charleston Coliseum, and then one game at the Extreme Ice Center. Had a seventh game been necessary, it would have been played at the North Charleston Coliseum.
April 10 | Ontario Reign | 4 – 3 | Stockton Thunder | Citizens Business Bank Arena |
April 11 | Ontario Reign | 5 – 6 | Stockton Thunder | Citizens Business Bank Arena |
April 15 | Stockton Thunder | 1 – 5 | Ontario Reign | Stockton Arena |
April 17 | Stockton Thunder | 5 – 4 | OT | Ontario Reign | Stockton Arena |
April 19 | Stockton Thunder | 4 – 2 | Ontario Reign | Stockton Arena |
April 21 | Ontario Reign | 4 – 3 | Stockton Thunder | Citizens Business Bank Arena |
April 22 | Ontario Reign | 4 – 5 | Stockton Thunder | Citizens Business Bank Arena |
Stockton wins series 4–3 | |
April 10 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 3 – 1 | Bakersfield Condors | Orleans Arena |
April 11 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 2 – 3 | Bakersfield Condors | Orleans Arena |
April 15 | Bakersfield Condors | 6 – 5 | OT | Las Vegas Wranglers | Rabobank Arena |
April 17 | Bakersfield Condors | 0 – 4 | Las Vegas Wranglers | Rabobank Arena |
April 18 | Bakersfield Condors | 4 – 3 | OT | Las Vegas Wranglers | Rabobank Arena |
April 21 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 3 – 1 | Bakersfield Condors | Orleans Arena |
April 22 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 5 – 1 | Bakersfield Condors | Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas wins series 4–3 | |
April 10 | Alaska Aces | 2 – 0 | Utah Grizzlies | Sullivan Arena |
April 11 | Alaska Aces | 2 – 0 | Utah Grizzlies | Sullivan Arena |
April 15 | Utah Grizzlies | 3 – 2 | OT | Alaska Aces | E Center |
April 17 | Utah Grizzlies | 2 – 5 | Alaska Aces | E Center |
April 18 | Utah Grizzlies | 2 – 5 | Alaska Aces | E Center |
Alaska wins series 4–1 | |
April 11 | Idaho Steelheads | 1 – 3 | Victoria Salmon Kings | Qwest Arena |
April 12 | Idaho Steelheads | 0 – 2 | Victoria Salmon Kings | Qwest Arena |
April 15 | Victoria Salmon Kings | 9 – 2 | Idaho Steelheads | Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre |
April 17 | Victoria Salmon Kings | 2 – 1 | OT | Idaho Steelheads | Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre |
Victoria wins series 4–0 | |
April 24 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 8 – 3 | Elmira Jackals | US Bank Arena |
April 25 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 5 – 4 | OT | Elmira Jackals | US Bank Arena |
April 29 | Elmira Jackals | 2 – 4 | Cincinnati Cyclones | First Arena |
May 1 | Elmira Jackals | 0 – 2 | Cincinnati Cyclones | First Arena |
Cincinnati wins series 4–0 | |
April 24 | Florida Everblades | 1 – 2 | OT | South Carolina Stingrays | Germain Arena |
April 25 | Florida Everblades | 4 – 3 | South Carolina Stingrays | Germain Arena |
May 1 | South Carolina Stingrays | 4 – 3 | Florida Everblades | North Charleston Coliseum |
May 2 | South Carolina Stingrays | 2 – 3 | 2OT | Florida Everblades | North Charleston Coliseum |
May 3 | South Carolina Stingrays | 4 – 3 | Florida Everblades | North Charleston Coliseum |
May 5 | Florida Everblades | 3 – 4 | OT | South Carolina Stingrays | Germain Arena |
South Carolina wins series 4–2 | |
April 24 | Stockton Thunder | 4 – 3 | Las Vegas Wranglers | Stockton Arena |
April 27 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 4 – 2 | Stockton Thunder | Orleans Arena |
April 30 | Stockton Thunder | 5 – 1 | Las Vegas Wranglers | Stockton Arena |
May 2 | Stockton Thunder | 2 – 3 | OT | Las Vegas Wranglers | Stockton Arena |
May 4 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 4 – 2 | Stockton Thunder | Orleans Arena |
May 5 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 1 – 3 | Stockton Thunder | Orleans Arena |
May 6 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 5 – 1 | Stockton Thunder | Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas wins series 4–3 | |
NOTE: Arena conflicts led to the ECHL shifting the first games of the playoff series.
April 24 | Alaska Aces | 3 – 0 | Victoria Salmon Kings | Sullivan Arena |
April 25 | Alaska Aces | 8 – 2 | Victoria Salmon Kings | Sullivan Arena |
April 29 | Victoria Salmon Kings | 2 – 5 | Alaska Aces | Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre |
May 1 | Victoria Salmon Kings | 4 – 0 | Alaska Aces | Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre |
May 2 | Victoria Salmon Kings | 4 – 6 | Alaska Aces | Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre |
Alaska wins series 4–1 | |
May 9 | South Carolina Stingrays | 7 – 4 | Cincinnati Cyclones | North Charleston Coliseum |
May 11 | South Carolina Stingrays | 3 – 1 | Cincinnati Cyclones | North Charleston Coliseum |
May 13 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 3 – 4 | South Carolina Stingrays | US Bank Arena |
May 15 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 2 – 3 | South Carolina Stingrays | US Bank Arena |
South Carolina wins series 4–0 | |
May 9 | Alaska Aces | 2 – 0 | Las Vegas Wranglers | Sullivan Arena |
May 10 | Alaska Aces | 4 – 1 | Las Vegas Wranglers | Sullivan Arena |
May 12 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 1 – 3 | Alaska Aces | Orleans Arena |
May 14 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 1 – 5 | Alaska Aces | Orleans Arena |
Alaska wins series 4–0 | |
May 22 | Alaska Aces | 2 – 4 | South Carolina Stingrays | Sullivan Arena |
May 23 | Alaska Aces | 3 – 1 | South Carolina Stingrays | Sullivan Arena |
May 27 | South Carolina Stingrays | 4 – 2 | Alaska Aces | North Charleston Coliseum |
May 29 | South Carolina Stingrays | 5 – 0 | Alaska Aces | North Charleston Coliseum |
May 30 | South Carolina Stingrays | 2 – 3 | OT | Alaska Aces | North Charleston Coliseum |
June 4 | Alaska Aces | 3 – 2 | South Carolina Stingrays | Sullivan Arena |
June 5 | Alaska Aces | 2 – 4 | South Carolina Stingrays | Sullivan Arena |
South Carolina wins Kelly Cup 4–3. | |
The South Carolina Stingrays are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in North Charleston, serves as a practice facility and backup arena. Established in 1993, the team has been owned by a group of local businesses since 1995. The team was affiliated with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League from 2004 to July 2012, when the Capitals announced their affiliation with the ECHL's Reading Royals. On June 26, 2014, the Washington Capitals announced an affiliation agreement with the Stingrays for the 2014–15 season.
The Idaho Steelheads are an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Boise, Idaho, and a member of the ECHL. The Steelheads play in the Mountain Division of the ECHL's Western Conference since the 2016–17 season.
The Florida Everblades are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Estero, Florida, in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan area. They play in the ECHL and are affiliated with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL) starting in the 2022–23 ECHL season. Their home games are played at Hertz Arena.
The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Originally established in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at Heritage Bank Center. The Cyclones are a minor league affiliate of the New York Rangers and the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The 2004–05 ECHL season was the 17th season of the ECHL. The Brabham Cup regular season champions were the Pensacola Ice Pilots and the Kelly Cup playoff champions were the Trenton Titans.
The 2007–08 ECHL season was the 20th season of the ECHL. Two teams suspended operations at the end of the 2006–07 season, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the Toledo Storm. Toledo's suspension was granted after Toledo Arena Sports, Inc. acquired the Storm and requested a suspension of the team for two years in order to allow a new arena to be built in downtown Toledo to open in 2009 in time for the team to return to play.
The 2008–09 ECHL season was the 21st season of the ECHL.
The Henry Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded annually by the ECHL to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. The Brabham Cup has been awarded 34 times to 16 different franchises since its debut in 1989.
The 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs of the ECHL began April 5, 2010. 15 teams qualified, eight from the American Conference and seven from the National Conference. In the American conference, the winners of each of the three divisions plus the five teams with the highest point totals from the teams remaining qualified. Due to the National Conference's membership being limited to only eight teams, the two division winners and the five teams with the highest point totals from the teams remaining qualified, with the division winner with the highest point total receiving a bye to the conference semifinals.
The 2005 Kelly Cup Playoffs of the ECHL began on April 12, 2005. 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. In the American Conference, the top eight teams qualified for the playoffs. In the National Conference, the top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.
The 2011 Kelly Cup Playoffs of the ECHL started on April 4, 2011 following the end of the 2010–11 ECHL regular season. The playoff format remains unchanged from that of the 2010 postseason, with the exception of the changed conference names. 15 teams will qualify for the playoffs, being the top seven teams from the Western Conference and the top eight teams from the Eastern Conference.
The 2012 Kelly Cup Playoffs of the ECHL started on April 2, 2012 following the end of the 2011–12 ECHL regular season. The playoff format remains unchanged from that of the 2011 postseason. 15 teams qualified for the playoffs, being the top seven teams from the Western Conference and the top eight teams from the Eastern Conference.
The 2013 Kelly Cup Playoffs of the ECHL started on April 5, 2013, following the end of the 2012–13 ECHL regular season. The playoff format changed from that of the 2012 postseason; 16 teams qualified for the playoffs, the top eight teams from both the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference. First-round series were scheduled as best-of-seven, where in prior years they were best-of-five.
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The 2016–17 ECHL season was the 29th season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 14, 2016 to April 9, 2017, with the Kelly Cup playoffs following. Twenty-seven teams in 21 states and one Canadian province each played a 72-game schedule.
The 2017–18 ECHL season is the 30th season of the ECHL. The regular season ran from October 13, 2017 to April 8, 2018, with the 2018 Kelly Cup playoffs following. Twenty-seven teams in 21 states and one Canadian province each played a 72-game schedule.
The 2019 Kelly Cup playoffs of the ECHL began in April 2019 following the conclusion of the 2018–19 ECHL regular season. The Kelly Cup was won by the expansion Newfoundland Growlers in six games over the Toledo Walleye.
The 2019–20 ECHL season was the 32nd season of the ECHL. The regular season began in October 2019 to and was set to conclude in April 2020 with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Twenty-six teams in 19 states and two Canadian provinces were each scheduled for 72 games.
The 2021–22 ECHL season was the 34th season of the ECHL. The regular season was scheduled to run from October 21, 2021, to April 17, 2022, with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Twenty-seven teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces were each scheduled to play 72 games. The Florida Everblades were the 2022 Kelly Cup champions when they defeated the Toledo Walleye in five games in the Kelly Cup championship.
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