Preview of Conference Finals - 2018 Kelly Cup Playoffs

May 10, 2018 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release

Eastern Conference Finals (Best of Seven)

Florida Everblades vs. Adirondack Thunder

Two of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference during the regular season meet with a spot in the Kelly Cup Finals up for grabs. Florida captured the Brabham Cup as ECHL regular-season champions with a 53-13-6 record for 112 points while Adirondack was third in the conference with a record of 41-24-7 for 89 points.

Florida is making its fifth-ever appearance in the Conference Finals, and its first since 2012 when the Everblades went on to capture the Kelly Cup title in five games over Las Vegas. The Everblades defeated Atlanta 4 games to 0 in the South Division Semifinals and Orlando 4 games to 1 in the South Division Finals. Florida leads the postseason in both goals per game (4.00) and goals-against per game (1.89) through two rounds. The Everblades are 4-0 at home in the playoffs, and have outscored their opponents 16-5.

Michael Kirkpatrick leads the Everblades, and is second overall in the postseason, with seven goals while Mitchell Heard has posted a team-best 13 points (4g-9a), which also ranks second through two rounds. Zack Kamrass is tied for first among defensemen with 10 points (1g-9a) and Martin Ouellette ranks second with a 1.42 goals-against average and third with a .947 save percentage.

Adirondack has reached the Kelly Cup Playoffs in each of its three seasons in the ECHL, and is appearing in the Conference Finals for the first time. The Thunder have won a pair of six-game series in the first two rounds, defeating Worcester in the North Division Semifinals and Manchester in the North Division Finals. Adirondack has fared well on the road in the postseason, posting a 4-1 record away from home, including a triple overtime win at Manchester to clinch the second round series in the ninth-longest game in ECHL history.

Ryan Schmelzer is second among rookies, and tied for third overall in the postseason, with six goals, while James Henry's 12 assists are tops among all players in the playoffs. Colton White is third among defensemen with eight points (2g-6a) and Drew Fielding ranks second among goaltenders with a .955 save percentage and fourth with a 1.55 goals-against average.

Adirondack went 2-0-1 against the Everblades in the regular season while Florida was 1-1-1 against the Thunder. Brian Ward led Adirondack with four goals and seven points while Fielding appeared in all three games posting a 3.25 goals-against average. Florida was led by Justin Kea and Steven Lorentz, who both scored two goals in the three games against the Thunder.

The winner of the Eastern Conference Finals receives the E.A. "Bud" Gingher Memorial Trophy. The trophy is named in recognition of E.A. "Bud" Gingher, who was Chairman of the ECHL Board of Governors from 1992-95. Gingher, who passed away in 2002, co-founded the Dayton Bombers in 1991 and owned the team for seven seasons, serving as President and Governor until selling the team in 1998. Gingher was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2009.

Game 1 - Friday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida

Game 2 - Saturday, May 12 at 7 p.m. ET at Florida

Game 3 - Wednesday, May 16 at 7 p.m. ET at Adirondack

Game 4 - Friday, May 18 at 7 p.m. ET at Adirondack

Game 5 - Saturday, May 19 at 7 p.m. ET at Adirondack (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Monday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Wednesday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)

Western Conference Finals (Best of Seven)

Colorado Eagles vs. Fort Wayne Komets

The defending Kelly Cup champion Colorado Eagles will take on the Fort Wayne Komets in the 2018 Western Conference Finals.

The Eagles eliminated Wichita 4 games to 2 in the Mountain Division Semifinals before defeating Idaho 4 games to 0 in the Mountain Division Finals. Colorado has gone 5-0 on the road in the playoffs, outscoring its opponents 16-8. The Eagles are second on the penalty kill in the postseason at 91.5 percent (43-for-47).

J.C. Beaudin ranks first in the playoffs with eight goals and is tied for third with 12 points while Matt Register, the Most Valuable Player of the 2017 Kelly Cup Playoffs, is tied for first among defensemen with 10 points (0g-10a). In goal, Joe Cannata has posted an 8-2 record with two shutouts, a 2.08 goals-against average and a save percentage of .924.

Fort Wayne is appearing in the Western Conference Finals for the second time in the last three years. The Komets defeated Cincinnati 4 games to 1 in the Central Division Semifinals and Toledo 4 games to 2 in the Central Division Finals. The Komets, who led the ECHL in the regular season with 4.03 goals per game, have carried over the offensive success to the playoffs as they rank second through two rounds with 3.55 goals per game.

Gabriel Desjardins is tied for third with six goals, and scored the game-winning goal in each of the final three games of the series against Toledo. Desjardins' 15 points leads all players in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Daniel Maggio's four goals are tied for first among defensemen while Bobby Shea is tied for third among blueliners with three goals and tied for fourth with seven points. Michael Houser is 8-3 in his 11 appearances in goal and leads the postseason with 685 minutes played while ranking second with 307 saves.

The two clubs met once during the regular season with Fort Wayne skating away with a 4-3 win at Colorado on Nov. 8. Ryan Culkin and Zac Larazza both had a pair of assists in the win for the Komets while Ryan Harrison notched two helpers for the Eagles.

The winner of the Western Conference Finals receives the Bruce Taylor Trophy. The trophy is named in recognition of Bruce Taylor, who was the founding father of the West Coast Hockey League. In the early 1990s, Taylor purchased teams in Fresno, Reno and Bakersfield and in 1995 joined them with teams in Anchorage, Fairbanks and San Diego to form the West Coast Hockey League. The Taylor Cup was presented to the playoff champion in the WCHL from the league's inaugural season in 1995-96 until the league ceased operations following the 2002-03 season. Taylor's ownership in hockey began in 1983 with the purchase of the Burnaby Bluehawks of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League and continued with the purchase of the Richmond Sockeyes in the BCJHL and the New Westminster Royals in the BCJHL.

Game 1 - Saturday, May 12 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Colorado

Game 2 - Sunday, May 13 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Colorado

Game 3 - Wednesday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne

Game 4 - Friday, May 18 at 8 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne

Game 5 - Saturday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Tuesday, May 22 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Colorado (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Wednesday, May 23 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Colorado (If Necessary)

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• Preview of Conference Finals - 2018 Kelly Cup Playoffs - ECHL

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