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Brabham Cup Battle Enters Final Weekend

Published on April 3, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release




PRINCETON, N.J. - The race for the Brabham Cup, the trophy awarded to the regular season point champion, has come down to the final two days of the regular season with Texas leading Cincinnati by two points. The recipient is guaranteed home-ice advantage throughout its participation in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The Brabham Cup is named in recognition of Henry Brabham, who founded the ECHL in 1988-89 with five teams in four states. Brabham, who was the first inductee into the ECHL Hall of Fame, owned three of the original five teams, including the legendary Johnstown Chiefs who are celebrating their 20th season in 2007-08. The dedication of the Virginia businessman was crucial to the league surviving to span from coast-to-coast while advancing 353 players and countless coaches, on-ice officials and front office personnel to the National Hockey League.

The Wildcatters are 52-7-11 and have 115 points, which is the second-highest point total in ECHL history, while the Cyclones are 54-11-5 with 113 points, which ties them with Alaska (2005-06) for the third-most points in league history. The ECHL record is 116 points by Louisiana in 2001-02.

Texas plays at Florida on Friday and Saturday while Cincinnati plays at Reading on Friday and at Trenton on Saturday. Texas can clinch the Brabham Cup on Friday if it wins and Reading wins. The Wildcatters could also win the regular season points title if they lost in overtime or shootout and Reading wins in regulation.

The Wildcatters lost 2-1 in a shootout against the Everblades on Oct. 27, but have won the last seven meetings with the Everblades. Texas is 3-0-0 with two overtime wins at Florida and 7-0-1 overall in the season series and 15-4-3 all-time against the Everblades.

The Cyclones have won their last four meetings with Reading to improve to 3-1-0 on the road and 7-1-1 overall in the season series and 16-10-3 all-time against the Royals. Cincinnati lost 6-0 to the Devils on Mar. 13, but is 4-0-0 on the road and 7-2-0 overall in the season series and 13-13-1 all-time against Trenton.

Cincinnati has the second-most wins in league history and can tie the league record of 56 wins by Louisiana in 2001-02 while Texas has the sixth-most wins. Texas has 26 road wins tying the ECHL record set by Louisiana in 2001-02. Cincinnati has 25 road wins, which ties it for the third-most road wins with Florida (1999-2000 and 2005-06), Trenton (2000-01), Pensacola (2004-05) and Las Vegas (2005-06). The Cyclones have 29 home wins, which ties the league record for fourth-most home wins held by Pee Dee (1998-99), Toledo (2002-03) and Gwinnett (2005-06).

Texas has seven regulation losses while Cincinnati has 11 and Las Vegas has 12. The ECHL record for fewest losses is 11 by Richmond (1995-96) while the second-fewest losses is 12 by Alaska (2005-06) and Las Vegas (2006-07) and the fourth-fewest is 13 by Knoxville (1990-91), San Diego (2003-04) and Las Vegas (2005-06).

Texas had three home losses, which is one shy of the league record of two home losses by Louisiana (2001-02). Cincinnati had four home losses, which ties the record for third-fewest losses. The Cyclones are the ninth team to have four home losses and the first since Gwinnett and Alaska in 2005-06.

Texas has four road losses which is one less than the league record for fewest road losses by Las Vegas which had five road losses in 2006-07. Las Vegas and Cincinnati each have seven road losses tying the record for fourth-fewest road losses set by Peoria (2003-04) and tied by Bakersfield (2006-07).

The Cyclones set the ECHL record with 17 wins in a row from Jan. 16-29, breaking the record of 14 games by Knoxville from Dec. 28, 1993-Jan. 29, 1994 and Louisiana from Nov. 23-Dec. 22, 2001, and had an ECHL season high and team record 14-game home winning streak from Jan. 5-Mar. 12.

Three times in ECHL history a team has won 50 games, but did not win the Brabham Cup: Gwinnett and Las Vegas in 2005-06 and Wheeling in 2003-04.

Las Vegas captured the Brabham Cup on the final day of the 2006-07 season when it scored two goals in the third period for a 2-1 win against Stockton. The Wranglers won their final 13 regular season games to finish 46-12-14 with 106 points, one point ahead of Alaska at 49-16-7.

Alaska won the regular season title on the second to the last day of the 2005-06 season and finished 53-12-7 with 113 points, one point ahead of Las Vegas at 53-13-6 and six points in front of Gwinnett at 50-15-7.

Cincinnati leads the ECHL with 287 goals and 4.10 goals per game while Texas is second with 261 goals and 3.73 goals per game. The Wildcatters have allowed a league-low 168 goals and lead the league in goals-against average with 2.40. The Cyclones are third in the league in goals allowed with 173 and goals-against average with 2.47.

Brabham Cup Trophy Winners
2006-07 Las Vegas Wranglers (106 points)
2005-06 Alaska Aces (113 points)
2004-05 Pensacola Ice Pilots (107 points)
2003-04 San Diego Gulls (108 points)
2002-03 Toledo Storm (104 points)
2001-02 Louisiana Ice Gators (116 points)
2000-01 Trenton Titans (104 points)
1999-00 Florida Everblades (108 points)
1998-99 Pee Dee Pride (106 points)
1997-98 Louisiana IceGators (96 points)
1996-97 South Carolina Stingrays (100 points)
1995-96 Richmond Renegades (105 points)
1994-95 Wheeling Thunderbirds (97 points)
1993-94 Knoxville Cherokees (94 points)
1992-93 Wheeling Thunderbirds (88 points)
1991-92 Toledo Storm (95 points)
1990-91 Knoxville Cherokees (97 points)
1989-90 Winston-Salem Thunderbirds (82 points)
1988-89 Erie Panthers (77 points)

Most Points, Season
1. Louisiana 116 2001-02
2. Texas 115 2007-08
3. Cincinnati 113 2007-08
Alaska 113 2005-06
5. Las Vegas 112 2005-06

Most Wins, Season
1. Louisiana 56 2001-02 Won Brabham Cup
2. Cincinnati 54 2007-08 TBD
3. Alaska 53 2005-06 Won Brabham Cup
Las Vegas 53 2005-06
Florida 53 1999-2000 Won Brabham Cup
6. Texas 52 2007-08 TBD

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