Conference Finals Bring National Spotlight To Participating Cities

Published on May 4, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - The national presence of the ECHL will be showcased again as the Final Four teams in the 2006 Kelly Cup Playoffs are located from coast-to-coast in Alaska, California, Georgia and Ohio. The Kelly Cup Playoffs bring national attention and focus to Anchorage, either Bakersfield or Fresno, Gwinnett and Toledo as the Aces, Condors or Falcons, Gladiators and Storm battle to become the 'AA' National Champion.

The American Conference Finals feature the South Division Champion Gwinnett Gladiators from Georgia and the North Division Champion Toledo Storm from Ohio. The National Conference Finals have the West Division Champion Alaska Aces for the second year in a row, awaiting either the Bakersfield Condors or the Fresno Falcons. The two teams from California are still playing in the Pacific Division Finals with Fresno leading three games to two and hosting Game 6 on Friday.

Game 1 in the American Conference Finals is Friday at Gwinnett while Game 1 in the National Conference Finals will be Monday at Anchorage. The conference winners will advance to the Kelly Cup Finals scheduled for May 22-June 3.

Since becoming a national league in 2003-04, the ECHL has crowned the Idaho (Boise) Steelheads as Kelly Cup Champion in 2004 and the Trenton (New Jersey) Titans in 2005. The conference finals in 2005 included Trenton meeting Alaska while the past two Kelly Cup Finals have included the Florida (Estero) Everblades.

The conference finals in 2005 drew more than 65,000 fans and averaged 5,015 per game, including all four games in Alaska played in front of standing-room-only crowds of 6,451. The Aces sold out all three games of their West Division Finals series against Las Vegas, including 6,451 for Tuesday's 4-3 win in triple overtime. The conference finals in 2004 averaged 5,279 per game and had three sellouts.

Alaska's run to the conference finals in 2005 was chosen as the "Greatest Team Sports Moment In Alaska History" in an online poll by The Anchorage Daily News: Alaska's Newspaper. The Aces had more than six times the number of votes received by the second-place finisher - "Libby Riddles Becoming First Woman To Win The Iditarod In 1985," and the team was honored by the City of Anchorage with "Alaska Aces Pride Day".

The ECHL is the top developmental league for both the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League. It has affiliations with 25 of the 30 teams in the NHL and 21 of the 27 teams in the AHL. There have been 303 former ECHL players who have played in the NHL after playing in the ECHL, including a record 47 in 2005-06.

The 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs have 34 former ECHL players and seven former ECHL coaches and each of the past five winners of the Stanley Cup have had at least one ECHL player. The 2006 Calder Cup Playoffs have 171 former ECHL players and 14 former coaches and each of the past 16 winners of the Calder Cup have had at least one ECHL player.

Began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states, the ECHL welcomed new markets in Phoenix, Stockton and Utah in 2005-06 giving it 25 teams in 14 states and one Canadian province, stretching across five time zones. All 25 teams will return in 2006-07 and will be joined by the Texas Wildcatters and the Cincinnati Cyclones, who are both returning from voluntary suspension.

The Kelly Cup trophy is named for Patrick J. Kelly, who was one of the founding fathers of the ECHL. Kelly served as Commissioner for the league's first eight seasons and was named Commissioner Emeritus in 1996, a title that he continues to hold. Kelly, who celebrated his 50th season in professional hockey in 2002-03, coached 1,900 career games and had 935 wins. Kelly coached in the Eastern Hockey League, the Southern Hockey League and the National Hockey League where he was the only coach to ever lead the Colorado Rockies to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

ECHL Stories from May 4, 2006

• Clair Named ECHL Player of the Week - Fresno Falcons
• Aces home dates set for Conference Finals - Alaska Aces
• Fellow San Diegans Mark and Mike Adamek Agree To Terms For 2006-07 - San Diego Gulls
• Lynx Idol contest kicks off next week with Clear Channel Radio of Augusta - Augusta Lynx
• Toledo Starts the Conference Finals in Gwinnett - Toledo Walleye
• Conference Finals Bring National Spotlight To Participating Cities - ECHL
• Falcons' Clair Named In Glas Co ECHL Player Of The Week - ECHL
• 2006 Season in Review - Wheeling Nailers
• MacIntyre Back to Grand Rapids - Toledo Walleye
• American Conference Final Is Toledo, Gwinnett - ECHL
• NHL Network Game Of The Week Is Wheeling At Toledo - ECHL
• America One Game Of The Week Is Wheeling At Toledo - ECHL
• Falcons Stumble as Condors Force a Game Six - Fresno Falcons
• Condors Push Series Back to Fresno With 4-2 Win - Bakersfield Condors

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