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Division Finals Open Friday

Published on April 11, 2002 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


The 2002 Kelly Cup Playoffs continue Friday with the opening games in all four of the Division Finals series. The Division Finals are all best-of-five Series.

Jackson advanced with a 4-2 win in Game 5 at No. 1 seed Louisiana on Wednesday. The win by the No. 4 seed Bandits is the third-biggest playoff upset in East Coast Hockey League history. Jackson finished the regular season with 77 points while the IceGators finished with an ECHL record 116 points, a difference of 39 points. The biggest playoff upset happened in 1994 when Louisville (40 points) beat Knoxville (94 points), two games to one, in the first round, a difference of 54 points. The second-largest upset was in 1995 when Birmingham (56 points) beat Wheeling (97 points), three games to none, in the first round, a difference of 41 points. Jackson, who had not won a playoff series prior to its win against New Orleans in the Wild Card Game, will meet No. 2 seed Mississippi, who beat Pensacola, three games to none, in the Southwest Division Finals.

Greenville advanced with a 4-3 come-from-behind home win in Game 5 against Florida on Wednesday. Greenville¹s Simon Tremblay tied the game with a goal at 7:01 of the third period, and Simon Gamache scored the game-winning goal with 36 seconds remaining in the game. The No. 1 seed in the Southeast, Greenville will meet No. 2 seed Pee Dee in the Southeast Division Finals. Pee Dee advanced with a 5-4 home win in Game 5 against Columbia on Wednesday as Gregor Krajnc scored the game-winning goal at 17:01 of the third period.

Atlantic City scored a pair of goals in the third period to advance to the Northeast Division Finals with a 4-2 win in Game 5 at Charlotte on Wednesday. The No. 3 seed Boardwalk Bullies will meet No. 1 seed Trenton in the Northeast Division Finals. Trenton, who finished with the best record in the Northern Conference for the second consecutive season, beat Roanoke, three games to one, in the Northeast Division Semifinals. The Titans lost, four games to one, to South Carolina in the 2001 Kelly Cup Finals.

The Northwest Division Finals will have No. 1 seed Dayton against No. 4 seed Johnstown. Dayton, who won the first division title in its 11-year history, beat Cincinnati, three games to none, in the Northwest Division Semifinals. Johnstown beat Peoria, three games to two, in the Northwest Division Semifinals. The Bombers are making their 11th consecutive postseason appearance, tying the ECHL records for most postseason appearances and most consecutive postseason appearances. The Chiefs are only the 11th team in the 14-year history of the ECHL to overcome a 0-2 deficit in a playoff series, and are only the fourth team ever to accomplish the feat in a five-game series. It was the first postseason series win for Johnstown since it advanced to the Northern Conference Semifinals in 2000.

The winners of the Division Finals will meet in the Conference Championships scheduled to begin April 23. The Conference Championships are best-of-five series.

The winners of the Conference Championships will meet in the 2002 Kelly Cup Finals scheduled to begin May 3. The Kelly Cup Finals are a best-of-seven series.

KELLY CUP PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE

Northwest Division Finals (Best of Five)
Friday Johnstown at Dayton 7:30 p.m. ET
Saturday Johnstown at Dayton 7:30 p.m. ET
Thursday Dayton at Johnstown 7:30 p.m. ET
*April 19 Dayton at Johnstown 7:30 p.m. ET
*April 21 Johnstown at Dayton 6:00 p.m. ET

Northeast Division Finals (Best of Five)
Friday Atlantic City at Trenton 7:05 p.m. ET
Monday Atlantic City at Trenton 7:05 p.m. ET
Tuesday Trenton at Atlantic City 7:00 p.m. ET
*April 19 Trenton at Atlantic City 7:00 p.m. ET
*April 20 Atlantic City at Trenton 7:05 p.m. ET

Southwest Division Finals (Best of Five)
Friday Jackson at Mississippi 8:00 p.m. CT
Saturday Jackson at Mississippi 7:35 p.m. CT
*April 19 Mississippi at Jackson 7:05 p.m. CT
*April 20 Mississippi at Jackson 7:05 p.m. CT
*April 22 Jackson at Mississippi 7:05 p.m. CT

Southeast Division Finals (Best of Five)
Friday Pee Dee at Greenville 7:05 p.m. ET
Saturday Pee Dee at Greenville 7:05 p.m. ET
Tuesday Greenville at Pee Dee 7:00 p.m. ET
*Wednesday Greenville at Pee Dee 7:00 p.m. ET
*Thursday Pee Dee at Greenville 7:05 p.m. ET

* - If Necessary

RECORD-BREAKING NIGHT

Bogdan Rudenko scored at 15:19 of the third overtime period ending the second-longest game in ECHL history (115:19) as Jackson beat Louisiana 5-4 on Friday. The Bandits¹ Andrew Allen made 78 saves breaking the ECHL record of 69 set by Brett Abel of the Columbus Chill in 1995. Louisiana set an ECHL record with 82 shots and the two teams combined for an ECHL record 130 shots.

TWO MORE GRADS IN THE NHL

Derrick Walser, who played for Johnstown in 1998-99 and 1999-2000, made his National Hockey League debut with Columbus on Wednesday. Walser had one shot and was -1 in the Blue Jackets 5-3 loss to San Jose.

Jan Lasak, who was the ECHL Goaltender of the Year in 2000 with Hampton Roads, made his NHL debut with Nashville on Tuesday. Lasak made 39 saves in the Predators 3-2 loss at St. Louis.

There have been 189 former ECHL players that have gone on to play in the NHL, including 80 during the 2001-02 season.

KELLY CUP PLAYOFFS RESULTS

Southeast Division Wild Card
(Florida wins series 1 game to 0)
Florida 3 at South Carolina 2

Southwest Division Wild Card
(Jackson wins series 1 game to 0)
New Orleans 1 at Jackson 3

Northeast Division Semifinals
(Atlantic City wins series 3 games to 2)
Atlantic City 4 at Charlotte 1
Atlantic City 1 at Charlotte 4
Charlotte 4 at Atlantic City 3 (OT)
Charlotte 0 at Atlantic City 6
Atlantic City 4 at Charlotte 2

Northeast Division Semifinals
(Trenton wins series 3 games to 1)
Roanoke 1 at Trenton 2
Roanoke 4 at Trenton 1
Trenton 6 at Roanoke 1
Trenton 5 at Roanoke 2

Northwest Division Semifinals
(Dayton wins series 3 games to 0)
Cincinnati 1 at Dayton 4
Dayton 1 at Cincinnati 0
Cincinnati 1 at Dayton 2

Northwest Division Semifinals
(Johnstown wins series 3 games to 2)
Johnstown 1 at Peoria 2
Johnstown 0 at Peoria 1
Peoria 1 at Johnstown 6
Peoria 1 at Johnstown 6
Johnstown 4 at Peoria 0

Southeast Division Semifinals
(Pee Dee wins series 3 games to 2)
Columbia 3 at Pee Dee 2 (OT)
Pee Dee 2 at Columbia 1
Columbia 2 at Pee Dee 6
Pee Dee 2 at Columbia 3
Columbia 4 at Pee Dee 5

Southwest Division Semifinals
(Mississippi wins series 3 games to 0)
Pensacola 2 at Mississippi 4
Pensacola 4 at Mississippi 6
Mississippi 3 at Pensacola 2 (OT)

Southwest Division Semifinals
(Jackson wins series 3 games to 2)
Jackson 2 at Louisiana 5
Jackson 5 at Louisiana 4 (3 OT)
Louisiana 2 at Jackson 3 (OT)
Jackson 0 at Louisiana 3
Jackson 4 at Louisiana 2

Southeast Division Semifinals
(Greenville wins series 3 games to 2)
Florida 4 at Greenville 2
Florida 1 at Greenville 5
Greenville 3 at Florida 6
Greenville 4 at Florida 2
Florida 3 at Greenville 4

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ECHL Stories from April 11, 2002


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