ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs, Conference Semifinals Preview
April 13, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release
Eastern Conference Semifinals (Best of Seven)
#1 Greenville Road Warriors vs. #4 Wheeling Nailers
Series Matchup Sheet
Greenville defeated Elmira in the Conference Quarterfinals 3 games to 1, while Wheeling got past South Carolina in the first round by the same margin. Road Warriors ¬â¢ goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu, who captured a Kelly Cup championship with Alaska in 2006, came up big against the Jackals in games 3 and 4 going 2-0-0 with one shutout, a 0.41 goals-against average and a save percentage of .978. Wheeling ¬â¢s Peter Delmas started all four games in the Conference Quarterfinals going 3-1-0 with a 2.38 goals-against average and a save percentage of .908.
The Road Warriors swept the six-game regular season series against the Nailers, winning three games each at home and on the road. Jimmy Kilpatrick led Greenville against the Nailers with 11 points (2g-9a) while rookie Marc-Olivier Vallerand chipped in five goals. Jason DeSantis led active Nailers in the regular-season series with four points (0g-4a).
Game 1 ¬" Thursday, April 14 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Greenville
Game 2 ¬" Friday, April 15 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Greenville
Game 3 ¬" Wednesday, April 20 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Wheeling
Game 4 ¬" Friday, April 22 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Wheeling
Game 5 ¬" Saturday, April 23 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Wheeling (If Necessary)
Game 6 ¬" Tuesday, April 26 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Greenville (If Necessary)
Game 7 ¬" Wednesday, April 27 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Greenville (If Necessary)
#2 Reading Royals vs. #3 Kalamazoo Wings
Series Matchup Sheet
Reading eliminated Cincinnati 3 games to 1 in the Conference Quarterfinals, winning two games in double overtime including the series clincher. Kalamazoo won the final three games against Florida to win its series 3 games to 1. The two squads are meeting in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the second straight season. Reading defeated the K-Wings 3 games to 2 in the 2010 American Conference Quarterfinals.
The Royals and K-Wings met two times during the 2010-11 regular season, with each team picking up a win in a two-game series at Reading in mid-December. Both games were decided by identical 3-2 scores. Ryan Cruthers (2g-0a), Andrew Sarauer (0g-2a) and Yannick Riendeau (0g-2a) all had two points for Reading against the K-Wings while Sam Ftorek led Kalamazoo against the Royals with three points (0g-3a).
Game 1 ¬" Friday, April 15 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Reading
Game 2 ¬" Saturday, April 16 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Reading
Game 3 ¬" Wednesday, April 20 at 7 p.m. ET at Kalamazoo
Game 4 ¬" Friday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Kalamazoo
Game 5 ¬" Saturday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Kalamazoo (If Necessary)
Game 6 ¬" Tuesday, April 26 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Reading (If Necessary)
Game 7 ¬" Wednesday, April 27 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Reading (If Necessary)
Western Conference Semifinals (Best of Seven)
#1 Alaska Aces vs. #5 Idaho Steelheads
Series Matchup Sheet
Alaska, which won the Mountain Division regular season title and the Brabham Cup for having the ECHL ¬â¢s best record in the regular season, earned a bye in the Conference Quarterfinals. Idaho eliminated Las Vegas 3 games to 2 in its first-round series. Either the Aces or Steelheads have represented the National/Western Conference in the Kelly Cup Finals in five of the previous seven seasons, are meeting in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the fourth time. Idaho defeated the Aces in the 2004 Pacific Division Finals and 2007 National Conference Finals while Alaska defeated the Steelheads in the 2008 National Conference Quarterfinals.
Alaska was 7-2-0 against the Steelheads in the 2010-11 regular season while Idaho went 2-4-3 against the Aces. Five games in the season series were decided by one goal, including three which went to either overtime or a shootout. Brian Swanson (4g-4a) and Kory Falite (2g-6a) led Alaska offensively against the Steelheads with eight points each while goaltender Adam Courchaine was 4-0-0 against Idaho with a 1.96 goals-against average and a save percentage of .925. Mark Derlago led Idaho against the Aces with seven points (4g-3a) with Evan Barlow contributing six points (3g-3a).
Game 1 ¬" Friday, April 15 at 7:15 p.m. AKT at Alaska
Game 2 ¬" Saturday, April 16 at 7:15 p.m. AKT at Alaska
Game 3 ¬" Wednesday, April 20 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho
Game 4 ¬" Friday, April 22 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho
Game 5 ¬" Saturday, April 23 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho (If Necessary)
Game 6 ¬" Tuesday, April 26 at 7:15 p.m. AKT at Alaska (If Necessary)
Game 7 ¬" Wednesday, April 27 at 7:15 p.m. AKT at Alaska (If Necessary)
#6 Utah Grizzlies vs. #7 Victoria Salmon Kings
Series Matchup Sheet
Utah upended Stockton 3 games to 1 in the Conference Quarterfinals while Victoria defeated Bakersfield 3-1 in the first round. The Grizzlies and Salmon Kings are meeting in the postseason for the second time ¬" Utah eliminated the Salmon Kings 4 games to 1 in the 2008 National Conference Semifinals.
Utah went 3-4-1 against the Salmon Kings in the regular season while Victoria was 5-2-1 agianst the Grizzlies. Hugo Carpentier (2g-3a), Matt Clarke (1g-4a) and Tom May (0g-5a) led Utah in the season series with five points each while J.P. Lamoureux posted a 2-0-0 record with a 0.88 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage against the Salmon Kings. Chad Painchaud (6g-5a) and Rob Hennigar (1g-10a) paced Victoria against the Grizzlies with 11 points each while David Shantz went 4-2-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.
Game 1 ¬" Friday, April 15 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Utah
Game 2 ¬" Saturday, April 16 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Utah
Game 3 ¬" Wednesday, April 20 at 7:05 p.m. PT at Victoria
Game 4 ¬" Friday, April 22 at 7:05 p.m. PT at Victoria
Game 5 ¬" Saturday, April 23 at 7:05 p.m. PT at Victoria (If Necessary)
Game 6 ¬" Monday, April 25 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Utah (If Necessary)
Game 7 ¬" Wednesday, April 27 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Utah (If Necessary)
ECHL Stories from April 13, 2011
- Tyler Ruegsegger Re-Joins Aces - Alaska Aces
- ECHL Transactions - April 13 - ECHL
- ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs, Conference Semifinals Preview - ECHL
- Former ECHL Referee Hebert Makes NHL Debut - ECHL
- Reading Royals Weekly - Reading Royals
- Grizzlies, Maverik Offer Buy One Get One Free Tickets with Adventure - Utah Grizzlies
- Second Round Playoff Preview: Utah Hosts Victoria Friday, Saturday - Utah Grizzlies
- Everblades Adding Video to Scoreboard & Outdoor Highway Marquee - Florida Everblades
- Nailers Sign Goaltender Dan Dunn to ATO - Wheeling Nailers
- ECHL Represented by 34 Former Players, 19 Coaches in Stanley Cup Playoffs - ECHL
- Blades Jersey Auction to Benefit Piper Buckley Foundation & Deb Kelsey Memorial Scholarship Fund - Florida Everblades
- Where Were You" - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Wranglers Drop Game Five, Complete Season at Home - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Aces Announce Upcoming Series Schedule - Alaska Aces
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