Fort Wayne Claims Bruce Taylor Trophy as Western Conference Champions
June 22, 2021 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release
SHREWSBURY, N.J. - The Fort Wayne Komets captured the Bruce Taylor Trophy as Western Conference champions on Tuesday with a 3-2 overtime win over the Allen Americans in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.
Fort Wayne wins the series 3 games to 1, and advances to meet the South Carolina Stingrays in the 2021 Kelly Cup Finals. That series begins on Friday at the Carolina Ice Palace in North Charleston, South Carolina.
Trailing 2-0 late in the second period, Stephen Harper got the Komets on the scoreboard at 16:36 of the second period and Matthew Boudens forced extra time with 4:10 remaining in regulation. Alan Lyszczarczyk wasted no time in overtime, giving the Komets the winning tally 1:09 into the extra session.
Lyszczarczyk (3g-2a), Anthony Nellis (2g-3a) and Shawn Szydlowski (5a) led Fort Wayne in the series with five points each while Corey Mackin paced Allen with four goals and five points.
This is the Komets' first trip to the Kelly Cup Finals in team history. Fort Wayne has won nine overall championships in the International Hockey League, United Hockey and Central Hockey League since its inception in 1952.
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.
Bruce Taylor Trophy Champions
2021 Fort Wayne Komets
2020 Trophy not awarded due to COVID-19
2019 Toledo Walleye
2018 Colorado Eagles
2017 Colorado Eagles
2016 Allen Americans
2015 Allen Americans
2014 Alaska Aces
2013 Stockton Thunder
2012 Las Vegas Wranglers
2011 Alaska Aces
2010 Idaho Steelheads
2009 Alaska Aces
2008 Las Vegas Wranglers
2007 Idaho Steelheads
2006 Alaska Aces
2005 Trenton Titans
2004 Idaho Steelheads
2003 Columbia Inferno
2002 Greenville Grrrowl
2001 South Carolina Stingrays
2000 Louisiana IceGators
1999 Mississippi Sea Wolves
1998 Pensacola Ice Pilots
ECHL Stories from June 22, 2021
- Kelly Cup Finals Ticket Information Released - Fort Wayne Komets
- 2021 Kelly Cup Finals Schedule Announced - South Carolina Stingrays
- Fort Wayne Claims Bruce Taylor Trophy as Western Conference Champions - ECHL
- ECHL Transactions - June 22 - ECHL
- MacFarlane Receives 2020-21 Ryan Birmingham Memorial Award - ECHL
- Greenville's Season Ends on Monday Night in Charleston - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Komets Take Game Three, as Americans Face Elimination - Allen Americans
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
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