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Kelly Cup Finals Preview

Published on May 14, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - The battle to determine the national "AA" hockey champion begins Friday when the National Conference champion Idaho Steelheads host the American Conference champion Cincinnati Cyclones in Game 1 of the Kelly Cup Finals at 7:10 p.m. MT at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho.

Celebrating its 22nd season in 2009-10, the ECHL is the Premier 'AA' Hockey League and is the third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League.

The Kelly Cup trophy is named for Patrick J. Kelly, who presents it each year to the postseason champion. Kelly was one of the founding fathers of the ECHL and the second inductee into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2008. 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 55th season in professional hockey in 2007-08, 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.

Game 2 will be Saturday at 7:10 p.m. MT at Qwest Arena before the series shifts to Cincinnati where the Cyclones will host Games 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Arena on May 18 and 20. Game 5, if necessary, would be at 7:30 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Arena on May 21. The series would return to Boise for Game 6, if necessary, on May 25 at 7:10 p.m. MT and Game 7, if necessary, at 7:10 p.m. MT on May 26.

The ECHL is the primary development league for the AHL and the NHL. The ECHL and the AHL are the only two minor professional hockey leagues that are recognized in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL and the National Hockey League Players' Association. The CBA states that any player on an NHL entry-level contract designated for assignment to a minor league must report if assigned to a team in the ECHL or the AHL. A player on an NHL entry-level contract assigned to a minor professional league other than the ECHL or the AHL is not required to report and can request reassignment to a team in the ECHL or the AHL.

How They Got Here

Idaho won its first Brabham Cup as the ECHL's regular season champion. As the No. 1 seed in the National Conference, the Steelheads received a bye in the National Conference Quarterfinals. Idaho defeated Utah 4 games to 0 in the National Conference Semifinals before eliminating Stockton 4 games to 2 in the National Conference Finals.

Cincinnati has played the maximum number of games in each series of the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Cyclones defeated defending Kelly Cup champion South Carolina 3 games to 2 in the American Conference Quarterfinals, winning Game 5 at South Carolina, 3-2, in overtime. In the American Conference Semifinals, the Cyclones defeated Charlotte 4 games to 3, once again winning the deciding game on the road with a 2-1 win. Cincinnati made ECHL history in the American Conference Finals becoming the first team in the 22-year history of the league to come back and win a best-of-seven series after trailing 3 games to 0 as the Cyclones defeated Reading 4 games to 3.

Steelheads Look For Third Kelly Cup, Cyclones Chase Second

Idaho won the Kelly Cup in 2004 and 2007 and is looking to join South Carolina as the only three-time winners of the trophy. Cincinnati won the Kelly Cup in 2008 and is looking to become the third team to win multiple Kelly Cups. The ECHL postseason champion from 1989-96 was presented the Riley Cup. If the Steelheads win, they would tie the league record for championships held by Hampton Roads, who won in 1991, 1992 and 1998, and South Carolina, who won in 1997, 2001 and 2009. Idaho is making its third appearance in the finals, tying the record held by the Greensboro Monarchs (1990, 1991 and 1995), the Hampton Roads Admirals (1991, 1992 and 1998), the Wheeling Nailers (1989, 1990 and 1993) and the South Carolina Stingrays (1997, 2001 and 2009).

First Ever Finals Meeting Between Previous Winning Coaches

Idaho's Derek Laxdal, who led the Steelheads to the 2007 title, and Cincinnati's Chuck Weber, who led the Cyclones to the championship in 2008, each look for their second Kelly Cup championship. The winner will join Mike Haviland, who was the head coach with Atlantic City in 2003 and with Trenton in 2005, as the only coach to win more than one Kelly Cup. John Brophy is the ECHL all-time leader in championships with three, having led Hampton Roads to Riley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992 and a Kelly Cup title in 1998. This series marks the first time in the 22-year history of the ECHL that two coaches who have previously won league titles meet in the final series.

Steelheads, Cyclones Have Hot Goaltenders

The Kelly Cup Finals features two of the three best goals-against averages in the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Idaho has allowed a playoff low 2.50 goals against per game while Cincinnati is third with 2.63 goals against. Cyclones' goaltender Robert Mayer has posted two shutouts in four appearances, and leads the playoffs with a 1.28 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. Idaho's Richard Bachman, who is currently recalled to Texas of the American Hockey League, ranks second with a 1.59 goals-against average and is tied for second with a .943 save percentage. Cincinnati's Jeremy Smith is second with nine wins and is eighth with a 2.67 goals-against average.

Scoring Leaders On Both Sides

Idaho is led in the playoffs by Marty Flichel, who has a team high 11 assists and 16 points. Mark McCutcheon paces the Steelheads with seven goals. Evan Barlow leads all rookies in the playoffs 14 points (5g-9a), while John Swanson is tied for second among first-year players with six goals.

Dustin Sproat leads Cincinnati in the playoffs with 17 points (8g-9a), which is tied for third in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Barret Ehgoetz leads the Cyclones, and is second overall in the playoffs, with nine goals. Brett Robinson leads all rookies in the playoffs with seven goals, and is tied for second with 10 points.

Name Already On Kelly Cup

Idaho's Marty Flichel and coach Derek Laxdal were both members of the Steelheads Kelly Cup championship team in 2007. Cincinnati's Barret Ehgoetz and Mathieu Aubin, along with head coach Chuck Weber and assistant coach Dean Stork, were part of the Cyclones 2008 championship team. Maxime Lacroix won the Kelly Cup with South Carolina in 2009.

Players Returning To Finals

In addition to the participants who already have their name engraved on the Kelly Cup, Cincinnati's Jason Jozsa returns to the Kelly Cup Finals for the second time. Jozsa played for Las Vegas in 2008 when the Wranglers fell to Cincinnati in six games.

B2 Networks Broadcasts Kelly Cup Finals

For the seventh year in a row every game of the Kelly Cup Finals will be broadcast by B2 Networks, the "Official Broadband Broadcast Provider of the ECHL".

B2 Networks has broadcast more than 2,000 regular season ECHL games and over 400 Kelly Cup Playoff games around the globe the last six years including the ECHL All-Star Game. The first hockey game broadcast by B2 Networks was the Las Vegas Wranglers in February 2004 and the first hockey championship carried by B2 Networks was the 2004 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

B2 Networks is a premier provider of reliable and secure international television and pay-per-view broadcasting systems. B2's installed technologies and worldwide network of arenas, stadiums, local venues and data centers are currently in use to distribute live sports and entertainment programming to personal computers, television screens, mobile devices and commercial venues around the world. Working with professional sports leagues, teams, NCAA and NAIA institutions and producers of entertainment programming, B2 Networks has established itself as a leader in innovative global direct to home, mobile and television broadcasting. The B2 Networks LIVE Programming Guide is available at http://www.b2tv.com.

2010 Kelly Cup Finals Schedule

Game 1 - Friday, May 14 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho

Game 2 - Saturday, May 15 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho

Game 3 - Tuesday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio

Game 4 - Thursday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio

Game 5 - Friday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio *

Game 6 - Tuesday, May 25 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho *

Game 7 - Wednesday, May 26 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho *

* If Necessary

Kelly Cup Champions
2009 - South Carolina defeated Alaska, 4 games to 3
2007 - Idaho defeated Dayton, 4 games to 1
2006 - Alaska defeated Gwinnett, 4 games to 1
2005 - Trenton defeated Florida, 4 games to 2
2004 - Idaho defeated Florida, 4 games to 1
2003 - Atlantic City defeated Columbia, 4 games to 1
2002 - Greenville defeated Dayton, 4 games to 0
2001 - South Carolina defeated Trenton, 4 games to 1
2000 - Peoria defeated Louisiana, 4 games to 2
1999 - Mississippi defeated Richmond, 4 games to 3
1998 - Hampton Roads defeated Pensacola, 4 games to 2
1997 - South Carolina defeated Louisiana, 4 games to 1

Riley Cup Champions
1996 - Charlotte defeated Jacksonville, 4 games to 0
1995 - Richmond defeated Greensboro, 4 games to 1
1994 - Toledo defeated Raleigh, 4 games to 1
1993 - Toledo defeated Wheeling, 4 games to 2
1992 - Hampton Roads defeated Louisville, 4 games to 0
1991 - Hampton Roads defeated Greensboro, 4 games to 1
1990 - Greensboro defeated Winston-Salem, 4 games to 1
1989 - Carolina defeated Johnstown, 4 games to 3

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