Newfoundland Captures E.A. "Bud" Gingher Trophy as Eastern Conference Champions
May 18, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release
PRINCETON, N.J. - The Newfoundland Growlers claimed the E.A. Bud Gingher Trophy as Eastern Conference champions on Saturday with a 3-0 win over the Florida Everblades in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Newfoundland wins the series 4 games to 1, and awaits the winner of the Western Conference Finals between the Tulsa Oilers and Toledo Walleye in the 2019 Kelly Cup Finals presented by SmileDirectClub.
Scott Pooley broke a scoreless tie at 18:03 of the second period and Hudson Elyniuk and Giorgio Esteban added insurance goals in the third period. Michael Garteig stopped all 30 shots he faced to record his second consecutive shutout and third of the series.
Estephan led the Growlers in the series with nine points (4g-5a) while Garteig went 4-1 with a 1.23 goals-against average and a save percentage of .961. Florida was led by Blake Winiecki (3g-1a) and Michael Downing (1g-3a) with four points each.
The Growlers, who claimed the North Division regular-season title in their first season, are the first team to reach the final round of the ECHL postseason in their first season of existence since the Greensboro Monarchs in 1990.
The trophy is named in recognition of E.A. "Bud" Gingher, who was Chairman of the ECHL Board of Governors from 1992-95. Gingher, who passed away in 2002, co-founded the Dayton Bombers in 1991 and owned the team for seven seasons, serving as President and Governor until selling the team in 1998. Gingher was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2009.
E.A. "Bud" Gingher Trophy Champions
2019 Newfoundland Growlers
2018 Florida Everblades
2017 South Carolina Stingrays
2016 Wheeling Nailers
2015 South Carolina Stingrays
2014 Cincinnati Cyclones
2013 Reading Royals
2012 Florida Everblades
2011 Kalamazoo Wings
2010 Cincinnati Cyclones
2009 South Carolina Stingrays
2008 Cincinnati Cyclones
2007 Dayton Bombers
2006 Gwinnett Gladiators
2005 Florida Everblades
2004 Florida Everblades
2003 Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
2002 Dayton Bombers
2001 Trenton Titans
2000 Peoria Rivermen
1999 Richmond Renegades
1998 Hampton Roads Admirals
ECHL Stories from May 18, 2019
- Walleye Snap Oilers Home Winning Streak - Tulsa Oilers
- Growlers Are Eastern Conference Champs, Beat Everblades 3-0 - Newfoundland Growlers
- Everblades' Season Ends with Game 5 Loss to Growlers - Florida Everblades
- Newfoundland Captures E.A. "Bud" Gingher Trophy as Eastern Conference Champions - ECHL
- ECHL Announces Fine, Suspension - ECHL
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