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Preview of 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs Conference Finals

May 18, 2022 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Eastern Conference Finals (Best of Seven)

Newfoundland Growlers vs. Florida Everblades

For the second time in the last three postseasons, the Newfoundland Growlers and Florida Everblades meet with a spot in the Kelly Cup Finals on the line. Newfoundland defeated Florida 4 games to 1 in the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals.

Newfoundland has won each of its six all-time series in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, and in 2019, became the first team since Greensboro in 1990 to win the ECHL title in its first season of existence. The Growlers have gone to seven games in each of their first two series in the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs, defeating Trois-Rivières in the North Division Semifinals and Reading in the North Division Finals. In the latter series, Newfoundland became the eighth team in ECHL history to win a best-of-seven series after trailing 3-1, and just the second team to win Games 6 and 7 of a series on the road. The Growlers are tops in the postseason with 4.08 goals per game, and rank third allowing 27.07 shots per game.

Tyler Boland (12g-8a) and Ben Finkelstein (5g-15a) lead Newfoundland in the playoffs with 20 points each. Boland's 12 goals are second overall in the postseason while his 20 points are second among rookies. Keith Petruzzelli, who was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team and the All-ECHL Second Team, leads all goaltenders in the playoffs with 742 minutes played and is second with 306 saves. He is 8-5 with a 2.99 goals-against average and a save percentage of .892 in 14 postseason appearances.

Florida is appearing in the Conference Finals for the seventh time in team history. The Everblades have advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals four times (2004, 2005, 2012 and 2018), capturing the Kelly Cup title in 2012. Florida defeated Greenville 4 games to 2 in the South Division Semifinals and Jacksonville 4 games to 0 in the South Division Finals. The Everblades feature the top defense through two rounds in the playoffs, allowing 2.00 goals per game.

Florida is led through two round by Joe Pendenza, who has 11 points (4g-7a) while Matteo Gennaro has scored a team-leading five goals. Cam Johnson has gone 7-1 in eight postseason appearances and ranks second with a 1.38 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage. Johnson posted three shutouts in four games against Jacksonville in the South Division Finals and has allowed one goal or less in five of his eight appearances. The three shutouts are tied for fourth in a single postseason in ECHL history.

The winner of the Eastern Conference Finals receives the E.A. "Bud" Gingher Memorial Trophy. 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.

Game 1 - Friday, May 20 at 7 p.m. NT at Newfoundland

Game 2 - Sunday, May 22 at 7 p.m. NT at Newfoundland

Game 3 - Wednesday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida

Game 4 - Friday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida

Game 5 - Saturday, May 28 at 7 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Tuesday, May 31 at 7 p.m. NT at Newfoundland (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Wednesday, June 1 at 7 p.m. NT at Newfoundland (If Necessary)

Western Conference Finals (Best of Seven)

Toledo Walleye vs. Utah Grizzlies

Toledo returns to the Conference Finals for the second consecutive postseason after reaching the Kelly Cup Finals in 2019, while Utah has advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2008.

The Walleye, who have reached the Conference Finals for the fourth time since 2015, defeated Cincinnati 4 games to 3 in the Central Division Semifinals before eliminating Wheeling 4 games to 0 in the Central Division Finals. Toledo ranks third in the postseason in both goals per game (3.55) and goals-against per game (2.18), and has gotten off to quick starts, outscoring its opponents 16-7 in the first period.

Brandon Hawkins, who was part of Fort Wayne's Kelly Cup championship team last season, paces Toledo in the playoffs with nine goals - which are tied for third in the postseason through two rounds - and 18 points. John Albert has scored the game-winning goal in four of the Walleye's eight playoff wins. Billy Christopoulos has played each of Toledo's 11 games in goal, going 8-3 while ranking fourth with a 2.12 goals-against average and eighth with a .924 save percentage.

Utah, which captured its first-ever ECHL regular-season division title, has reached the third round following a 4 games to 3 win over Tulsa in the Mountain Division Semifinals and a 4 games to 2 victory over Rapid City in the Mountain Division Finals. The Grizzlies feature the top power-play unit in the playoffs, converting at 35.8 percent (19-for-53) through two rounds. Utah is second with 4.00 goals per game, and has outscored its opposition 23-8 in the third period during the playoffs.

It has been a record-breaking playoff run so far for Charle-Edouard D'Astous, who was named the 2021-22 ECHL Defenseman of the Year. D'Astous has scored 17 goals, which is tied for the most in a single postseason in ECHL history, and 10 power-play goals, which is a new postseason record. D'Astous is tied with teammate Benjamin Tardif (4g-22a), who earned a spot on the ECHL All-Rookie Team, for the playoff lead with 26 points each. In goal, Trent Miner has gone 6-3 in nine appearances, while ranking third with a .934 save percentage and sixth with a 2.36 goals-against average.

The winner of the Western Conference Finals receives the Bruce Taylor Trophy. 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.

Game 1 - Friday, May 20 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo

Game 2 - Saturday, May 21 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo

Game 3 - Tuesday, May 24 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah

Game 4 - Friday, May 27 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah

Game 5 - Saturday, May 28 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Monday, May 30 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Tuesday, May 31 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo (If Necessary)

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