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Preview of 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs Division Finals

May 5, 2022 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


North Division Finals

#1 Reading Royals vs. #2 Newfoundland Growlers

Two of the top three teams in the ECHL regular season will meet for a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Reading, which finished second overall in the league with a record of 45-17-9, defeated Maine in six games in the North Division Semifinals, with three of the Royals' wins coming by one goal. Frank DiChiara led Reading in the opening round with eight points (2g-6a), while Logan Flodell went 3-2 with one shutout and a 2.42 goals-against average.

Newfoundland finished third in the ECHL during the regular season with a record of 42-20-5 and went on to defeat Trois-Rivières 4 games to 3 in the first round. Tyler Boland is tied for the playoff lead after the opening round with 13 points and is tied for second with eight goals while Keith Petruzzelli went 4-3 with a 3.20 goals-against average and a save percentage of .896.

During the regular season, Reading went 5-3-1 against the Growlers - including a 5-1-0 mark in Newfoundland - while the Growlers went 4-4-1 in the season series. Thomas Ebbing led the Royals with six goals and Jacob Pritchard posted a team best 14 points (5g-9a). Jeremy McKenna paced the Growlers with six goals and Gordie Green led the way with nine points (2g-7a).

Game 1 - Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Reading

Game 2 - Sunday, May 8 at 7 p.m. ET at Reading

Game 3 - Tuesday, May 10 at 7 p.m. NT at Newfoundland

Game 4 - Wednesday, May 11 at 7 p.m. NT at Newfoundland

Game 5 - Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m. NT at Newfoundland (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Saturday, May 14 at 7 p.m. ET at Reading (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Monday, May 16 at 7 p.m. ET at Reading (If Necessary)

South Division Finals

#1 Florida Everblades vs. #3 Jacksonville Icemen

A Sunshine State battle between Florida and Jacksonville will determine the South Division's representative in the Eastern Conference Finals. This marks the second postseason matchup between the teams following Florida's 4 games to 2 victory in the 2019 South Division Semifinals.

The Everblades are coming off a 4 games to 2 victory over Greenville in the South Division Semifinals. Florida was led in the series by Joe Pendenza, who had eight points (2g-6a) while Matteo Gennaro scored a team-leading four goals, three of which came on the power play. In goal, Cam Johnson appeared in four games in the opening round, winning three times, and ranking third with a 1.96 goals-against average.

Jacksonville eliminated Atlanta 4 games to 0 in the South Division Semifinals, winning a playoff series for the first time in team history. Brendan Harris led the Icemen in the series with six points (3g-3a). Francois Brassard went 3-0 against the Gladiators, and is tied for the playoff lead with a 1.00 goals-against average while ranking second with a .967 save percentage.

During the regular season, Florida went 3-2-5 against the Icemen while Jacksonville was 7-2-1 against the Everblades. Both teams enjoyed success on the road in the head-to-head meetings with Florida going 3-1-2 and Jacksonville posting a 4-0-0 record on enemy ice. The Everblades were led by Alex Aleardi's six goals and 11 points while Jake Elmer led the way for the Icemen with four goals and Craig Martin posting a team-best 11 points (3g-8a).

Game 1 - Friday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida

Game 2 - Saturday, May 7 at 7 p.m. ET at Florida

Game 3 - Tuesday, May 10 at 7 p.m. ET at Jacksonville

Game 4 - Wednesday, May 11 at 7 p.m. ET at Jacksonville

Game 5 - Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m. ET at Jacksonville (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Monday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Tuesday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)

Central Division Finals

#1 Toledo Walleye vs. #3 Wheeling Nailers

For the first time since 2015, Toledo and Wheeling will meet in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, marking the sixth all-time postseason meeting between the clubs. The Walleye won 4 games to 3 in the 2015 North Division Semifinals, as Toledo is 4-1 all-time against Wheeling in the ECHL postseason.

Toledo captured the Brabham Cup as ECHL regular-season champions, and defeated Cincinnati in seven games in the opening round, winning the final two games of the series on home ice. Brandon Hawkins, who posted his second career Kelly Cup Playoffs hat trick in game 7 against Cincinnati, is tied for fourth through one round with six goals, while TJ Hensick is tied for second with 11 points (3g-8a). Billy Christopoulos went 4-3 in the opening round and ranks fifth with a 2.18 goals-against average.

Wheeling defeated Fort Wayne in seven games in the Central Division Semifinals, winning Game 7 in overtime on the road. Cam Hausinger is tied for second with seven goals and posted a team-leading eight points against the Komets. Louis-Philip Guindon played all seven games and is fourth with a .932 save percentage and eighth with a 2.43 goals-against average.

The Walleye went 3-4-0 against Wheeling during the regular season while the Nailers were 4-2-1 against Toledo. Hensick was Toledo's top offensive threat in the season series with nine points (2g-7a) while Hausinger (3g-4a) and Tim Doherty (2g-5a) led the way for Wheeling with seven points each.

Game 1 - Friday, May 6 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo

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

Game 3 - Tuesday, May 10 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling

Game 4 - Thursday, May 12 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling

Game 5 - Saturday, May 14 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Monday, May 16 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Tuesday, May 17 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo (If Necessary)

Mountain Division Finals

#1 Utah Grizzlies vs. #2 Rapid City Rush

Utah is appearing in the second round for the first time since 2016 while Rapid City has advanced to the second round for the first time since 2015.

Utah dispatched Tulsa 4 games to 3 in the Mountain Division Semifinals. Benjamin Tardif is tied for the playoff lead with 13 points (2g-11a) while ECHL Defenseman of the Year Charle-Edouard D'Astous leads all players in the playoffs with nine goals.

Rapid City, which is making its first postseason appearance since 2015, defeated Allen in five games in the opening round. Calder Brooks led the way for the Rush in the first round with four goals and nine points, which are both tied for third among rookies. In goal, Lukas Parik went 4-1 and is fourth with a 2.11 goals-against average.

The Grizzlies went 6-6-0 against Rapid City in the regular season while the Rush were 6-4-2 against Utah. Trey Bradley paced Utah in the regular-season series with six goals and 14 points while Peyton Jones went 3-1-0 with a 2.90 goals-against average. Gabriel Chabot led the way for the Rush with seven goals, while sharing the team lead in points with Max Coatta (4g-9a) with 13 points each. In goal, Lukas Parik went 3-2-2 with a 2.68 goals-against average.

Game 1 - Friday, May 6 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah

Game 2 - Saturday, May 7 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah

Game 3 - Monday, May 9 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Rapid City

Game 4 - Tuesday, May 10 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Rapid City

Game 5 - Wednesday, May 11 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Rapid City (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Monday, May 16 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Tuesday, May 17 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah (If Necessary)

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