Preview of 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs Conference Finals

May 14, 2025 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release

Eastern Conference Finals (Best of Seven)

Florida Everblades vs. Trois-Rivières Lions

Series Matchup Sheet

Florida, which has won the last three Kelly Cup titles, looks to continue its unprecedented run while Trois-Rivières is making its first-ever appearance in the Conference Finals.

Florida is in the Conference Finals for the 10th time in team history and for the sixth time in the last seven postseasons. The Everblades have advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals seven times (2004, 2005, 2012, 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2024), capturing the Kelly Cup title in 2012, 2022, 2023 and 2024, with both totals ranking as the most in ECHL history. After sweeping Jacksonville, with all four wins coming in overtime, in the South Division Semifinals, Florida eliminated Orlando in five games in the South Division Finals. The Everblades' 14 consecutive series wins is the longest such streak in ECHL postseason history.

Colton Hargrove leads the Everblades through two rounds with five goals and shares the team lead in points with Logan Lambdin (3g-6a) with nine points each. Cole Moberg is tied for second among all defensemen in the playoffs with three goals and is fifth among blueliners with seven points. Cam Johnson, who is the ECHL all-time leader in postseason wins (55) and shutouts (12), ranks fourth in the playoffs with a 1.58 goals-against average and is seventh with a .932 save percentage.

Trois-Rivières captured the North Division regular-season title for the first time in team history before defeating Reading 4 games to 0 in the North Division Semifinals and Norfolk 4 games to 2 in the North Division Finals.

Anthony Beauregard's seven goals are tied for the playoff lead and his 11 points rank sixth, while Alex Beaucage is right behind him with six goals (tied for fourth) and 10 points (tied for seventh). Chris Jandric is tied for first among defensemen with nine points (1g-8a). Luke Cavallin has appeared in nine of the Lions' 10 playoff games going 7-2 with a 1.65 goals-against average, which ranks sixth two rounds, and a .945 save percentage, which ranks third.

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 2010.

Game 1 - Saturday, May 17 at 7 p.m. ET at Florida

Game 2 - Sunday, May 18 at 5 p.m. ET at Florida

Game 3 - Wednesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. ET at Trois-Rivières

Game 4 - Friday, May 23 at 7 p.m. ET at Trois-Rivières

Game 5 - Saturday, May 24 at 3 p.m. ET at Trois-Rivières (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Tuesday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Wednesday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)

Western Conference Finals (Best of Seven)

Kansas City Mavericks vs. Toledo Walleye

Kansas City and Toledo meet in the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive season after the Mavericks prevailed in six games in 2024.

The Mavericks are appearing in the Conference Finals for the second time while the Walleye have advanced to the Conference Finals in five consecutive postseasons (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) and for the seventh time in the last nine postseasons.

Kansas City went 49-18-5 in the regular season to capture the Mountain Division title for the second season in a row. The Mavericks were one of three teams in the league to win at least 23 games both at home and on the road in 2024-25, and finished in the top five in both goals per game (3.56, 2nd) and goals-against per game (2.47, 3rd).

The Mavericks defeated Tulsa 4 games to 2 in the Mountain Division Semifinals before sweeping Tahoe in the Mountain Division Finals. Just like the regular season, Kansas City ranks in the top five of playoff teams in goals per game (3.40, 3rd) and goals-against per game (1.50, 1st). Cade Borchardt, who earned a spot on the All-ECHL Second Team, is tied for the playoff lead with seven goals while Damien Giroux (6g-4a) and David Cotton (2g-8a) share the team lead with 10 points each, which is tied for seventh overall in the playoffs. Jack LaFontaine's four shutouts in the playoffs are tied for the second most in a single postseason in ECHL history. LaFontaine is second with a 1.28 goals-against average and .952 save percentage.

The Walleye went 44-17-11 in the regular season to earn the Central Division title for the second straight season and third time in four years.

Toledo enters the Conference Finals off of a four-game victory over Indy and a six-game win against Fort Wayne. ECHL Most Valuable Player Brandon Hawkins has continued his success over to the postseason as he leads all players in the playoffs with 17 points (4g-13a) while his linemate Trenton Bliss is just one point off the pace with 16 points (4g-12a). Colby Ambrosio leads all rookies in the postseason with nine points (3g-6a). In goal, Jan Bednar is 4-1 with a 2.62 goals-against average while Carter Gylander is 4-1 with a 2.81 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 - Thursday, May 15 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City

Game 2 - Saturday, May 17 at 6:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City

Game 3 - Tuesday, May 20 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Toledo

Game 4 - Thursday, May 22 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Toledo

Game 5 - Saturday, May 24 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Toledo (If Necessary)

Game 6 - Monday, May 26 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City (If Necessary)

Game 7 - Wednesday, May 28 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City (If Necessary)

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