Recap of 2014 Kelly Cup Finals

Published on June 11, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - The Alaska Aces won their third ECHL Kelly Cup championship on Monday defeating the Cincinnati Cyclones 4-0 at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio to win the series 4 games to 2.

With the win, Alaska ties the South Carolina Stingrays for the most Kelly Cup title in ECHL history. Hampton Roads also won three ECHL championships, winning the Riley Cup in 1991 and 1992 and the Kelly Cup in 1998. From 1989-96, the ECHL champion was awarded the Riley Cup. In the 26-year history of the ECHL, 17 different teams have captured the league title.

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 61st season in hockey in 2013-14, 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.

Celebrating its 26th season in 2013-14, 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 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.

Madore wins Most Valuable Player award

Cincinnati goaltender Rob Madore was named Most Valuable Player of the 2014 Kelly Cup Playoffs, becoming the first player from the losing team to win the award in the ECHL's 26-year history.

Madore appeared in all 24 postseason games for the Cyclones, posting a record of 14-10 with a 2.29 goals-against average and a save percentage of .930. He led all goaltenders in the postseason in games played, wins, minutes (1,493) and saves (756).

Coleman ties career record for Finals wins

Alaska goaltender Gerald Coleman recorded four wins in the Kelly Cup Finals, giving him eight career Finals wins, which ties the all-time record for most wins in the Riley/Kelly Cup Finals which was set by Dave Gagnon who played with Hampton Roads in 1991 and Toledo in 1994. Coleman also become the first goaltender to lead two teams to the Kelly Cup title.

Aces win title with no overtime wins

Alaska is the first team since Charlotte in 1996 to win the ECHL championship without winning an overtime game during the postseason. The Aces went 0-2 in overtime during the Kelly Cup Playoffs, losing to Idaho in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals and to Bakersfield in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. This was the first time since 2008 that no games in the Kelly Cup Finals were decided in overtime.

Mass joins elite company

Alaska assistant coach Louis Mass became just the fourth individual to win three Kelly Cup titles. Patrick Wellar won three titles as a player with Alaska in 2006, South Carolina in 2009 and Reading in 2013 while Scott Burt won three titles as a player with Idaho in 2004 and 2007 and Alaska in 2011. Jared Bednar won as a player with South Carolina in 1997 and 2001, and was the Stingrays' head coach for their title in 2009.

Nick Vitucci holds the ECHL record for most titles with five. Vitucci won Riley Cup titles as a player with Carolina in 1989, Greensboro in 1990, Toledo in 1994 and Charlotte in 1996 and was an assistant coach with Greenville during its Kelly Cup championship in 2002.

Alaska pulls off Brabham Cup/Kelly Cup double for the third time

Only five times in the ECHL's 26-year history has the winner of the Brabham Cup, which is awarded to the team with the most points during the regular season, gone on to win the Riley Cup or Kelly Cup, and Alaska has done it in each of the three seasons it has won the League title. The other two teams to win both the regular season and playoff championship are South Carolina 1996-97 and Cincinnati in 2007-08.

Aces are 10th Kelly Cup champion with home ice

Alaska is the 10th team in 18 years to win the Kelly Cup with home-ice advantage in the Finals. The other winners are Reading (2013), Alaska (2011), Cincinnati (2008), Idaho (2007), Alaska (2006), Greenville (2002), Peoria (2000), Mississippi (1999) and South Carolina (1997). Fifteen of the 26 League champions have won the title with home-ice advantage.

Celebration at home & on road

For the 15th time in ECHL history, the decisive game in the Finals was won on the road. The Kelly Cup has been clinched on the road 10 times in 18 years with Alaska (2014), Reading (2013), Alaska (2011), South Carolina (2009), Idaho (2007), Alaska (2006), Trenton (2005), Greenville (2002), Hampton Roads (1998), and South Carolina (1997). The Riley Cup was won on the road five times with Charlotte (1996), Toledo (1994), Hampton Roads (1992), Greensboro (1990) and Carolina (1989).

The 11 winners at home are Florida (2012), Cincinnati (2010 and 2008), Idaho (2004), Atlantic City (2003), South Carolina (2001), Peoria (2000) and Mississippi (1999). The Riley Cup was won at home three times with Richmond (1995), Toledo (1993) and Hampton Roads (1991).

Kelly Cup championship banners in nine states

South Carolina (South Carolina Stingrays in 1997, 2001 and 2009 and Greenville in 2002) has produced four of the 17 winners of the Kelly Cup while Alaska (Alaska Aces in 2006, 2011 and 2014) has three championships. Idaho (Idaho Steelheads in 2004 and 2007), New Jersey (Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in 2003 and Trenton Titans in 2005) and Ohio (Cincinnati Cyclones in 2008 and 2010) have each produced two champions. The other four champions have been from Florida (Florida Everblades - 2012), Illinois (Peoria Rivermen - 2000), Mississippi (Mississippi Sea Wolves - 1999), Pennsylvania (Reading Royals - 2013) and Virginia (Hampton Roads Admirals - 1998).

ECHL champions from 11 states

In the first 26 years of the ECHL, Ohio (Toledo Storm in 1993 and 1994 and Cincinnati Cyclones in 2008 and 2010), South Carolina (South Carolina Stingrays in 1997, 2001 and 2009 and Greenville in 2002) and Virginia (Hampton Roads Admirals in 1991, 1992 and 1998 and Richmond Renegades in 1995) have the most championships with four each. Alaska (Alaska Aces in 2006, 2011 and 2014) and North Carolina (Carolina Thunderbirds in 1989, Greensboro Monarchs in 1990 and Charlotte Checkers in 1996) both have three champions while Idaho (Idaho Steelheads in 2004 and 2007) and New Jersey (Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in 2003 and Trenton Titans in 2005) have two apiece. Florida (Florida Everblades in 2012), Illinois (Peoria Rivermen in 2000), Mississippi (Mississippi Sea Wolves in 1999) and Pennsylvania (Reading Royals in 2013) each have one winner.

Kelly Cup Finals game-worn jerseys, game-used pucks available

For the seventh year in a row, the ECHL and The MeiGray Group are offering fans the chance to purchase jerseys worn in the Kelly Cup Finals at ECHL.com, MeiGray.com and Auction.nhl.com .

All of the jerseys will have the Kelly Cup Finals patch, which is available only on the team jerseys.

The jerseys worn by Alaska in the Games 1, 2 and 4, as well as game-used and goal-scored pucks from the first three games, will be available starting on Thursday, June 12. Check back for additional auctions in the coming days.

The "Official Game-Worn Jersey Source of the ECHL" since 2002, MeiGray gives hockey fans and sports collectors worldwide the opportunity to purchase authentic game-worn ECHL jerseys online at MeiGray.com or by telephone at (888) 463-4472.

Kelly Cup Finals on America One for 11th straight year

Every game of the Kelly Cup Finals was broadcast live online by America One Sports, the "Official Broadband & Mobile Broadcaster of the ECHL," for the 11th year in a row. America One has broadcast more than 4,700 regular season ECHL games and over 700 Kelly Cup Playoff games around the globe the last 11 years including the ECHL All-Star Game. The first hockey game broadcast by America One was the Las Vegas Wranglers in February 2004 and the first hockey championship carried by America One was the 2004 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

2014 Kelly Cup Finals (Best of Seven)

Alaska wins series 4-2

Game 1 - Cincinnati 3 at ALASKA 5

Game 2 - CINCINNATI 2 at Alaska 1

Game 3 - Cincinnati 0 at ALASKA 2

Game 4 - Alaska 1 at CINCINNATI 3

Game 5 - ALASKA 4 at Cincinnati 2

Game 6 - ALASKA 4 at Cincinnati 0

Kelly Cup Champions

2014 - Alaska defeated Cincinnati, 4 games to 2

2013 - Reading defeated Stockton, 4 games to 1

2012 - Florida defeated Las Vegas, 4 games to 1

2011 - Alaska defeated Kalamazoo, 4 games to 1

2010 - Cincinnati defeated Idaho, 4 games to 1

2009 - South Carolina defeated Alaska, 4 games to 3

2008 - Cincinnati defeated Las Vegas, 4 games to 2

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

ECHL Stories from June 11, 2014

• Elmira Jackals to Hold Blade Tryouts - Elmira Jackals
• Stewart Honored at Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame - Colorado Eagles
• Cyclones Unveil 2014-15 Schedule - Cincinnati Cyclones
• Recap of 2014 Kelly Cup Finals - ECHL
• Royals Ready to Get Dads and Grads Geared up with a Summer Saturday Sale - Reading Royals

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