Sports stats



ECHL ECHL

Road to the Kelly Cup Begins Tonight

April 2, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Preview of 2012 Kelly Cup Playoffs - Conference Quarterfinals

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (Best of Five)

#1 Elmira Jackals (45-22-5) vs. #8 Reading Royals (36-28-8)

Series Matchup Sheet

This marks the second all-time postseason meeting between the Atlantic Division rivals. Reading skated away with a 4 games to 2 win over the Jackals in the 2008 North Division Semifinals.

Elmira set club records this season with 45 wins, 95 points and 25 home wins. The Jackals went 11-3-2 against Reading this season and were led in the season series by ECHL scoring leader and Rookie of the Year Dustin Gazley who tallied 20 points (6g-14a) in 16 games. Goaltender Brian Stewart appeared in 11 games against Reading and was 8-1-1 with a 2.01 goals-against average and a save percentage of .922.

Reading ended the regular season on a six-game unbeaten streak (5-0-1) and went 9-2-1 in its final 12 games. The Royals were 5-6-5 against Elmira this season. Olivier Labelle led Reading against the Jackals in the regular season with five goals and 11 points.

Game 1 - Tuesday, April 3 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Reading

Game 2 - Wednesday, April 4 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Reading

Game 3 - Friday, April 6 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Elmira

Game 4 - Saturday, April 7 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Elmira (If Necessary)

Game 5 - Monday, April 9 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Elmira (If Necessary)

#2 Gwinnett Gladiators (41-20-11) vs. #7 South Carolina Stingrays (37-28-7) Series Matchup Sheet

Gwinnett returns to the postseason for the first time since 2009 after capturing the South Division title, and winning at least 40 games for the sixth time in nine seasons. The Gladiators led the Eastern Conference, and were second in the league, with 26 home wins. Gwinnett was 6-6-3 against the Stingrays this season, and was led in the season series by Justin Milo who had 13 points (3g-10a) in 15 games. Ryan Zapolski was 1-1-0 against South Carolina with a 1.82 goals-against average and a save percentage of .931.

South Carolina is making its 18th postseason appearance in 19 ECHL seasons. The Stingrays were 9-6-0 against Gwinnett this season, including a 6-2-0 mark at the North Charleston Coliseum. Pierre-Luc O'Brien led South Carolina against the Gladiators with six goals and 11 points, while goaltender Daren Machesney was 2-2-0 with a 2.43 goals-against average and a save percentage of .909 in four appearances.

This is the third all-time playoff meeting between the two teams. South Carolina captured a 3 games to 0 win in the 2006 South Division Semifinals while Gwinnett prevailed 3 games to 2 in the 2008 South Division Semifinals.

Game 1 - Tuesday, April 3 at 7:05 p.m. ET at South Carolina

Game 2 - Wednesday, April 4 at 7:05 p.m. ET at South Carolina

Game 3 - Friday, April 6 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Gwinnett

Game 4 - Sunday, April 8 at 2:05 p.m. ET at Gwinnett (If Necessary)

Game 5 - Monday, April 9 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Gwinnett (If Necessary)

#3 Kalamazoo Wings (38-26-8) vs. #6 Wheeling Nailers (37-26-9) Series Matchup Sheet

Kalamazoo and Wheeling meet in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive year. The K-Wings eliminated the Nailers 4 games to 2 in last year's Eastern Conference Finals.

The K-Wings captured their third straight North Division title, and set a club record with 20 road wins this season. Kalamazoo went 2-1-0 against the Nailers this season, winning the two games played in Wheeling. Darryl Bootland led Kalamzoo against the Nailers with two goals, and with three points shared the team lead in the season series with four others. Riley Gill appeared in all three games of the head-to-head series posting a 2-1-0 record with a goals-against average of 3.36 and a .907 save percentage.

Wheeling is making consecutive postseason appearances for the first time since 1997 and 1998. The Nailers went 1-2-0 against Kalamazoo this season, and were led in the season series by Chris Barton, who tallied four points (1g-3a). Peter Delmas was 1-0-0 against Kalamazoo with a 1.50 goals-against average and a save percentage of .960.

Game 1 - Tuesday, April 3 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Wheeling

Game 2 - Wednesday, April 4 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Wheeling

Game 3 - Friday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Kalamazoo

Game 4 - Saturday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Kalamazoo (If Necessary)

Game 5 - Monday, April 9 at 7 p.m. ET at Kalamazoo (If Necessary)

#4 Greenville Road Warriors (41-25-6) vs. #5 Florida Everblades (39-26-7)

Series Matchup Sheet

Greenville, which has surpassed the 40-win plateau in each of its two seasons, went 7-3-1 against the Everblades this season. Brandon Wong led the Road Warriors in the season series with six goals, and along with Justin Bowers (4g-9a), shared the team lead in points with 13. In goal, Nic Riopel was 5-1-0 against the Everblades with a 2.84 goals-against average and a save percentage of .914.

Florida has advanced to the postseason in each of its 14 seasons. The Everblades went 4-6-1 against Greenville this season, and was led by Scott Pitt (5g-5a) and Matt Beca (3g-7a), who each tallied 10 points in the season series. Pat Nagle appeared in six games against Greenville, going 3-3-0 with a 2.83 goals-against average and a save percentage of .912.

Game 1 - Monday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida

Game 2 - Wednesday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida

Game 3 - Friday, April 8 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Greenville

Game 4 - Saturday, April 7 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Greenville (If Necessary)

Game 5 - Monday, April 9 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Greenville (If Necessary)

Western Conference Quarterfinals (Best of Five)

#2 Ontario Reign (43-21-8) vs. #7 Idaho Steelheads (31-32-9)

Series Matchup Sheet

Ontario captured its second Pacific Division title in last four seasons, and returns to the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2009. The Reign were 6-1-0 in the regular season series against Idaho, including a 4-0-0 mark in the four games in Boise. Kyle Kraemer led Ontario against the Steelheads with 11 points (6g-5a) while Jean-Francois Berube was 3-1-0 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a save percentage of .920.

Idaho has advanced to the Kelly Cup Playoffs in each of its nine ECHL seasons, and is tied for second in league history with two Kelly Cup titles (2004 and 2007). The Steelheads went 1-5-1 against Ontario this season, but ended the season on a 6-3-1 run in their last 10 games. Derek LeBlanc led Idaho against the Reign with three goals and seven points. Jerry Kuhn appeared in all seven games of the season series going 1-5-1 with a 3.60 goals-against average and a save percentage of .906.

Game 1 - Tuesday, April 3 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho

Game 2 - Wednesday, April 4 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho

Game 3 - Friday, April 6 at 7 p.m. PT at Ontario

Game 4 - Saturday, April 7 at 6 p.m. PT at Ontario (If Necessary)

Game 5 - Monday, April 9 at 7 p.m. PT at Ontario (If Necessary)

#3 Las Vegas Wranglers (42-22-8) vs. #6 Utah Grizzlies (33-33-6)

Series Matchup Sheet

Las Vegas and Utah meet in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the third time in the last five seasons. Las Vegas defeated the Grizzlies 4 games to 0 in the 2008 National Conference Finals while Utah eliminated the Wranglers 3 games to 2 in the 2010 National Conference Quarterfinals.

The Wranglers are in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the seventh straight season, and the eighth time in nine years. Las Vegas went 4-5-0 against the Grizzlies this season and was led in the season series by Adam Miller who tallied 11 points (3g-8a). Mitch O'Keefe went 1-2-0 in three appearances with a 2.37 goals-against average and a save percentage of .909.

Utah, which is making its fifth consecutive postseason appearance, was 5-4-0 against Las Vegas this season. Paul McIlveen led the Grizzlies in the season series with seven goals and 12 points while Andrew Engelage went 3-3-0 with a 2.65 goals-against average and a save percentage of .910.

Game 1 - Monday, April 2 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Utah

Game 2 - Tuesday, April 3 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Utah

Game 3 - Thursday, April 5 at 7:05 p.m. PT at Las Vegas

Game 4 - Friday, April 6 at 7:05 p.m. PT at Las Vegas (If Necessary)

Game 5 - Monday, April 9 at 7:05 p.m. PT at Las Vegas (If Necessary)

#4 Colorado Eagles (38-28-6) vs. #5 Stockton Thunder (34-33-5)

Series Matchup Sheet

Colorado has advanced to the postseason in its first ECHL season, and went 5-4-0 against the Thunder this season. Chad Costello led Colorado against the Thunder with six goals and 12 points, while goaltender Kyle Jones was 5-1-0 with a 2.75 goals-against average and a save percentage of .919.

Stockton is in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the sixth straight season. The Thunder went 4-5-0 against Colorado this season, and was led by Gabriel Levesque who had nine points (2g-7a) in five games. Olivier Roy was 2-3-0 against Colorado with a 2.42 goals-against average and a save percentage of .925.

Game 1 - Tuesday, April 3 at 7 p.m. PT at Stockton

Game 2 - Wednesday, April 4 at 7 p.m. PT at Stockton

Game 3 - Friday, April 6 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Colorado

Game 4 - Saturday, April 7 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Colorado (If Necessary)

Game 5 - Monday, April 9 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Colorado (If Necessary)

Check out the ECHL Statistics

• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...

ECHL Stories from April 2, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central