South Carolina Wins 2009 Kelly Cup
Published on June 6, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - South Carolina captured a record-setting third Kelly Cup with a 4-2 win over Alaska in Game 7 of the ECHL Finals before a standing-room-only crowd of 6,610 Friday at Sullivan Arena.
The Stingrays and Aces put on another classic in front of a statewide audience watching on GCI Cable Channel One and KTUU Channel 2 and listening on KFQD 750 AM. In addition, B2 television brought the game to 33 million in over 125 markets around the nation. For the sixth time in seven games, the teams played essentially a one-goal contest (four of those being sealed by empty-netters).
Alaska out-shot South Carolina 8-5 in the first period but fell behind 1-0 when Maxime LaCroix scored his sixth goal of the series with 1:15 left in the frame. The first goal of Rob Ricci's brief (11 games) professional career gave the Stingrays a 2-0 edge at 2:29 of the second period, but Lance Galbraith scored his third goal in as many games to slice the deficit in half at 10:04.
South Carolina's 2-1 lead entering the third period grew to 3-1 when Trent Campbell whistled a wrist shot past Aces goalie J.P. Lamoureux with 8:54 left in the game, but Alaska managed one last rally. Matt Stefanishion ripped a one-timer past 'Rays netminder James Reimer with 1:45 remaining in regulation in a six-on-five situation, and when former Ace Patrick Wellar took a penalty 33 seconds later, the Aces suddenly found themselves trailing just 3-2 and on the power play.
Reimer made a tremendous stop on Bryan Miller at the one-minute mark, and shortly thereafter, Pierre-Luc O'Brien banged home an empty-netter with 24.1 seconds remaining, sealing South Carolina's third ECHL title and denying what would have been Alaska's second Kelly Cup in four years. 2009 joined 1999 and 1989 as the only three years that the ECHL Finals have gone the distance.
2009 KELLY CUP FINALS (all times AT):
Game 1: South Carolina 4, Alaska 2
Game 2: Alaska 3, South Carolina 1
Game 3: South Carolina 4, Alaska 2
Game 4: South Carolina 5, Alaska 0
Game 5: Alaska 3, South Carolina 2 (OT)
Game 6: Alaska 3, South Carolina 2
Game 7: South Carolina 4, Alaska 2
ECHL Stories from June 6, 2009
- Stockton wins over Tri-Cities - Stockton Thunder
- Come Celebrate the 2009 Kelly Cup Champions Tomorrow at the Carolina Ice Palace - South Carolina Stingrays
- Stingrays Win Kelly Cup, Beat Alaska 4-2 - ECHL
- South Carolina Wins 2009 Kelly Cup - Alaska Aces
- South Carolina Stingrays Are 2009 Kelly Cup Champions - South Carolina Stingrays
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