Ice hockey league season
The 1996–97 ECHL season was the ninth season of the ECHL . Before the start of the season, two franchises relocated, one was renamed, and two expansion franchises were founded. Founding member Erie Panthers moved to Baton Rouge, LA and the Nashville Knights moved to Pensacola, FL , the Wheeling Thunderbirds changed their name to the Wheeling Nailers following a lawsuit with WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds , and the ECHL welcomed franchises in Peoria, IL and Biloxi, MS .
In 1996, the ECHL Board of Governors decided to retire the Jack Riley Cup and create a new trophy, the Patrick J. Kelly Cup , named after founding father and former ECHL commissioner, Patrick J. Kelly . The league also created a new individual award, the Sportsmanship Award, to be awarded to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams.[1]
The South Carolina Stingrays finished first overall in the season and became the first team in ECHL history to win the Brabham and Kelly Cups in the same year as they defeated the Louisiana IceGators 4 games to 1.
Regular season [ edit ] Final standings [ edit ] Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Green shade = Clinched playoff spot, Blue shade = Clinched division
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Kelly Cup playoffs [ edit ] Bracket [ edit ] First round [ edit ] South Carolina vs. Charlotte Date Away Home April 2 Charlotte 2 S. Carolina 4 April 4 Charlotte 3 S. Carolina 5 April 5 S. Carolina 4 Charlotte 2 South Carolina wins series 3–0
Hampton Roads vs. Roanoke Date Away Home April 2 Roanoke 3 Hampton Roads 4 OT April 4 Roanoke 4 Hampton Roads 2 April 5 Hampton Roads 4 Roanoke 1 April 6 Hampton Roads 4 Roanoke 3 Hampton Roads wins series 3–1
Richmond vs. Dayton Date Away Home April 1 Dayton 3 Richmond 5 April 3 Dayton 3 Richmond 4 April 5 Richmond 1 Dayton 4 April 6 Richmond 5 Dayton 2 Richmond wins series 3–1
Tallahassee vs. Pensacola Date Away Home April 2 Pensacola 4 Tallahassee 2 April 4 Pensacola 4 Tallahassee 0 April 5 Tallahassee 3 Pensacola 4 OT Pensacola wins series 3–0
Columbus vs. Toledo Date Away Home April 2 Toledo 2 Columbus 5 April 4 Columbus 2 Toledo 3 OT April 5 Toledo 3 Columbus 2 OT April 6 Columbus 3 Toledo 2 OT April 9 Toledo 2 Columbus 5 Columbus wins series 3–2
Peoria vs. Wheeling Date Away Home April 1 Wheeling 5 Peoria 6 April 2 Wheeling 4 Peoria 9 April 4 Peoria 8 Wheeling 3 Peoria wins series 3–0
Birmingham vs. Mississippi Date Away Home April 1 Mississippi 3 Birmingham 6 April 4 Mississippi 3 Birmingham 4 April 5 Birmingham 4 Mississippi 3 OT Birmingham wins series 3–0
Louisiana vs. Mobile Date Away Home April 2 Mobile 2 Louisiana 4 April 4 Louisiana 3 Mobile 2 April 6 Mobile 4 Louisiana 5 Louisiana wins series 3–0
Quarterfinals [ edit ] South Carolina vs. Hampton Roads Date Away Home April 11 Hampton Roads 4 South Carolina 5 OT April 12 Hampton Roads 5 South Carolina 6 OT April 17 South Carolina 3 Hampton Roads 8 April 19 South Carolina 4 Hampton Roads 5 April 20 Hampton Roads 2 South Carolina 6 South Carolina wins series 3–2
Richmond vs. Pensacola Date Away Home April 11 Pensacola 4 Richmond 2 April 12 Pensacola 3 Richmond 6 April 17 Richmond 3 Pensacola 4 April 18 Richmond 4 Pensacola 8 Pensacola wins series 3–1
Columbus vs. Peoria Date Away Home April 2 Columbus 2 Peoria 5 April 4 Peoria 3 Columbus 2 April 6 Peoria 5 Columbus 2 Peoria wins series 3–0
Birmingham vs. Louisiana Date Away Home April 11 Louisiana 4 Birmingham 3 April 13 Louisiana 4 Birmingham 5 April 15 Birmingham 4 Louisiana 5 April 16 Birmingham 6 Louisiana 5 April 19 Louisiana 6 Birmingham 5 OT Louisiana wins series 3–2
Semifinals [ edit ] South Carolina vs. Pensacola Date Away Home April 24 Pensacola 6 South Carolina 5 OT April 25 Pensacola 2 South Carolina 4 April 17 South Carolina 6 Pensacola 5 OT April 19 South Carolina 3 Pensacola 4 April 30 Pensacola 1 South Carolina 6 South Carolina wins series 3–2
Peoria vs. Louisiana Date Away Home April 24 Louisiana 4 Peoria 3 OT April 26 Louisiana 4 Peoria 2 April 28 Peoria 10 Louisiana 3 April 29 Peoria 3 Louisiana 4 OT Louisiana wins series 3–1
Kelly Cup finals [ edit ] Kelly Cup Finals South Carolina vs. Louisiana Date Away Home May 2 Louisiana 1 South Carolina 6 May 4 Louisiana 2 South Carolina 4 May 7 South Carolina 4 Louisiana 5 May 9 South Carolina 7 Louisiana 4 May 11 South Carolina 6 Louisiana 4 South Carolina wins series 4–1
ECHL awards [ edit ] See also [ edit ] References [ edit ]
Western Conference Eastern Conference