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1996–97 ECHL season

Ice hockey league season

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.

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

Final standings

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

East DivisionGPWLTPtsGFGA
South Carolina Stingrays70451510100345253
Hampton Roads Admirals704619597286223
Richmond Renegades704125486252235
Roanoke Express703826682262250
Charlotte Checkers703528777271267
Raleigh Icecaps703033767256293
Knoxville Cherokees702443351260343
North DivisionGPWLTPtsGFGA
Columbus Chill704421593303257
Peoria Rivermen704321692308219
Dayton Bombers703626880253258
Wheeling Nailers703629577298291
Toledo Storm7032281074258248
Huntington Blizzard703333470273296
Louisville RiverFrogs7029311068234290
Johnstown Chiefs702439755253354
South DivisionGPWLTPtsGFGA
Tallahassee Tiger Sharks703923886263236
Birmingham Bulls703625981291296
Louisiana IceGators703828480292244
Mobile Mysticks7034251179257263
Mississippi Sea Wolves7034261078241245
Pensacola Ice Pilots703631375275275
Baton Rouge Kingfish703133668222238
Jacksonville Lizard Kings7021371254220299

Kelly Cup playoffs

Bracket

(Best of 5) (Best of 5) (Best of 7)

| RD1-seed01= | RD1-team01=South Carolina | RD1-score01=3 | RD1-seed02= | RD1-team02=Charlotte | RD1-score02=0

| RD1-seed03= | RD1-team03=Hampton Roads | RD1-score03=3 | RD1-seed04= | RD1-team04=Roanoke | RD1-score04=1

| RD1-seed05= | RD1-team05=Richmond | RD1-score05=3 | RD1-seed06= | RD1-team06=Dayton | RD1-score06=1

| RD1-seed07= | RD1-team07=Tallahassee | RD1-score07=0 | RD1-seed08= | RD1-team08=Pensacola | RD1-score08=3

| RD1-seed09= | RD1-team09=Columbus | RD1-score09=3 | RD1-seed10= | RD1-team10=Toledo | RD1-score10=2

| RD1-seed11= | RD1-team11=Peoria | RD1-score11=3 | RD1-seed12= | RD1-team12=Wheeling | RD1-score12=0

| RD1-seed13= | RD1-team13=Birmingham | RD1-score13=3 | RD1-seed14= | RD1-team14=Mississippi | RD1-score14=0

| RD1-seed15= | RD1-team15=Louisiana | RD1-score15=3 | RD1-seed16= | RD1-team16=Mobile | RD1-score16=0

| RD2-seed01= | RD2-team01=South Carolina | RD2-score01=3 | RD2-seed02= | RD2-team02=Hampton Roads | RD2-score02=0

| RD2-seed03= | RD2-team03=Richmond | RD2-score03=1 | RD2-seed04= | RD2-team04=Pensacola | RD2-score04=3

| RD2-seed05= | RD2-team05=Columbus | RD2-score05=0 | RD2-seed06= | RD2-team06=Peoria | RD2-score06=3

| RD2-seed07= | RD2-team07=Birmingham | RD2-score07=2 | RD2-seed08= | RD2-team08=Louisiana | RD2-score08=3

| RD3-seed01= | RD3-team01=South Carolina | RD3-score01=3 | RD3-seed02= | RD3-team02=Pensacola | RD3-score02=2

| RD3-seed03= | RD3-team03=Peoria | RD3-score03=1 | RD3-seed04= | RD3-team04=Louisiana | RD3-score04=3

| RD4-seed01= | RD4-team01=South Carolina | RD4-score01=4 | RD4-seed02= | RD4-team02=Louisiana | RD4-score02=1

First round

South Carolina vs. Charlotte
DateAwayHome
April 2Charlotte 2S. Carolina 4
April 4Charlotte 3S. Carolina 5
April 5S. Carolina 4Charlotte 2
*South Carolina wins series 3–0*

|}

Hampton Roads vs. Roanoke
DateAwayHome
April 2Roanoke 3Hampton Roads 4OT
April 4Roanoke 4Hampton Roads 2
April 5Hampton Roads 4Roanoke 1
April 6Hampton Roads 4Roanoke 3
*Hampton Roads wins series 3–1*

|}

Richmond vs. DaytonDateAwayHome
April 1Dayton 3Richmond 5
April 3Dayton 3Richmond 4
April 5Richmond 1Dayton 4
April 6Richmond 5Dayton 2
*Richmond wins series 3–1*

|}

Tallahassee vs. PensacolaDateAwayHome
April 2Pensacola 4Tallahassee 2
April 4Pensacola 4Tallahassee 0
April 5Tallahassee 3Pensacola 4OT
*Pensacola wins series 3–0*

|}

Columbus vs. ToledoDateAwayHome
April 2Toledo 2Columbus 5
April 4Columbus 2Toledo 3OT
April 5Toledo 3Columbus 2OT
April 6Columbus 3Toledo 2OT
April 9Toledo 2Columbus 5
*Columbus wins series 3–2*

|}

Peoria vs. WheelingDateAwayHome
April 1Wheeling 5Peoria 6
April 2Wheeling 4Peoria 9
April 4Peoria 8Wheeling 3
*Peoria wins series 3–0*

|}

Birmingham vs. MississippiDateAwayHome
April 1Mississippi 3Birmingham 6
April 4Mississippi 3Birmingham 4
April 5Birmingham 4Mississippi 3OT
*Birmingham wins series 3–0*

|}

Louisiana vs. MobileDateAwayHome
April 2Mobile 2Louisiana 4
April 4Louisiana 3Mobile 2
April 6Mobile 4Louisiana 5
*Louisiana wins series 3–0*

|}

Quarterfinals

South Carolina vs. Hampton RoadsDateAwayHome
April 11Hampton Roads 4South Carolina 5OT
April 12Hampton Roads 5South Carolina 6OT
April 17South Carolina 3Hampton Roads 8
April 19South Carolina 4Hampton Roads 5
April 20Hampton Roads 2South Carolina 6
*South Carolina wins series 3–2*

|}

Richmond vs. PensacolaDateAwayHome
April 11Pensacola 4Richmond 2
April 12Pensacola 3Richmond 6
April 17Richmond 3Pensacola 4
April 18Richmond 4Pensacola 8
*Pensacola wins series 3–1*

|}

Columbus vs. PeoriaDateAwayHome
April 2Columbus 2Peoria 5
April 4Peoria 3Columbus 2
April 6Peoria 5Columbus 2
*Peoria wins series 3–0*

|}

Birmingham vs. LouisianaDateAwayHome
April 11Louisiana 4Birmingham 3
April 13Louisiana 4Birmingham 5
April 15Birmingham 4Louisiana 5
April 16Birmingham 6Louisiana 5
April 19Louisiana 6Birmingham 5OT
*Louisiana wins series 3–2*

|}

Semifinals

South Carolina vs. PensacolaDateAwayHome
April 24Pensacola 6South Carolina 5OT
April 25Pensacola 2South Carolina 4
April 17South Carolina 6Pensacola 5OT
April 19South Carolina 3Pensacola 4
April 30Pensacola 1South Carolina 6
*South Carolina wins series 3–2*

|}

Peoria vs. LouisianaDateAwayHome
April 24Louisiana 4Peoria 3OT
April 26Louisiana 4Peoria 2
April 28Peoria 10Louisiana 3
April 29Peoria 3Louisiana 4OT
*Louisiana wins series 3–1*

|}

Kelly Cup finals

Kelly Cup Finals
South Carolina vs. LouisianaDateAwayHome
May 2Louisiana 1South Carolina 6
May 4Louisiana 2South Carolina 4
May 7South Carolina 4Louisiana 5
May 9South Carolina 7Louisiana 4
May 11South Carolina 6Louisiana 4
*South Carolina wins series 4–1*

|}

ECHL awards

References

References

  1. "ECHL Trophies and Awards".
  2. [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/echl19891997.html 1996-97 ECHL Standings]
Info: Wikipedia Source

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