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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 Stingrays70451510**100**345253
Hampton Roads Admirals7046195**97**286223
Richmond Renegades7041254**86**252235
Roanoke Express7038266**82**262250
Charlotte Checkers7035287**77**271267
Raleigh Icecaps7030337**67**256293
Knoxville Cherokees7024433**51**260343
North DivisionGPWLTPtsGFGA
Columbus Chill7044215**93**303257
Peoria Rivermen7043216**92**308219
Dayton Bombers7036268**80**253258
Wheeling Nailers7036295**77**298291
Toledo Storm70322810**74**258248
Huntington Blizzard7033334**70**273296
Louisville RiverFrogs70293110**68**234290
Johnstown Chiefs7024397**55**253354
South DivisionGPWLTPtsGFGA
Tallahassee Tiger Sharks7039238**86**263236
Birmingham Bulls7036259**81**291296
Louisiana IceGators7038284**80**292244
Mobile Mysticks70342511**79**257263
Mississippi Sea Wolves70342610**78**241245
Pensacola Ice Pilots7036313**75**275275
Baton Rouge Kingfish7031336**68**222238
Jacksonville Lizard Kings70213712**54**220299

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

|}

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

|}

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

|}

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

|}

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

|}

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

|}

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

|}

Quarterfinals

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

|}

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

|}

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

|}

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

|}

Semifinals

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

|}

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

|}

Kelly Cup finals

Kelly Cup Finals
South Carolina vs. LouisianaDateAwayHome
May 2Louisiana 1**South Carolina 6**
May 4Louisiana 2**South Carolina 4**
May 7South 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

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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