Kelly Cup

An Ice Hockey Wiki article.

Kelly Cup
File:KellyCup.jpg
Established	1997
Current holder	Cincinnati Cyclones
Awarded to the	Team that wins the playoffs of the ECHL

The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning team for one year and is returned at the start of the following years playoffs.^[1] The Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player award is also given out as part of the Kelly Cup Championship ceremonies. Nick Vitucci and Dave Gagnon are the only players to win the award on multiple occasions.^[2]

15 different franchises have won the ECHL Championship, with four (Hampton Roads, Toledo, South Carolina and Idaho) winning multiple times. The Hampton Roads Admirals, predecessor of the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League, hold the record for most championships won with three.^[3] Current possession of the trophy belongs to the Cincinnati Cyclones, who won it in 2008 with a six game victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers and Cincinnati goalie Cedrick Deshardains was awarded the Kelly Cup Playoffs MVP.

[edit] List of Kelly Cup Champions

Season	Winning team	Score	Losing team	MVP
1988–89	Carolina Thunderbirds (1)	4–3	Johnstown Chiefs	Nick Vitucci
1989–90	Greensboro Monarchs (1)	4–1	Winston-Salem Thunderbirds	Wade Flaherty
1990–91	Hampton Roads Admirals (1)	4–1	Greensboro Monarchs	Dave Flanagan / Dave Gagnon
1991–92	Hampton Roads Admirals (2)	4–0	Louisville Icehawks	Mark Bernard
1992–93	Toledo Storm (1)	4–2	Wheeling Thunderbirds	Rick Judson
1993–94	Toledo Storm (2)	4–1	Raleigh Icecaps	Dave Gagnon
1994–95	Richmond Renegades (1)	4–1	Greensboro Monarchs	Blaine Moore
1995–96	Charlotte Checkers (1)	4–0	Jacksonville Lizard Kings	Nick Vitucci
1996–97	South Carolina Stingrays (1)	4–1	Louisiana IceGators	Jason Fitzsimmons
1997–98	Hampton Roads Admirals (3)	4–2	Pensacola Ice Pilots	Sébastien Charpentier
1998–99	Mississippi Sea Wolves (1)	4–3	Richmond Renegades	Travis Scott
1999–00	Peoria Rivermen (1)	4–2	Louisiana IceGators	J. F. Boutin / Jason Christie
2000–01	South Carolina Stingrays (2)	4–1	Trenton Titans	Dave Seitz
2001–02	Greenville Grrrowl (1)	4–0	Dayton Bombers	Simon Gamache / Tyrone Garner
2002–03	Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (1)	4–1	Columbia Inferno	Kevin Colley
2003–04	Idaho Steelheads (1)	4–1	Florida Everblades	Dan Ellis
2004–05	Trenton Titans (1)	4–2	Florida Everblades	Leon Hayward
2005–06	Alaska Aces (1)	4–1	Gwinnett Gladiators	Mike Scott
2006–07	Idaho Steelheads (2)	4–1	Dayton Bombers	Steve Silverthorn
2007–08	Cincinnati Cyclones (1)	4–2	Las Vegas Wranglers	Cedrick Desjardins

[edit] References