2003–04 ECHL season

The 2003–04 ECHL season was the 16th season of the ECHL. This was the first season that the league would be known as only the ECHL instead of East Coast Hockey League after the absorption of the former West Coast Hockey League teams. The Brabham Cup regular season champions were the San Diego Gulls and the Kelly Cup playoff champions were the Idaho Steelheads.

2003–04 ECHL season
LeagueECHL
SportIce hockey
Regular season
Brabham CupSan Diego Gulls
Season MVPScott Stirling (Atlantic City)
Top scorerTim Smith (Columbia)
Playoffs
Eastern championsFlorida Everblades
  Eastern runners-upReading Royals
Western championsIdaho Steelheads
  Western runners-upGwinnett Gladiators
Playoffs MVPDan Ellis (Idaho)
Finals
ChampionsIdaho Steelheads
  Runners-upFlorida Everblades

League changes

This season brought a major change in the ECHL as the Board of Governors approved membership applications from the Anchorage Aces, the Bakersfield Condors, the Fresno Falcons, the Idaho Steelheads, the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the San Diego Gulls from the recently defunct West Coast Hockey League. In a change reflective of the nationwide presence, the East Coast Hockey League changed its name to simply ECHL on May 19, 2003.

During the 2003 off-season, the Richmond Renegades, Arkansas RiverBlades, Jackson Bandits, Baton Rouge Kingfish, and Lexington Men O' War all ceased operations.

In addition to the former WCHL teams, the league also added two reactivated franchises in the Gwinnett Gladiators (formerly the Mobile Mysticks) and Texas Wildcatters (formerly the Huntington Blizzard).

All-Star Game

The ECHL All-Star Game was held at Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois, and was hosted by the Peoria Rivermen. The Eastern Conference All-Stars defeated the Western Conference All-Stars 7–6, with Peoria's Randy Rowe named Most Valuable Player.

Regular season

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses; OTL = Overtime or Shootout Losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
Green shade = Clinched playoff spot; Blue shade = Clinched division; (z) = Clinched home-ice advantage[1][2]

Eastern Conference
Northern Division GP W L OTL PTS GF GA
Wheeling Nailers (z)7251174106259188
Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies7247196100242159
Peoria Rivermen724518999244177
Johnstown Chiefs724520797223195
Reading Royals7237251084212189
Trenton Titans723728781222193
Dayton Bombers722641557187271
Toledo Storm7223381157183258
Cincinnati Cyclones722543454175223
Southern Division GP W L OTL PTS GF GA
Columbia Inferno724420896275217
Roanoke Express723826884219232
Florida Everblades7237251084239221
South Carolina Stingrays723928583205202
Greensboro Generals724030282241240
Charlotte Checkers723132971206230
Florence Pride723033969210254
Greenville Grrrowl721453533177281

Western Conference
Central Division GP W L OTL PTS GF GA
Louisiana IceGators724822298235167
Mississippi Sea Wolves724520797256200
Gwinnett Gladiators724222892248193
Pensacola Ice Pilots724023989240239
Columbus Cottonmouths723727882214197
Augusta Lynx723233771203234
Texas Wildcatters722244650196287
Pacific Division GP W L OTL PTS GF GA
San Diego Gulls (z)72491310108240177
Las Vegas Wranglers724322793227186
Idaho Steelheads724023989219208
Alaska Aces723828682220210
Bakersfield Condors722538959201236
Fresno Falcons722343652187275
Long Beach Ice Dogs722344551191257

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts
Tim SmithCBA69336295
Steffon WalbyMS59335588
Brian McCulloughFL72404787
Louis DumontMS72335184
Louis GouletAUG72325284
Mark PedersonSD70443781
Sylvai DeschateletsSD72245781
Mark TurnerGBO72285078
Cory NeilsonPEN72195978
Jon CullenAC71294877

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals allowed; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Player Team GP Mins W L T GA SO Sv% GAA
Scott StirlingAC49295431135944.9331.91
Derek GustafsonLA43249828140875.9272.09
Michael GarnettGWT33193621102694.9262.14
Trever KoenigSD53315437781143.9202.17
Mike ValleyPEO3721842087833.9152.28

Kelly Cup playoffs

Bracket
  Northern Division Wildcard Division Semifinals Division Finals Conference Finals Kelly Cup Final
                                               
 
  N1 Wheeling 2  
    N5 Reading 3  
N4 Johnstown 0
N5 Reading 1  
  N5 Reading 3  
  N3 Peoria 1  
 
 
  N2 Atlantic City 1
    N3 Peoria 3  
 
  N5 Reading 2  
  S3 Florida 3  
 
 
  S1 Columbia 1
    S4 South Carolina 3  
 
  S4 South Carolina 0
  S2 Florida 3  
 
 
  S2 Roanoke 1
    S3 Florida 3  
 
  S3 Florida 1
  P3 Idaho 4
 
  C1 Louisiana 3  
    C4 Pensacola 2  
 
  C1 Louisiana 1  
  C3 Gwinnett 3  
 
 
  C2 Mississippi 2
    C3 Gwinnett 3  
 
  C3 Gwinnett 1
  P3 Idaho 3  
 
 
  P1 San Diego 0
    P4 Alaska 3  
 
  P4 Alaska 1
  P3 Idaho 3  
 
 
  P2 Las Vegas 2
    P3 Idaho 3  

1st round
Northern Division Wildcard
Johnstown vs. Reading
DateAwayHome
April 5Reading 2Johnstown 1
Reading wins series 1–0

Division Semifinals
Northern Division Semifinals
Wheeling vs. Reading
DateAwayHome
April 8Reading 1Wheeling 3
April 9Reading 3Wheeling 2
April 10Wheeling 3Reading 4
April 13Wheeling 3Reading 1
April 14Reading 4Wheeling 0
Reading wins series 3–2
Northern Division Semifinals
Atlantic City vs. Peoria
DateAwayHome
April 7Peoria 2Atlantic City 3
April 9Peoria 6Atlantic City 3
April 12Atlantic City 1Peoria 22OT
April 13Atlantic City 1Peoria 2OT
Peoria wins series 3–1
Southern Division Semifinals
Columbia vs. South Carolina
DateAwayHome
April 6South Carolina 1Columbia 4
April 9South Carolina 4Columbia 2
April 10Columbia 2South Carolina 3OT
April 13Columbia 0South Carolina 3
South Carolina wins series 3–1
Southern Division Semifinals
Roanoke vs. Florida
DateAwayHome
April 6Florida 4Roanoke 3
April 8Florida 6Roanoke 3
April 9Roanoke 5Florida 3
April 12Roanoke 2Florida 3OT
Florida wins series 3–1

Division finals
Northern Division Finals
Peoria vs. Reading
DateAwayHome
April 17Reading 2Peoria 1OT
April 19Reading 2Peoria 4
April 21Peoria 2Reading 3
April 22Peoria 1Reading 3
Reading wins series 3–1
Southern Division Finals
Florida vs. South Carolina
DateAwayHome
April 17South Carolina 3Florida 6
April 19South Carolina 1Florida 22OT
April 22Florida 8South Carolina 2
Florida wins series 3–0

Conference finals
Eastern Conference Finals
Florida vs. Reading
DateAwayHome
April 28Reading 0Florida 1
April 30Reading 3Florida 5
May 2Florida 0Reading 6
May 5Florida 1Reading 4
May 10Reading 2Florida 3
Florida wins series 3–2
and Gingher Memorial Trophy

Western Conference

Division Semifinals

Central Division Semifinals
Louisiana vs. Pensacola
DateAwayHome
April 7Pensacola 4Louisiana 8
April 8Pensacola 0Louisiana 6
April 10Louisiana 1Pensacola 2OT
April 13Louisiana 1Pensacola 3
April 14Pensacola 1Louisiana 22OT
Louisiana wins series 3–2
Central Division Semifinals
Gwinnett vs. Mississippi
DateAwayHome
April 7Gwinnett 2Mississippi 1OT
April 9Gwinnett 3Mississippi 4
April 10Mississippi 3Gwinnett 6
April 12Mississippi 3Gwinnett 0
April 14Gwinnett 2Mississippi 1OT
Gwinnett wins series 3–2
Pacific Division Semifinals
San Diego vs. Alaska
DateAwayHome
April 6Alaska 4San Diego 2
April 7Alaska 4San Diego 3OT
April 9San Diego 1Alaska 5
Alaska wins series 3–0
Pacific Division Semifinals
Las Vegas vs. Idaho
DateAwayHome
April 6Idaho 2Las Vegas 4
April 9Idaho 2Las Vegas 3
April 10Las Vegas 0Idaho 2
April 13Las Vegas 3Idaho 4OT
April 14Idaho 3Las Vegas 0
Idaho wins series 3–2

Division finals

Central Division Finals
Louisiana vs. Gwinnett
DateAwayHome
April 16Gwinnett 1Louisiana 3
April 17Gwinnett 2Louisiana 1
April 21Louisiana 2Gwinnett 3
April 22Louisiana 5Gwinnett 62OT
Gwinnett wins series 3–1
Pacific Division Finals
Idaho vs. Alaska
DateAwayHome
April 16Alaska 4Idaho 3OT
April 17Alaska 1Idaho 4
April 20Idaho 4Alaska 1
April 21Idaho 3Alaska 2
Idaho wins series 3–1

Conference finals

Western Conference Finals
Gwinnett vs. Idaho
DateAwayHome
April 27Idaho 5Gwinnett 3
April 28Idaho 1Gwinnett 3
May 1Gwinnett 1Idaho 3
May 5Gwinnett 2Idaho 5
Idaho wins series 3–1
and Bruce Taylor Trophy

Kelly Cup finals
Florida vs. Idaho
DateAwayHome
May 14Idaho 5Florida 1
May 15Idaho 6Florida 4
May 19Florida 0Idaho 1OT
May 21Florida 3Idaho 2OT
May 22Florida 2Idaho 5
Idaho wins series 4–1
and Kelly Cup

ECHL awards
See also: ECHL awards
Patrick Kelly Cup:Idaho Steelheads
Henry Brabham Cup:San Diego Gulls
Gingher Memorial Trophy:Florida Everblades
Bruce Taylor Trophy:Idaho Steelheads
John Brophy Award:Pat Bingham (Wheeling)
CCM TACKS Most Valuable Player:Scott Stirling (Atlantic City)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:Dan Ellis (Idaho)
Reebok Hockey Goaltender of the Year:Scott Stirling (Atlantic City)
CCM Tacks Rookie of the Year:Kevin Doell (Gwinnett)
Defenseman of the Year:Corey Neilson (Pensacola)
Leading Scorer:Tim Smith (Columbia)
Reebok Hockey Plus Performer Award:Tim Smith (Columbia)
Sportsmanship Award:Mark Pederson (San Diego)

See also

References
  1. "2003–04 ECHL Standings". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  2. "2003–04 ECHL Stats" (PDF). ECHL. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
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