2010–11 ECHL season

The 2010–11 ECHL season was the 23rd season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 15, 2010,[1] to April 2, 2011.[2] The Kelly Cup playoffs followed the regular season, with the first playoff game held on April 4, 2011,[3] and the final game (between the Alaska Aces and the Kalamazoo Wings) held on May 21, 2011. The league welcomed one new franchise, a relocation of the Johnstown Chiefs to Greenville, South Carolina, who played in the BI-LO Center. The ECHL held its annual All-Star Game and Skills Challenge on January 26 at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California, home of the Bakersfield Condors.[4]

2010–11 ECHL season
LeagueECHL
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 5, 2010 – April 2, 2011
Total attendance2,967,752 (total)
4,339 (average)
Regular season
Brabham CupAlaska Aces
Season MVPWes Goldie
Top scorerJustin Donati
Playoffs
Eastern championsKalamazoo Wings
  Eastern runners-upWheeling Nailers
Western championsAlaska Aces
  Western runners-upVictoria Salmon Kings
Playoffs MVPScott Howes
Kelly Cup
ChampionsAlaska Aces
  Runners-upKalamazoo Wings

League business

Team changes

In February 2010, Charlotte Checkers owner Michael Kahn purchased the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League from Capital District Sports and the team relocated to Charlotte for the 2010–11 season.[5] Rumors had surfaced that the franchise rights that were held by the Checkers would be transferred to an ownership group with plans of putting a team at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California,[6] but instead Charlotte returned its franchise to the ECHL.[7]

Also in February 2010, the Johnstown Chiefs, the only member from the original five teams to compete in the league's inaugural season to stay in its original city, announced that they would be relocating to Greenville, South Carolina, following the completion of the 2009–10 season.[8] On February 15, 2010, the Greenville Arena District Board announced that they had agreed to a five-year deal to bring the Chiefs to Greenville's BI-LO Center[9] and the ECHL Board of Governors approved the relocation of the Johnstown franchise to Greenville on February 17.[7]

All-star game

The 2011 ECHL All-Star game was played on January 26, 2011, and was hosted by the Bakersfield Condors at Rabobank Arena. The format featured the host team Condors taking on the ECHL All-Star team.[10] The All-Stars won 9–3.

Regular season

Final league standings

Conference standings
Eastern Conference GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
z-Greenville Road Warriors*7246223125519296
y-Reading Royals*7244232325722093
y-Kalamazoo Wings*7240242625522588
x-Wheeling Nailers7238290523021081
x-South Carolina Stingrays7237293319420480
x-Florida Everblades7237301423622279
x-Cincinnati Cyclones7233296419922976
x-Elmira Jackals7232307324926474
e-Toledo Walleye7233334223925572
e-Gwinnett Gladiators7230343520325068
e-Trenton Devils7227372621825762

x – clinched playoff spot, y – clinched division title, z – clinched best conference record, e – eliminated from playoff contention

* – division leader

Western Conference GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
b-Alaska Aces*7247222124117497
y-Bakersfield Condors*7241272222221086
x-Stockton Thunder7237235723221086
x-Las Vegas Wranglers7238293221620381
x-Idaho Steelheads7232274922521777
x-Utah Grizzlies7233324318922773
x-Victoria Salmon Kings7232362221723468
e-Ontario Reign7227392419526960

x – clinched playoff spot, y – clinched division title, b – clinched Brabham Cup, best record in the conference and first round bye, e – eliminated from playoff contention

* – division leader

Divisional standings
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
y-Reading Royals* (TOR)7244232325722093
x-Elmira Jackals (ANA/OTT)7232307324926474
Trenton Devils (NJ)7227372621825762
North Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
y-Kalamazoo Wings* (NYI)7240242625522588
x-Wheeling Nailers (MTL/PIT)7238290523021081
x-Cincinnati Cyclones (BUF/NAS)7233296419922976
Toledo Walleye (CHI/DET)7233334223925572
South Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
y-Greenville Road Warriors* (NYR/PHI)7246223125519296
x-South Carolina Stingrays (WAS)7237293319420480
x-Florida Everblades (TB/CAR)7237301423622279
Gwinnett Gladiators (ATL)7230343520325068

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; SOL = Shootout loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points

Western Conference
Pacific Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
y-Bakersfield Condors* (MIN)7241272222221086
x-Stockton Thunder (SJ/EDM)7237235723221086
x-Las Vegas Wranglers (PHX)7238293221620381
Ontario Reign (LA)7227392419526960
Mountain Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
y-Alaska Aces* (STL)7247222124117497
x-Idaho Steelheads (DAL)7232274922521777
x-Utah Grizzlies (CGY)7233324318922773
x-Victoria Salmon Kings (VAN)7232362221723468

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; SOL = Shootout loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points

2010–11 Kelly Cup Playoffs
Main article: 2011 Kelly Cup playoffs

2011 Kelly Cup playoffs format

The format for the 2011 Kelly Cup playoffs remained unchanged from the previous season.

In the Eastern Conference, postseason berths were awarded to the first-place team in each division and the next five teams in the conference, based on points. The division winners were seeded first, second and third and played the eighth-place finisher, the seventh-place finisher and the sixth-place finisher, respectively, while the fourth-place finisher and the fifth-place finisher met. The conference semifinals had the winner of the first-place and eighth-place match-up meet the winner of the fourth-place and fifth-place game while the winner of the second-place and seventh-place game faced the winner of the third-place and sixth-place match-up.

In the Western Conference, postseason berths were awarded to the first-place team in each division and the next five teams in the conference, based on points. The division winner with the best record in the conference received a bye in the first round. The other division winner was seeded second and met the team that finished seventh in the conference in the first round. The other first round matchups were the third-place finisher in the conference against the sixth-place finisher in the conference and the fourth-place finisher in the conference against the fifth-place finisher in the conference. The conference semifinals had the first-place finisher meet the winner of the fourth-place and fifth-place matchup and the winner of the second-place finisher and seventh-place finisher against the winner of the third-place finisher and the sixth-place finisher.

The first round in each Conference was a best of five series with each subsequent round being a best of seven series.

Bracket
Conference Quarterfinals[11] Conference Semifinals[12] Conference Finals[13][14] Kelly Cup Finals[15][16]
            
1 Greenville 3
8 Elmira 1
1 Greenville 3
4 Wheeling 4
4 Wheeling 3
5 South Carolina 1
4 Wheeling 2
Eastern Conference
3 Kalamazoo 4
2 Reading 3
7 Cincinnati 1
2 Reading 0
3 Kalamazoo 4
3 Kalamazoo 3
6 Florida 1
W1 Alaska 4
E3 Kalamazoo 1
1 Alaska –
8 BYE –
1 Alaska 4
5 Idaho 0
4 Las Vegas 2
5 Idaho 3
1 Alaska 4
Western Conference
7 Victoria 0
2 Bakersfield 1
7 Victoria 3
7 Victoria 4
6 Utah 0
3 Stockton 1
6 Utah 3

ECHL awards
See also: ECHL awards
Patrick Kelly Cup:Alaska Aces
Henry Brabham Cup:Alaska Aces
Gingher Memorial Trophy:Kalamazoo Wings
Bruce Taylor Trophy:Alaska Aces
John Brophy Award:Brent Thompson (Alaska Aces)
CCM U+ Most Valuable Player:Wes Goldie (Alaska Aces)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:Scott Howes (Alaska Aces)
Reebok Hockey Goaltender of the Year:Gerald Coleman (Alaska Aces)
CCM Rookie of the Year:Ben Street (Wheeling Nailers)
Defenseman of the Year:Eric Regan (Elmira Jackals)
Leading Scorer:Justin Donati (Elmira Jackals)
Reebok Plus Performer Award:Trent Daavettila (Kalamazoo Wings)
Brendan Connolly (Greenville Road Warriors)
Sportsmanship Award:Brian Swanson (Alaska Aces)
Birmingham Memorial Award:Paul Carnathan

All-ECHL Teams

ECHL All-Rookie Team
ECHL-All Rookie Team

F Andy Bohmbach (Toledo)
F Kael Mouillierat (Idaho)
F Ben Street (Wheeling)
D Mark Isherwood (Alaska)
D Bobby Raymond (Florida)
G Brian Stewart (Bakersfield)

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-10. Retrieved 2011-02-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-10. Retrieved 2011-02-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "2011 Kelly Cup Playoffs – Conference Quarterfinals Preview – OurSports Central". oursportscentral.com. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  4. Press Release (February 18, 2010). "Bakersfield Selected To Host 2011 All-Star Game". ECHL. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  5. Scott, David (February 11, 2010). "Checkers moving up in the world". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  6. Sullivan, Tim (March 9, 2010). "No home for hockey this time". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  7. Press release (February 17, 2010). "ECHL Concludes Mid-Season Board of Governors Meeting". ECHL. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  8. Mastovich, Mike (February 15, 2010). "Chiefs plan to move franchise to South Carolina". Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  9. Staff report (February 16, 2010). "Deal done for ECHL team in Greenville". Post and Courier. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012.
  10. 2011 ECHL All-Star Classic
  11. Press release (April 4, 2011). "Conference quarterfinals preview". ECHL. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
  12. Press release (April 13, 2011). "Conference semifinals preview". ECHL. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  13. Press release (April 27, 2011). "Preview of Kelly Cup playoffs Western Conference finals". ECHL. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  14. Press release (April 29, 2011). "Kelly Cup playoffs Eastern Conference finals preview". ECHL. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  15. Press release (May 13, 2011). "Preview of 2011 Kelly Cup finals". ECHL. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
  16. Press release (May 21, 2011). "Alaska wins second Kelly Cup title". ECHL. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
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