1997–98 ECHL season

The 1997–98 ECHL season was the tenth season of the ECHL. Before the start of the season, the league saw the Knoxville Cherokees move to Florence, SC and welcomed expansion teams in New Orleans, LA and Upper Marlboro, MD. The Louisiana IceGators finished the regular season first overall and the Hampton Roads Admirals won their record setting third overall ECHL championship (1st Kelly Cup), defeating the Pensacola Ice Pilots 4 games to 2.

League realignment

With the league expanding to 25 teams, the Board of Governors decided to divide the league into two conference (Northern and Southern), with two divisions each. With the realignment the Board of Governors also created two new trophies, one each for the playoff champion of each conference.^[1]

Northern Conference

Northeast Division Chesapeake Icebreakers Hampton Roads Admirals Johnstown Chiefs Richmond Renegades Roanoke Express Wheeling Nailers

Northwest Division Columbus Chill Dayton Bombers Huntington Blizzard Louisville RiverFrogs Peoria Rivermen Toledo Storm

Southern Conference

Southeast Division Charlotte Checkers Jacksonville Lizard Kings Pee Dee Pride Raleigh Icecaps South Carolina Stingrays Tallahassee Tiger Sharks

Southwest Division Baton Rouge Kingfish Birmingham Bulls Louisiana IceGators Mississippi Sea Wolves Mobile Mysticks New Orleans Brass Pensacola Ice Pilots

Regular season

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot; Blue shade = Clinched division; (z) = Clinched home-ice advantage

Northern Conference

Northeast Division	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA
Roanoke Express	70	42	21	7	91	235	208
Wheeling Nailers	70	37	24	9	83	255	255
Chesapeake Icebreakers	70	34	28	8	76	252	239
Hampton Roads Admirals	70	32	28	10	74	222	225
Richmond Renegades	70	30	33	7	67	218	277
Johnstown Chiefs	70	23	41	6	52	219	297

Northwest Division	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA
Peoria Rivermen	70	44	19	7	95	296	213
Toledo Storm	70	41	21	8	90	251	210
Dayton Bombers	70	36	26	8	80	255	256
Huntington Blizzard	70	34	29	7	75	230	259
Columbus Chill	70	33	30	7	73	221	220
Louisville RiverFrogs	70	32	31	7	71	228	257

Southern Conference

Southeast Division	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA
South Carolina Stingrays	70	41	23	6	88	246	218
Charlotte Checkers	70	35	24	11	81	251	237
Pee Dee Pride	70	34	25	11	79	214	215
Jacksonville Lizard Kings	70	35	29	6	76	243	239
Raleigh Icecaps	70	32	33	5	69	236	254
Tallahassee Tiger Sharks	70	24	44	2	50	210	320

Southwest Division	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA
Louisiana IceGators	70	43	17	10	96	298	232
Birmingham Bulls	70	39	23	8	86	293	257
Pensacola Ice Pilots	70	36	24	10	82	276	262
New Orleans Brass	70	36	24	10	82	278	263
Mobile Mysticks	70	35	27	8	78	236	233
Mississippi Sea Wolves	70	34	27	9	77	225	224
Baton Rouge Kingfish	70	33	27	10	76	220	238

Kelly Cup playoffs

Bracket

	Conference Quarterfinals (Best of 5)					Conference Semifinals (Best of 5)					Conference Finals (Best of 7)					Kelly Cup Finals (Best of 7)
	1	Peoria	0
	8	Hampton Roads	3
						3	Toledo	1
						4	Wheeling	3
	4	Wheeling	3
	5	Dayton	2
											4	Wheeling	2
	Northern Conference
											8	Hampton Roads	4
	3	Toledo	3
	6	Chesapeake	0
						2	Roanoke	2
						8	Hampton Roads	3
	2	Roanoke	3
	7	Huntington	1
																8	Hampton Roads	4
																4	Pensacola	2
	1	Louisiana	3
	8	Mobile	0
						1	Louisiana	3
						7	Pee Dee	0
	4	Pensacola	3
	5	New Orleans	1
											1	Louisiana	2
	Southern Conference
											4	Pensacola	4
	3	Birmingham	1
	6	Charlotte	3
						4	Pensacola	3
						6	Charlotte	0
	2	South Carolina	2
	7	Pee Dee	3

Northern Conference

Quarterfinals

(1) Peoria vs. (8) Hampton Roads Date Away Home March 31 Hampton Roads 7 Peoria 3 April 3 Peoria 0 Hampton Roads 2 April 4 Peoria 3 Hampton Roads 4 OT Hampton Roads wins series 3–0

(2) Roanoke vs. (7) Huntington Date Away Home March 31 Huntington 1 Roanoke 4 April 3 Roanoke 2 Huntington 3 April 4 Huntington 2 Roanoke 5 April 6 Roanoke 3 Huntington 2 Roanoke wins series 3–1

(3) Toledo vs. (6) Chesapeake Date Away Home April 1 Chesapeake 2 Toledo 4 April 3 Chesapeake 1 Toledo 4 April 4 Toledo 3 Chesapeake 2 OT Toledo wins series 3–0

(4) Wheeling vs. (5) Dayton Date Away Home April 1 Dayton 1 Wheeling 4 April 3 Dayton 2 Wheeling 1 April 4 Wheeling 3 Dayton 4 OT April 7 Wheeling 3 Dayton 2 OT April 8 Dayton 2 Wheeling 4 Wheeling wins series 3–2

Semifinals

(2) Roanoke vs. (8) Hampton Roads Date Away Home April 9 Hampton Roads 0 Roanoke 3 April 11 Hampton Roads 2 Roanoke 3 OT April 15 Roanoke 3 Hampton Roads 4 April 17 Roanoke 1 Hampton Roads 2 April 20 Hampton Roads 3 Roanoke 2 OT Hampton Roads wins series 3–2

(3) Toledo vs. (4) Wheeling Date Away Home April 10 Wheeling 3 Toledo 0 April 11 Wheeling 5 Toledo 6 April 15 Toledo 2 Wheeling 3 OT April 17 Toledo 0 Wheeling 3 Wheeling wins series 3–1

Finals

(4) Wheeling vs. (8) Hampton Roads Date Away Home April 22 Hampton Roads 4 Wheeling 3 OT April 24 Hampton Roads 1 Wheeling 2 April 25 Hampton Roads 3 Wheeling 4 OT April 30 Wheeling 1 Hampton Roads 3 May 2 Wheeling 1 Hampton Roads 2 OT May 3 Wheeling 1 Hampton Roads 5 Hampton Roads wins series 4–2

Southern Conference

Quarterfinals

(1) Louisiana vs. (8) Mobile Date Away Home March 31 Mobile 2 Louisiana 4 April 4 Louisiana 8 Mobile 7 OT April 6 Mobile 4 Louisiana 6 Louisiana wins series 3–0

(2) South Carolina vs. (7) Pee Dee Date Away Home April 30 Pee Dee 6 South Carolina 3 April 1 South Carolina 0 Pee Dee 3 April 3 Pee Dee 1 South Carolina 5 April 4 South Carolina 3 Pee Dee 0 April 8 Pee Dee 4 South Carolina 3 OT Pee Dee wins series 3–2

(3) Birmingham vs. (6) Charlotte Date Away Home April 1 Charlotte 4 Birmingham 2 April 2 Charlotte 3 Birmingham 4 April 4 Birmingham 4 Charlotte 5 OT April 5 Birmingham 2 Charlotte 5 Charlotte wins series 3–1

(4) Pensacola vs. (5) New Orleans Date Away Home April 2 New Orleans 2 Pensacola 3 April 3 New Orleans 4 Pensacola 2 April 4 Pensacola 6 New Orleans 5 OT April 7 Pensacola 6 New Orleans 4 Pensacola wins series 3–1

Semifinals

(1) Louisiana vs. (7) Pee Dee Date Away Home April 10 Pee Dee 3 Louisiana 6 April 11 Pee Dee 3 Louisiana 7 April 16 Louisiana 3 Pee Dee 0 Louisiana wins series 3–0

(4) Pensacola vs. (6) Charlotte Date Away Home April 10 Charlotte 2 Pensacola 3 April 11 Charlotte 3 Pensacola 4 OT April 16 Pensacola 2 Charlotte 1 Pensacola wins series 3–0

Finals

(1) Louisiana vs. (4) Pensacola Date Away Home April 22 Pensacola 1 Louisiana 3 April 25 Pensacola 1 Louisiana 3 April 26 Louisiana 4 Pensacola 9 April 28 Louisiana 4 Pensacola 6 April 30 Pensacola 8 Louisiana 2 May 3 Louisiana 4 Pensacola 5 OT Pensacola wins series 4–2

Kelly Cup finals

Kelly Cup Finals (4) Pensacola vs. (8) Hampton Roads Date Away Home May 8 Hampton Roads 4 Pensacola 7 May 9 Hampton Roads 3 Pensacola 1 May 12 Pensacola 1 Hampton Roads 0 OT May 13 Pensacola 2 Hampton Roads 4 May 18 Pensacola 3 Hampton Roads 7 May 20 Hampton Roads 4 Pensacola 1 Hampton Roads wins series 4–2

ECHL awards

See also: ECHL awards

Patrick J. Kelly Cup:	Hampton Roads Admirals
Henry Brabham Cup:	Louisiana IceGators
Northern Conference Champion:	Hampton Roads Admirals
Southern Conference Champion:	Pensacola Ice Pilots
John Brophy Award:	Chris Nilan (Chesapeake)
ECHL Most Valuable Player:	Jamey Hicks (Birmingham)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:	Sebastien Charpentier (Hampton Roads)
ECHL Goaltender of the Year:	Nick Vitucci (Toledo)
ECHL Rookie of the Year:	Sean Venedam (Toledo)
Defenseman of the Year:	Chris Valicevic (Louisiana)
Leading Scorer:	Jamey Hicks (Birmingham)
Sportsmanship Award:	Cal Ingraham (Tallahassee)

See also

• ECHL All-Star Game
• List of ECHL seasons
• 1997 in sports
• 1998 in sports

References

1. ECHL Trophies and Awards Archived 2008-02-15 at the Wayback Machine