2021 Kelly Cup playoffs
Tournament details
DatesJune 7 – July 2, 2021
Teams8
Final positions
ChampionsFort Wayne Komets
Runner-upSouth Carolina Stingrays
Tournament statistics
Scoring leader(s)Anthony Nellis (Fort Wayne) (13 points)
MVPStephen Harper

The 2021 Kelly Cup playoffs of the ECHL began on June 7 following the conclusion of the 2020–21 ECHL regular season, and ended on July 2 with the Fort Wayne Komets winning their first Kelly Cup over the South Carolina Stingrays in four games.[1]

Playoff format

The qualification and with the top four teams from each conference at the end of the regular season.[2] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only 14 of the 26 member teams participated in the season, the playoff field was cut from 16 teams to eight, and there were no divisions. As the start of the season was delayed and extended to later in the year than normal, each playoff series is a best-of-five tournament, down from the previous 2019 playoffs and planned 2020 playoffs that consisted of best-of-seven series.

Due to the postseason being pushed later into the year than typical, both the South Carolina Stingrays and Wichita Thunder were forced to play home games out of their practice rinks over scheduling conflicts with their normal home arenas.[3][4]

Playoff seeds

After the regular season, eight teams qualify for the playoffs. The Wichita Thunder were the first team to qualify during the regular season on May 16.[5] Due to the imbalanced scheduling during the pandemic, teams were seeded by points percentage.[6]

Final seeds and points percentages:[7]

Eastern Conference

  1. Florida Everblades – Brabham Cup winners, conference champions, .667 pts%
  2. Greenville Swamp Rabbits – .632 pts%
  3. Indy Fuel – .594 pts%
  4. South Carolina Stingrays – .579 pts%

Western Conference

  1. Allen Americans – Conference champions, .653 pts%
  2. Wichita Thunder – .634 pts%
  3. Fort Wayne Komets – .618 pts%
  4. Utah Grizzlies – .563 pts%

Playoff bracket

Final results.[8]

Conference Semifinals Conference Finals Kelly Cup Finals
         
E1 Florida Everblades 2
E4 South Carolina Stingrays 3
E4 South Carolina Stingrays 3
Eastern Conference
E2 Greenville Swamp Rabbits 1
E2 Greenville Swamp Rabbits 3
E3 Indy Fuel 1
E4 South Carolina Stingrays 1
W3 Fort Wayne Komets 3
W1 Allen Americans 3
W4 Utah Grizzlies 0
W1 Allen Americans 1
Western Conference
W3 Fort Wayne Komets 3
W2 Wichita Thunder 2
W3 Fort Wayne Komets 3

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference

(1) Florida Everblades vs. (4) South Carolina Stingrays

June 7 Florida Everblades 2–3 OT South Carolina Stingrays Carolina Ice Palace Recap
June 9 Florida Everblades 5–4 South Carolina Stingrays Carolina Ice Palace Recap
June 12 South Carolina Stingrays 1–5 Florida Everblades Hertz Arena Recap
June 13 South Carolina Stingrays 4–2 Florida Everblades Hertz Arena Recap
June 14 South Carolina Stingrays 3–2 Florida Everblades Hertz Arena Recap
South Carolina won series 3–2

(2) Greenville Swamp Rabbits vs. (3) Indy Fuel

June 8 Greenville Swamp Rabbits 2–0 Indy Fuel Indiana Farmers Coliseum Recap
June 10 Indy Fuel 1–3 Greenville Swamp Rabbits Bon Secours Wellness Arena Recap
June 11 Indy Fuel 3–2 Greenville Swamp Rabbits Bon Secours Wellness Arena Recap
June 12 Indy Fuel 2–3 Greenville Swamp Rabbits Bon Secours Wellness Arena Recap
Greenville won series 3–1

Western Conference

(1) Allen Americans vs. (4) Utah Grizzlies

June 8 Utah Grizzlies 1–3 Allen Americans Allen Event Center Recap
June 9 Utah Grizzlies 2–4 Allen Americans Allen Event Center Recap
June 11 Allen Americans 4–3 2OT Utah Grizzlies Maverik Center Recap
Allen won series 3–0

(2) Wichita Thunder vs. (3) Fort Wayne Komets

June 8 Fort Wayne Komets 3–2 Wichita Thunder Wichita Ice Center Recap
June 9 Fort Wayne Komets 2–5 Wichita Thunder Wichita Ice Center Recap
June 11 Wichita Thunder 0–3 Fort Wayne Komets Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Recap
June 12 Wichita Thunder 4–2 Fort Wayne Komets Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Recap
June 14 Wichita Thunder 3–4 OT Fort Wayne Komets Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Recap
Fort Wayne won series 3–2

Conference finals

Eastern Conference

(2) Greenville Swamp Rabbits vs. (4) South Carolina Stingrays

June 16 Greenville Swamp Rabbits 1–5 South Carolina Stingrays Carolina Ice Palace Recap
June 18 South Carolina Stingrays 2–5 Greenville Swamp Rabbits Bon Secours Wellness Arena Recap
June 19 South Carolina Stingrays 3–2 Greenville Swamp Rabbits Bon Secours Wellness Arena Recap
June 21 Greenville Swamp Rabbits 1–2 South Carolina Stingrays Carolina Ice Palace Recap
South Carolina won series 3–1

Western Conference

(1) Allen Americans vs. (3) Fort Wayne Komets

June 18 Fort Wayne Komets 2–5 Allen Americans Allen Event Center Recap
June 19 Fort Wayne Komets 5–4 OT Allen Americans Allen Event Center Recap
June 21 Allen Americans 3–4 Fort Wayne Komets Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Recap
June 22 Allen Americans 2–3 OT Fort Wayne Komets Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Recap
Fort Wayne won series 3–1

Kelly Cup finals

Note: Italics signify games to be played only if necessary.

(W3) Fort Wayne Komets vs. (E4) South Carolina Stingrays

June 25 Fort Wayne Komets 7–2 South Carolina Stingrays Carolina Ice Palace Recap
June 27 Fort Wayne Komets 2–4 South Carolina Stingrays Carolina Ice Palace Recap
June 30 South Carolina Stingrays 4–6 Fort Wayne Komets Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Recap
July 2 South Carolina Stingrays 1–2 Fort Wayne Komets Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Recap
Fort Wayne won series 3–1

Statistical leaders

Skaters

These are the top ten skaters based on points.[9]

Player Team GP G A Pts +/– PIM
Anthony NellisFort Wayne Komets138513+38
Stephen HarperFort Wayne Komets126713+30
Cole UllySouth Carolina Stingrays134812+20
Matthew WeisSouth Carolina Stingrays133912−46
Brandon HawkinsFort Wayne Komets136511+26
Alan LyszczarczykFort Wayne Komets113811+60
Shawn SzydlowskiFort Wayne Komets92911+54
Dan DesalvoSouth Carolina Stingrays135510+16
A. J. JenksFort Wayne Komets134610+318
Max NovakSouth Carolina Stingrays13461006

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Goaltending

This is a combined table of the top five goaltenders based on goals against average and the top five goaltenders based on save percentage, with at least 240 minutes played as of June 30. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded.[10]

Player Team GP W L OTL SA GA GAA SV% SO TOI
Ryan BednardGreenville Swamp Rabbits5230154112.440.9291271
C. J. MotteAllen Americans4211119112.740.9080241
Evan BuitenhuisWichita Thunder5221152142.790.9080301
Dylan FergusonFort Wayne Komets13840399372.930.9071757
Jake HildebrandFlorida Everblades5221131153.280.8850274

GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime Losses; SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; SO = Shutouts; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Up with the Cup! Komets clinch first-ever Kelly Cup with game four victory!". WANE 15. July 3, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  2. ↑ "FORMAT ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 KELLY CUP PLAYOFFS". ECHL. February 4, 2021.
  3. ↑ "S.C. Stingrays earn playoff berth, but can't play at North Charleston Coliseum". The Post and Courier. June 6, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Postseason hockey returns for the Wichita Thunder". KSN.com. June 7, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Thunder clinch playoff spot for final stretch of the season". KSNW. May 19, 2021.
  6. ↑ "ECHL Announces Schedule Through April 4". OurSports Central. January 15, 2021.
  7. ↑ "2020–21 Conference Standings". ECHL. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  8. ↑ "2021 playoff schedule". ECHL. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Skater Statistics". ECHL. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Goaltender Statistics". ECHL. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
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