2005–06 ECHL season | |
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League | ECHL |
Sport | Ice hockey |
Duration | October 2005 – May 2006 |
Regular season | |
Brabham Cup | Alaska Aces |
Season MVP | Jeff Campbell (Gwinnett) |
Top scorer | Alex Leavitt (Alaska) |
Playoffs | |
American champions | Gwinnett Gladiators |
American runners-up | Toledo Storm |
National champions | Alaska Aces |
National runners-up | Fresno Falcons |
Playoffs MVP | Mike Scott (Alaska) |
Finals | |
Champions | Alaska Aces |
Runners-up | Gwinnett Gladiators |
The 2005–06 ECHL season is the 18th season of the ECHL, a professional ice-hockey league based in the United States. The season ran from late October 2005 to early June 2006. The Brabham Cup regular season champions and Kelly Cup playoff champions were the Alaska Aces.
League changes
At the end of the 2004–05 season, the Pee Dee Pride and Louisiana IceGators franchises ceased operations, with the Florence-based Pride announcing a move to nearby Conway (in the Myrtle Beach area; the cities of Florence and Myrtle Beach are considered one market for television purposes) while awaiting completion of the new Atlantic Center Arena that eventually never happened. The ECHL eventually revoked the franchise at the 2009 Board of Governors meeting. The Peoria Rivermen franchise also ceased operations when the ownership acquired an AHL franchise and under the same name.
The league also approved of Barry Kemp's Ontario, California, expansion franchise rights to be transferred to play in Bloomington, Illinois, in May 2004.[1][2][3] After an apparent fallout among the Bloomington Partners and the nearby Peoria Rivermen transferring to the AHL,[4] the Bloomington ECHL franchise was sold to Legacy Partners, LLC, headed by Phoenix Suns' majority owner Robert Sarver and the franchise was relocated as the Phoenix RoadRunners[5] as the only expansion team for the season.
The Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies were sold and relocated to Stockton, California, as the Stockton Thunder. The Utah Grizzlies' new ownership also bought the former Lexington Men O' War franchise that had been dormant since 2003 after the American Hockey League's Grizzlies ceased operations.
Just prior to the start of the season, the Texas Wildcatters and the Mississippi Sea Wolves were both forced to sit out the season due to damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Wildcatters were given permission to re-enter the league for the 2006–07 season, while the Sea Wolves were allowed to return for the 2007–08 season.
While most leagues adopted the entire NHL rule change package for 2005–06 (based on the 2004–05 AHL rule changes), the ECHL kept the shootout at five players, and kept the automatic icing rule which has been used in the league.
All-Star Game
The ECHL All-Star Game was held at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, and was hosted by the Fresno Falcons. The National Conference All-Stars defeated the American Conference All-Stars 7–6, with Fresno's Luke Curtin named Most Valuable Player.
Regular season
Final standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses; OTL = Overtime Losses; SOL = Shootout Losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot; Blue shade = Clinched division; (z) = Clinched home-ice advantage[6][7]
American Conference
North Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | PTS | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toledo Storm | 72 | 46 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 97 | 244 | 189 |
Wheeling Nailers | 72 | 45 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 96 | 247 | 186 |
Reading Royals | 72 | 42 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 91 | 249 | 209 |
Johnstown Chiefs | 72 | 30 | 26 | 4 | 12 | 76 | 223 | 243 |
Trenton Titans | 72 | 31 | 36 | 2 | 3 | 67 | 166 | 214 |
Dayton Bombers | 72 | 20 | 46 | 4 | 2 | 46 | 193 | 275 |
South Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | PTS | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gwinnett Gladiators (z) | 72 | 50 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 107 | 304 | 208 |
Florida Everblades | 72 | 48 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 100 | 267 | 208 |
Greenville Grrrowl | 72 | 44 | 25 | 0 | 3 | 93 | 248 | 203 |
South Carolina Stingrays | 72 | 32 | 25 | 7 | 8 | 79 | 230 | 237 |
Charlotte Checkers | 72 | 34 | 33 | 2 | 3 | 73 | 226 | 250 |
Augusta Lynx | 72 | 30 | 36 | 1 | 5 | 66 | 216 | 255 |
Columbia Inferno | 72 | 25 | 39 | 3 | 5 | 58 | 209 | 290 |
Pensacola Ice Pilots | 72 | 21 | 44 | 5 | 2 | 49 | 194 | 293 |
National Conference
West Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | PTS | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alaska Aces (z) | 72 | 53 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 113 | 289 | 168 |
Las Vegas Wranglers | 72 | 53 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 112 | 267 | 176 |
Idaho Steelheads | 72 | 43 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 94 | 268 | 221 |
Utah Grizzlies | 72 | 36 | 30 | 5 | 1 | 78 | 235 | 236 |
Victoria Salmon Kings | 72 | 26 | 37 | 5 | 4 | 61 | 204 | 261 |
Phoenix RoadRunners | 72 | 20 | 47 | 1 | 4 | 45 | 156 | 263 |
Pacific Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | PTS | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fresno Falcons | 72 | 43 | 15 | 5 | 9 | 100 | 230 | 205 |
Bakersfield Condors | 72 | 40 | 26 | 2 | 4 | 86 | 221 | 222 |
Long Beach Ice Dogs | 72 | 36 | 27 | 4 | 5 | 81 | 210 | 217 |
San Diego Gulls | 72 | 34 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 76 | 213 | 214 |
Stockton Thunder | 72 | 18 | 40 | 7 | 7 | 48 | 192 | 260 |
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alex Leavitt | Alaska | 72 | 26 | 65 | 91 |
Mike Scott | Alaska | 72 | 37 | 50 | 87 |
D'Arcy McConvey | Idaho | 58 | 39 | 47 | 86 |
Ryan Kinasewich | Utah | 60 | 39 | 46 | 85 |
Jeff Campbell | Gwinnett | 62 | 30 | 53 | 83 |
Luke Curtin | Fresno | 64 | 21 | 61 | 82 |
Daniel Sisca | Florida | 71 | 29 | 50 | 79 |
Matt Dzieduszycki | Las Vegas | 68 | 34 | 44 | 78 |
Sean Collins | Wheeling | 62 | 27 | 49 | 76 |
Scott Cameron | South Carolina | 68 | 22 | 50 | 72 |
Justin Kelley | Johnstown | 59 | 31 | 40 | 71 |
Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Player | Team | GP | Mins | W | L | T | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Drew MacIntyre | Toledo | 33 | 1981 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 68 | 2 | .926 | 2.06 |
Andy Franck | Wheeling | 55 | 3214 | 33 | 15 | 5 | 122 | 5 | .919 | 2.28 |
Matt Underhill | Alaska | 50 | 2979 | 36 | 10 | 3 | 113 | 5 | .917 | 2.28 |
Marc Magliarditi | Las Vegas | 51 | 2985 | 34 | 11 | 5 | 123 | 3 | .909 | 2.47 |
Cody Rudkowsky | Reading | 38 | 2291 | 24 | 11 | 3 | 96 | 2 | .916 | 2.51 |
Kelly Cup playoffs
American Conference
Bracket
Division Quarters
April 9–12 | Division Semis
April 14–22 | Division Finals
April 24-May 2 | Conference Finals
May 5–16 | ||||||||||||||||
N1 | Toledo | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
N4 | Johnstown | 2 | N4 | Johnstown | 0 | ||||||||||||||
N5 | Trenton | 0 | N1 | Toledo | 3 | ||||||||||||||
N2 | Wheeling | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
N2 | Wheeling | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
N3 | Reading | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
N1 | Toledo | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
S1 | Gwinnett | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
S1 | Gwinnett | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
S4 | South Carolina | 2 | S4 | South Carolina | 0 | ||||||||||||||
S5 | Charlotte | 1 | S1 | Gwinnett | 3 | ||||||||||||||
S2 | Florida | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
S2 | Florida | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
S3 | Greenville | 2 | S3 | Greenville | 1 | ||||||||||||||
S6 | Augusta | 0 |
Division quarterfinals
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Division semifinals
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Division finals
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Conference finals
American Conference Finals Toledo vs. Gwinnett | |||
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Date | Away | Home | |
May 5 | Toledo 3 | Gwinnett 5 | |
May 8 | Toledo 4 | Gwinnett 3 | OT |
May 12 | Gwinnett 4 | Toledo 2 | |
May 14 | Gwinnett 4 | Toledo 2 | |
May 16 | Gwinnett 3 | Toledo 2 | OT |
Gwinnett wins series 4–1 |
National Conference
Bracket
Division Semifinals April 10–22 | Division Finals April 24-May 6 | Conference Finals May 8–22 | ||||||||||||
W1 | Alaska | 4 | ||||||||||||
W4 | Utah | 0 | ||||||||||||
W1 | Alaska | 4 | ||||||||||||
W2 | Las Vegas | 3 | ||||||||||||
W2 | Las Vegas | 4 | ||||||||||||
W3 | Idaho | 0 | ||||||||||||
W1 | Alaska | 4 | ||||||||||||
P1 | Fresno | 3 | ||||||||||||
P2 | Bakersfield | 4 | ||||||||||||
P3 | Long Beach | 3 | ||||||||||||
P2 | Bakersfield | 3 | ||||||||||||
P1 | Fresno | 4 | ||||||||||||
P1 | Fresno | 4 | ||||||||||||
P4 | San Diego | 3 |
Division semifinals
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Division finals
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Conference finals
National Conference Finals Alaska vs. Fresno | |||
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Date | Away | Home | |
May 8 | Fresno 3 | Alaska 2 | |
May 10 | Fresno 0 | Alaska 2 | |
May 12 | Alaska 3 | Fresno 4 OT | |
May 13 | Alaska 3 | Fresno 1 | |
May 16 | Alaska 3 | Fresno 0 | |
May 19 | Fresno 4 | Alaska 3 | |
May 22 | Fresno 2 | Alaska 3 OT | |
Alaska wins series 4–3 |
Kelly Cup finals
Kelly Cup Finals Alaska vs. Gwinnett | |||
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Date | Away | Home | |
May 24 | Gwinnett 2 | Alaska 3 | |
May 25 | Gwinnett 3 | Alaska 4 | |
May 29 | Alaska 5 | Gwinnett 4 | |
May 31 | Alaska 1 | Gwinnett 6 | |
June 1 | Alaska 4 | Gwinnett 3 | |
Alaska wins series and Kelly Cup 4–1 |
ECHL awards
Patrick Kelly Cup: | Alaska Aces |
Henry Brabham Cup: | Alaska Aces |
Gingher Memorial Trophy: | Gwinnett Gladiators |
Bruce Taylor Trophy: | Alaska Aces |
John Brophy Award: | Glen Gulutzan (Las Vegas) |
CCM TACKS Most Valuable Player: | Jeff Campbell (Gwinnett) |
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player: | Mike Scott (Alaska) |
Reebok Hockey Goaltender of the Year: | Matt Underhill (Alaska) |
CCM Tacks Rookie of the Year: | Alex Leavitt (Alaska) |
Defenseman of the Year: | Ryan Gaucher (Alaska) |
Leading Scorer: | Alex Leavitt (Alaska) |
Reebok Hockey Plus Performer Award: | Peter Metcalf (Alaska) |
Sportsmanship Award: | Steve Saviano (Florida) |
See also
References
- ↑ "BLOOMINGTON PARTNERS SIGNS 10-YEAR FACILITY MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH CITY OF BLOOMINGTON". ECHL.com. May 10, 2004. Archived from the original on October 4, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ↑ "Get set for pro hockey". The Pantagraph. May 11, 2004. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ↑ "ECHL OFFICIALLY WELCOMES BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS". ECHL.com. May 10, 2004. Archived from the original on October 4, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ↑ "Page 63 of the November 27, 2004, The Pantagraph". The Pantagraph. November 27, 2004. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ↑ "Board Approves Phoenix Suns Ownership Purchase, Relocation of ECHL Membership". ECHL.com. February 1, 2005. Archived from the original on October 5, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ↑ "2005–06 ECHL Standings". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ↑ "2005–06 ECHL Stats". ECHL. Archived from the original on March 2, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.