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Sports 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 .
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
Western Conference
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Player
Team
GP
G
A
Pts
Tim Smith
CBA
69
33
62
95
Steffon Walby
MS
59
33
55
88
Brian McCullough
FL
72
40
47
87
Louis Dumont
MS
72
33
51
84
Louis Goulet
AUG
72
32
52
84
Mark Pederson
SD
70
44
37
81
Sylvai Deschatelets
SD
72
24
57
81
Mark Turner
GBO
72
28
50
78
Cory Neilson
PEN
72
19
59
78
Jon Cullen
AC
71
29
48
77
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 Stirling
AC
49
2954
31
13
5
94
4
.933
1.91
Derek Gustafson
LA
43
2498
28
14
0
87
5
.927
2.09
Michael Garnett
GWT
33
1936
21
10
2
69
4
.926
2.14
Trever Koenig
SD
53
3154
37
7
8
114
3
.920
2.17
Mike Valley
PEO
37
2184
20
8
7
83
3
.915
2.28
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
Eastern Conference
1st round
Northern Division Wildcard Johnstown vs. Reading
Date
Away
Home
April 5
Reading 2
Johnstown 1
Reading wins series 1–0
Division Semifinals
Northern Division Semifinals Wheeling vs. Reading
Date
Away
Home
April 8
Reading 1
Wheeling 3
April 9
Reading 3
Wheeling 2
April 10
Wheeling 3
Reading 4
April 13
Wheeling 3
Reading 1
April 14
Reading 4
Wheeling 0
Reading wins series 3–2
Northern Division Semifinals Atlantic City vs. Peoria
Date
Away
Home
April 7
Peoria 2
Atlantic City 3
April 9
Peoria 6
Atlantic City 3
April 12
Atlantic City 1
Peoria 2
2OT
April 13
Atlantic City 1
Peoria 2
OT
Peoria wins series 3–1
Southern Division Semifinals Columbia vs. South Carolina
Date
Away
Home
April 6
South Carolina 1
Columbia 4
April 9
South Carolina 4
Columbia 2
April 10
Columbia 2
South Carolina 3
OT
April 13
Columbia 0
South Carolina 3
South Carolina wins series 3–1
Southern Division Semifinals Roanoke vs. Florida
Date
Away
Home
April 6
Florida 4
Roanoke 3
April 8
Florida 6
Roanoke 3
April 9
Roanoke 5
Florida 3
April 12
Roanoke 2
Florida 3
OT
Florida wins series 3–1
Division finals
Northern Division Finals Peoria vs. Reading
Date
Away
Home
April 17
Reading 2
Peoria 1
OT
April 19
Reading 2
Peoria 4
April 21
Peoria 2
Reading 3
April 22
Peoria 1
Reading 3
Reading wins series 3–1
Southern Division Finals Florida vs. South Carolina
Date
Away
Home
April 17
South Carolina 3
Florida 6
April 19
South Carolina 1
Florida 2
2OT
April 22
Florida 8
South Carolina 2
Florida wins series 3–0
Conference finals
Eastern Conference Finals Florida vs. Reading
Date
Away
Home
April 28
Reading 0
Florida 1
April 30
Reading 3
Florida 5
May 2
Florida 0
Reading 6
May 5
Florida 1
Reading 4
May 10
Reading 2
Florida 3
Florida wins series 3–2 and Gingher Memorial Trophy
Western Conference
Division Semifinals
Central Division Semifinals Louisiana vs. Pensacola
Date
Away
Home
April 7
Pensacola 4
Louisiana 8
April 8
Pensacola 0
Louisiana 6
April 10
Louisiana 1
Pensacola 2
OT
April 13
Louisiana 1
Pensacola 3
April 14
Pensacola 1
Louisiana 2
2OT
Louisiana wins series 3–2
Central Division Semifinals Gwinnett vs. Mississippi
Date
Away
Home
April 7
Gwinnett 2
Mississippi 1
OT
April 9
Gwinnett 3
Mississippi 4
April 10
Mississippi 3
Gwinnett 6
April 12
Mississippi 3
Gwinnett 0
April 14
Gwinnett 2
Mississippi 1
OT
Gwinnett wins series 3–2
Pacific Division Semifinals San Diego vs. Alaska
Date
Away
Home
April 6
Alaska 4
San Diego 2
April 7
Alaska 4
San Diego 3
OT
April 9
San Diego 1
Alaska 5
Alaska wins series 3–0
Pacific Division Semifinals Las Vegas vs. Idaho
Date
Away
Home
April 6
Idaho 2
Las Vegas 4
April 9
Idaho 2
Las Vegas 3
April 10
Las Vegas 0
Idaho 2
April 13
Las Vegas 3
Idaho 4
OT
April 14
Idaho 3
Las Vegas 0
Idaho wins series 3–2
Division finals
Central Division Finals Louisiana vs. Gwinnett
Date
Away
Home
April 16
Gwinnett 1
Louisiana 3
April 17
Gwinnett 2
Louisiana 1
April 21
Louisiana 2
Gwinnett 3
April 22
Louisiana 5
Gwinnett 6
2OT
Gwinnett wins series 3–1
Pacific Division Finals Idaho vs. Alaska
Date
Away
Home
April 16
Alaska 4
Idaho 3
OT
April 17
Alaska 1
Idaho 4
April 20
Idaho 4
Alaska 1
April 21
Idaho 3
Alaska 2
Idaho wins series 3–1
Conference finals
Western Conference Finals Gwinnett vs. Idaho
Date
Away
Home
April 27
Idaho 5
Gwinnett 3
April 28
Idaho 1
Gwinnett 3
May 1
Gwinnett 1
Idaho 3
May 5
Gwinnett 2
Idaho 5
Idaho wins series 3–1 and Bruce Taylor Trophy
Kelly Cup finals
Florida vs. Idaho
Date
Away
Home
May 14
Idaho 5
Florida 1
May 15
Idaho 6
Florida 4
May 19
Florida 0
Idaho 1
OT
May 21
Florida 3
Idaho 2
OT
May 22
Florida 2
Idaho 5
Idaho wins series 4–1 and Kelly Cup
ECHL awards
See also
References
External links
Western Conference Eastern Conference