2002-03 ECHL season

2002–03 ECHL season
League	ECHL
Sport	Ice hockey
Regular season
Season MVP	Bud Smith (Arkansas)
Top scorer	Bud Smith (Arkansas)
Playoffs
Northern champions	Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
Northern runners-up	Cincinnati Cyclones
Southern champions	Columbia Inferno
Southern runners-up	Mississippi Sea Wolves

The 2002-03 ECHL season was the 15th season of the ECHL. The ECHL All-Star Game was held at Germain Arena in Estero, Florida and was hosted by the Florida Everblades. The Northern Conference All-Stars dominated the game, beating the Southern Conference All-Stars 8:2. Atlantic City's Scott Stirling was named Most Valuable Player. At the end of the season five teams, the Richmond Renegades, Arkansas RiverBlades, Jackson Bandits, Baton Rouge Kingfish, and Lexington Men O' War all ceased to operate.

Regular season

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Loses; 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
Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies	72	41	19	12	94	268	224
Greensboro Generals	72	42	21	9	93	235	211
Roanoke Express	72	42	24	6	90	265	239
Trenton Titans	72	38	24	10	86	229	207
Charlotte Checkers	72	41	28	3	85	262	234
Richmond Renegades	72	35	31	6	76	240	239
Reading Royals	72	32	35	5	69	261	303

Northwest Division	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA
Toledo Storm (z)	72	47	15	10	104	247	196
Peoria Rivermen	72	48	17	7	103	241	181
Cincinnati Cyclones	72	36	29	7	79	257	236
Lexington Men O' War	72	34	31	7	75	188	212
Johnstown Chiefs	72	28	33	11	67	214	243
Wheeling Nailers	72	28	41	3	59	193	261
Dayton Bombers	72	24	38	10	58	191	247

Southern Conference

Southeast Division	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA
Columbia Inferno (z)	72	47	23	2	96	265	202
South Carolina Stingrays	72	42	22	8	92	248	225
Pee Dee Pride	72	40	26	6	86	244	213
Florida Everblades	72	35	23	14	84	239	243
Greenville Grrrowl	72	28	36	8	64	217	262
Augusta Lynx	72	27	39	6	60	203	256
Columbus Cottonmouths	72	25	39	8	58	197	270

Southwest Division	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA
Mississippi Sea Wolves	72	44	24	4	92	250	211
Louisiana IceGators	72	40	20	12	92	249	210
Arkansas RiverBlades	72	37	24	11	85	238	236
Jackson Bandits	72	38	26	8	84	210	195
Pensacola Ice Pilots	72	33	30	9	75	228	241
Baton Rouge Kingfish	72	20	43	9	49	184	266

Kelly Cup playoffs

Northern Conference

Divisional Semifinals April 2-8

Division Finals April 11-18

Conference Finals April 23-May 3

NE.1

Atlantic City

3

NE.4

Trenton

0

NE.1

Atlantic City

3

NE.2

Greensboro

1

NE.2

Greensboro

3

NE.3

Roanoke

1

NE.1

Atlantic City

4

NW.3

Cincinnati

3

NW.2

Peoria

1

NW.3

Cincinnati

3

NW.1

Toledo

1

NW.3

Cincinnati

3

NW.1

Toledo

3

NW.4

Lexington

0

• NE is short for Northeast Division
• NW is short for Northwest Division

Southern Conference

Divisional Wildcards April 1

Divisional Semifinals April 2-7

Divisional Finals April 9-16

Conference Finals April 23-May 2

SE.1

Columbia

3

SE.4

Florida

0

SE.5

Greenville

0

SE.1

Columbia

3

SE.5

Greenville

1

SE.3

Pee Dee

0

SE.2

South Carolina

1

SE.3

Pee Dee

3

SE.1

Columbia

4

SW.1

Mississippi

2

SW.2

Louisiana

3

SW.3

Arkansas

0

SW.2

Louisiana

0

SW.4

Jackson

0

SW.1

Mississippi

3

SW.5

Pensacola

1

SW.1

Mississippi

3

SW.5

Pensacola

0

• SE is short for Southeast Division
• SW is short for Southwest Division

Last four

	Conference Finals April 23-May 3					Kelly Cup Finals May 7-14
	NE.1	Atlantic City	4
	NW.3	Cincinnati	3
						NE.1	Atlantic City	4
						SE.1	Columbia	1
	SE.1	Columbia	4
	SW.1	Mississippi	3

ECHL awards

See also: ECHL awards

Patrick Kelly Cup:	Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
Henry Brabham Cup:	Toledo Storm
Gingher Memorial Trophy:	Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
Bruce Taylor Trophy:	Columbia Inferno
John Brophy Award:	Claude Noel (Toledo)
CCM TACKS Most Valuable Player:	Bud Smith (Arkansas)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:	Kevin Colley (Atlantic City)
Reebok Hockey Goaltender of the Year:	Alfie Michaud (Peoria)
CCM Tacks Rookie of the Year:	Jason Jaffray (Roanoke)
Defenseman of the Year:	Jim Baxter (Mississippi)
Leading Scorer:	Bud Smith (Arkansas)
Reebok Hockey Plus Performer Award:	Dennis Vial (Columbia) Mike Glumac (Pee Dee)
Sportsmanship Award:	Rejean Stringer (Columbia)

Trenton Titans

See also

• ECHL All-Star Game
• Kelly Cup