2007-08 ECHL season

2007–08 ECHL season
League	ECHL
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	October, 2007–May, 2008
Regular season
Season MVP	David Desharnais (Cincinnati)
Top scorer	David Desharnais (Cincinnati)
Playoffs
American champions	Cincinnati Cyclones
American runners-up	South Carolina Stingrays
National champions	Las Vegas Wranglers
National runners-up	Utah Grizzlies

The 2007-08 ECHL Season was the 20th season of the ECHL.

Two teams suspended operations at the end of the 2006-07 season, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the Toledo Storm. Toledo's suspension was granted after the Triple-A baseball franchise Toledo Mud Hens acquired the Storm and requested a suspension of the team for two years in order to allow a new arena to be built in downtown Toledo to open in 2009, when the team returns to play.

The league officially welcomed back the Mississippi Sea Wolves, who had to suspend operations for two seasons (2005-07) because of damage to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum caused by Hurricane Katrina. The Elmira Jackals also joined the ECHL after being in the United Hockey League for their previous existence. Another established team, the Trenton, New Jersey franchise, will enter its ninth season with a new name. The team, now owned by the NHL New Jersey Devils, will adopt the Devils nickname, which is now standard across the team's farm system.

Before the start of the season, the league announced that it would hand out a new award to honor on-ice referees for their dedication and contribution to the league, through the Ryan Birmingham Memorial Award. The award is given in honor of Ryan Birmingham a former ECHL referee who died in an automobile accident, while driving from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Snellville, Georgia in May 2007. Birmingham died at the age of 24.

The Cincinnati Cyclones finished first overall in the regular season winning the Brabham Cup, and became the third team in ECHL history to win the Brabham Cup and Kelly Cup in the same year by defeating the Las Vegas Wranglers four games to two.

League Realignment

The ECHL announced the alignment of the 25 teams of the ECHL.

American Conference

North Division Cincinnati Cyclones Dayton Bombers Elmira Jackals Johnstown Chiefs Reading Royals Trenton Devils Wheeling Nailers

South Division Augusta Lynx Charlotte Checkers Columbia Inferno Florida Everblades Gwinnett Gladiators Mississippi Sea Wolves Pensacola Ice Pilots South Carolina Stingrays Texas Wildcatters

National Conference

Pacific Division Bakersfield Condors Fresno Falcons Las Vegas Wranglers Stockton Thunder

West Division Alaska Aces Idaho Steelheads Phoenix Roadrunners Utah Grizzlies Victoria Salmon Kings

Playoff format

The ECHL realigned the playoff format for the two conferences.

National Conference

The top eight teams will advance to the playoffs, with the two division champions being the first and second seeds. The other six teams will be seeded by points. Teams will not be re-seeded. All games are best of seven games.

American Conference

In the North Division, the top five teams will advance to the playoffs, with the division champion being the first seed. The other teams will be seeded by points. The fourth seed and the fifth seed will play a best-of-three series in the Division Quarterfinals. The winner will advance to the best-of-seven Division Semifinals to meet the division leader. The second seed and the third seed will play a best-of-seven Division Semifinals. The winners will advance to the best-of-seven Division Finals. The winner will advance to the American Conference Finals.

In the South Division,the top eight teams will advance to the playoffs, with the division champion being the first seed. The other teams will be seeded by points. Teams will be re-seeded according to the same criteria with division leader seeded first and remaining teams seeded in order of regular-season points. All games are best of five games. The winner of the Division Finals will advance to the American Conference Finals.

In the best-of-seven American Conference Finals the North Division Winner will face the South Division Winner

Kelly Cup Finals

The Kelly Cup Finals will be a best-of-seven series between the two conference champions.

Regular season

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Loses; OTL = Overtime loses; SOL = Shootout loses; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against; PTS = Points; Green shade = Clinched Playoff Spot; Blue shade = Clinched Division; (z) = Clinched Home-Ice Advantage

American Conference

Northern Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	PTS	GF	GA
Cincinnati Cyclones (MTL/NSH) (z)	72	55	12	1	4	115	292	178
Elmira Jackals (CBJ)	72	41	24	3	4	89	245	219
Reading Royals (LA)	72	38	26	6	2	83	247	233
Johnstown Chiefs (COL/BOS)	72	36	30	3	3	78	235	234
Dayton Bombers (Independent)	72	29	31	6	6	70	201	229
Trenton Devils (NJ)	72	29	36	3	4	65	183	220
Wheeling Nailers (PIT/PHI)	72	22	43	3	4	51	186	284

Southern Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	PTS	GF	GA
Texas Wildcatters (MIN)	72	52	9	4	7	115	266	177
South Carolina Stingrays (WSH)	72	47	22	2	1	97	256	192
Gwinnett Gladiators (ATL)	72	44	23	2	3	93	247	198
Florida Everblades (CAR/FLA)	72	39	25	4	4	86	230	198
Columbia Inferno (TOR)	72	33	28	5	6	77	217	227
Charlotte Checkers (NYR)	72	34	31	1	6	75	212	229
Augusta Lynx (ANA)	72	32	35	1	4	69	200	223
Mississippi Sea Wolves (TB)	72	29	40	1	2	61	204	262
Pensacola Ice Pilots (CHI)	72	19	44	4	5	47	157	263

National Conference

Pacific Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	PTS	GF	GA
Las Vegas Wranglers (CGY) (z)	72	47	13	5	7	106	244	179
Fresno Falcons (Independent)	72	42	22	4	4	92	242	216
Bakersfield Condors (Independent)	72	26	37	2	7	61	230	280
Stockton Thunder (EDM)	72	27	40	3	2	59	200	250

West Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	PTS	GF	GA
Victoria Salmon Kings (VAN)	72	42	23	4	3	91	256	239
Idaho Steelheads (DAL)	72	40	22	5	5	90	224	183
Alaska Aces (STL)	72	41	26	4	1	87	245	229
Utah Grizzlies (NYI)	72	32	30	2	8	74	239	259
Phoenix Roadrunners (SJ)	72	24	39	5	4	57	208	265

Final league standings

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
David Desharnais	Cincinnati Cyclones	68	29	77	106	18
Jeff Campbell	Gwinnett Gladiators	65	26	65	91	42
Travis Morin	South Carolina Stingrays	68	34	50	84	30
Ash Goldie	Victoria Salmon Kings	70	40	43	83	24
Benoit Doucet	Elmira Jackals	71	31	52	83	96
John McNabb	Texas Wildcatters	71	32	50	82	87
Josh Soares	Alaska Aces	61	36	45	81	85
Pierre-Luc Faubert	Elmira Jackals	72	31	45	76	76
Jeff Miles	Columbia Inferno	68	29	47	76	48
Derek Damon	Florida Everblades	51	25	50	75	76

Data referenced from ECHL website

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime Losses; SOL = Shootout Losses GA = Goals Against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average

Player	Team	GP	TOI	W	L	OTL	SOL	GA	SO	Sv%	GAA
Anton Khudobin	Texas Wildcatters	27	1549	20	1	1	3	51	3	.934	1.98
Kevin Lalande	Las Vegas Wranglers	27	1607	17	5	1	3	55	3	.932	2.05
Davis Parley	South Carolina Stingrays	35	2090	24	9	2	0	80	4	.924	2.30
Craig Kowalski	Gwinnett Gladiators	44	2574	29	11	0	2	100	2	.923	2.33
Kellen Briggs	Idaho Steelheads	31	1802	17	11	0	2	71	3	.920	2.36

Data referenced from ECHL website

Kelly Cup Playoffs

Playoff Brackets

American Conference

American Conference 1st Round

American Conference Quarterfinals

American Conference Semifinals

American Conference Finals

No.1

Cincinnati

4

No.4

Johnstown

0

No.4

Johnstown

2

No.5

Dayton

0

No.1

Cincinnati

4

North Division

No.3

Reading

3

No.2

Elmira

2

No.3

Reading

4

No.1

Cincinnati

4

So.2

South Carolina

1

So.1

Texas

3

So.8

Mississippi

1

So.1

Texas

2

So.5

Columbia

3

So.4

Florida

0

So.5

Columbia

3

So.5

Columbia

2

South Division

So.2

South Carolina

3

So.3

Gwinnett

3

So.6

Charlotte

0

So.3

Gwinnett

2

So.2

South Carolina

3

So.2

South Carolina

3

So.7

Augusta

2

National Conference

	National Conference Quarterfinals					National Conference Semifinals					National Conference Conference Finals
	1	Las Vegas	4
	8	Stockton	2
						1	Las Vegas	4
						5	Alaska	1
	4	Idaho	0
	5	Alaska	4
											1	Las Vegas	4
											6	Utah	0
	3	Fresno	2
	6	Utah	4
						6	Utah	4
						2	Victoria	1
	2	Victoria	4
	7	Bakersfield	2

Kelly Cup Finals

	2008 Kelly Cup Championship
	No.1	Cincinnati	4
	Na.1	Las Vegas	2

• No. is short for North Division
• So. is short for South Division
• Na. is short for National Conference

Playoff tables referenced from ECHL website

ECHL All-Star Game

The 16th ECHL All-Star Game was played on January 23, 2008 at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California. The hosting National Conference defeated the American Conference 10–7, as well as winning the Skills Competition, 26–25. Ash Goldie of the Victoria Salmon Kings was named the All-Star Game MVP after scoring three goals and three assists including netting the game winning goal early in the third period.

	American Conference	National Conference
Coach:	Malcolm Cameron (Texas Wildcatters)	Glen Gulutzan (Las Vegas Wranglers)
Assistant Coach:	Chuck Weber (Cincinnati Cyclones)	Mark Morrison (Victoria Salmon Kings)
Starters:	33 - G Craig Kowalski (Gwinnett Gladiators) 5 - D Ryan Gunderson (Trenton Devils) 6 - D Jamie Milam (Gwinnett Gladiators) 10 - F Yannick Tifu (Dayton Bombers) 18 - F Matt Beaudoin (Dayton Bombers) 67 - F John McNabb (Texas Wildcatters, Captain)	35 - G Julien Ellis (Victoria Salmon Kings) 44 - D Darrell Hay (Idaho Steelheads) 55 - D Kevin Truelson (Bakersfield Condors) 15 - F Ash Goldie (Victoria Salmon Kings) 17 - F Peter Ferraro (Las Vegas Wranglers, Captain) 27 - F Greg Rallo (Idaho Steelheads)
Reserves:	30 - G Justin Peters (Florida Everblades) 35 - G Anton Khudobin (Texas Wildcatters) 12 - D Jean-Claude Sawyer (Pensacola Ice Pilots) 25 - D Adrian Veideman (Augusta Lynx) 28 - D Jon D'Aversa (Wheeling Nailers) 70 - D Tomas Kudelka (Elmira Jackals) 9 - F Jordan Owens (Charlotte Checkers) 11 - F Ryan Garlock (Johnstown Chiefs) 20 - F Travis Morin (South Carolina Stingrays) 21 - F Mathieu Melanson (Florida Everblades) 22 - F Tyler Doig (Columbia Inferno) 23 - F Ryan Menei (Mississippi SeaWolves) 24 - F Brett Hemingway (Reading Royals) 51 - F David Desharnais (Cincinnati Cyclones)	34 - G Kellen Briggs (Idaho Steelheads) 56 - G Daniel Manzato (Las Vegas Wranglers) 4 - D Brad Farynuk (Stockton Thunder) 6 - D Kenny MacAulay (Fresno Falcons) 31 - D Jason Dest (Las Vegas Wranglers) 33 - D Brian Yandle (Phoenix Roadrunners) 9 - F Oren Eizenman (Fresno Falcons) 11 - F Andy Contois (Stockton Thunder) 12 - F Peder Skinner (Phoenix Roadrunners) 16 - F Todd Griffith (Bakersfield Condors) 18 - F Keith Johnson (Utah Grizzlies) 20 - F Josh Soares (Alaska Aces) 22 - F Ryan MacMurchy (Stockton Thunder) 23 - F Justin Bourne (Utah Grizzlies) 46 - F Igor Gongalsky (Fresno Falcons)

ECHL awards

See also: ECHL awards

Patrick Kelly Cup:	Cincinnati Cyclones
Henry Brabham Cup:	Cincinnati Cyclones
Gingher Memorial Trophy:	Cincinnati Cyclones
Bruce Taylor Trophy:	Las Vegas Wranglers
John Brophy Award:	Chuck Weber (Cincinnati)
CCM Vector Most Valuable Player:	David Desharnais (Cincinnati)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:	Cedrick Deshardains
Reebok Hockey Goaltender of the Year:	Anton Khudobin (Texas)
CCM Tacks Rookie of the Year:	David Desharnais (Cincinnati)
ECHL Defenseman of the Year:	Peter Metcalf (Alaska)
ECHL Leading Scorer:	David Desharnais (Cincinnati)
Reebok Hockey Plus Performer Award:	Chad Starling (Cincinnati)
Sportsmanship Award:	Jeff Campbell (Gwinnett)
Birmingham Memorial Award:	David Jones

Team Photos

Columbia Inferno

See also

• ECHL
• Kelly Cup