The 2025 ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs start tonight. The ECHL regular season came to an end on Sunday. The South Carolina Stingrays finished the regular season with the best record in the ECHL. They also had the best record in the ECHL Eastern Conference and ECHL Eastern Conference South Division. The Kansas City Mavericks had the best record in the Western Conference. They also had the best record in the ECHL Western Conference Mountain Division. The Trois-Rivières Lions had the best record in the ECHL Eastern Conference North Division. The Toledo Walleye had the best record in the ECHL Western Conference Central Division.
In the ECHL Eastern Conference the South Carolina Stingrays, the Florida Everblades, the Trois-Rivières Lions, the Jacksonville Icemen, the Wheeling Nailers, the Norfolk Admirals, the Orlando Solar Bears, and the Reading Royals made the playoffs. In the ECHL Western Conference the Kansas City Mavericks, the Toledo Walleye, the Fort Wayne Komets, the Wichita Thunder, the Tahoe Knight Monsters, the Tulsa Oilers, the Iowa Heartlanders, and the Indy Fuel made the playoffs. This is the first playoff appearance of the Tahoe Knight Monsters.
The Idaho Steelheads, the Worcester Railers, the Rapid City Rush, the Maine Mariners, the Kalamazoo Wings, the Savannah Ghost Pirates, the Cincinnati Cyclones, the Bloomington Bison, the Atlanta Gladiators, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, the Utah Grizzlies, the Adirondack Thunder, and the Allen Americans did not qualify for the playoffs. The Idaho Steelheads are the only team in the top 16 overall ECHL standings to not qualify for the playoffs.
#2 Wheeling Nailers vs #3 Norfolk Admirals
The number two seed Wheeling Nailers are taking on the number three seed Norfolk Admirals. The Wheeling Nailers are the Pittsburgh Penguins affiliate. The Norfolk Admirals are the Winnipeg Jets affiliate. The Nailers finished the regular season with a win percentage of 62%. The Admirals finished the regular season with a win percentage of 60%. Their record against each other this season was 1-1-0. They last played each other on Saturday, January 4th, 2025. The Admirals won that game 9-3. The Wheeling Nailers are 7-3-0 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with a loss. The Norfolk Admirals are 5-3-2 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with back-to-back losses.
They did not play each other much in the regular season despite being in the same division. The Admirals seem to have the advantage. Neither team had a strong end to their regular season.
Regular season head to head:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Wheeling Nailers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 13 | -5 |
| #3 Norfolk Admirals | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 8 | +5 |
Regular season comparison:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Wheeling Nailers | 72 | 43 | 25 | 4 | 90 | 225 | 194 | +31 |
| #3 Norfolk Admirals | 72 | 40 | 25 | 7 | 87 | 251 | 210 | +41 |
Game one of this series will be on Wednesday, April 16th, 2025. That game will be in Norfolk. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM EDT. The winner of this series will face the Trois-Rivières Lions or the Reading Royals.
#1 Toledo Walleye vs #4 Indy Fuel
The number one seed Toledo Walleye are taking on the number four seed Indy Fuel. The Walleye are the Detroit Red Wings affiliate. The Fuel are the Chicago Blackhawks affiliate. The Walleye finished the regular season with a win percentage of 68%. The Fuel finished the regular season with a win percentage of 51%. Their record against each other this season was 2-1-1. Both teams won a game in regulation, lost a game in regulation, and lost a game in overtime or a shootout against each other. They last played each other on Sunday, April 13th, 2025. The Walleye won that game 4-3 in overtime. The Toledo Walleye are 5-2-3 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with a win. The Indy Fuel are 5-3-2 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with three straight losses.
This looks like it will be a fairly even series. Neither team had an edge during the regular season. The Walleye are expected to win this series. The Fuel want to get the upset.
Regular season head to head:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Toledo Walleye | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| #4 Indy Fuel | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
Regular season comparison:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Toledo Walleye | 72 | 44 | 17 | 11 | 99 | 234 | 194 | +40 |
| #4 Indy Fuel | 72 | 32 | 30 | 10 | 74 | 180 | 195 | -15 |
Game one of this series will be on Thursday, April 17th, 2025. That game will be in Toledo. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:15 PM EDT. The winner of this series will face the Fort Wayne Komets or Iowa Heartlanders.
#1 Trois-Rivières Lions vs #4 Reading Royals
The number one seed Trois-Rivières Lions
are taking on the number four seed Reading Royals. The Trois-Rivières Lions are the Montreal Canadians affiliate. The Reading Royals are the Philadelphia Flyers affiliate. The Lions finished the regular season with a win percentage of 68%. The Royals finished the regular season with a win percentage of 53%. The Royals won their regular season series 3-2-0. They last played each other on Saturday, March 15th, 2025. The Royals won that game 2-1. The Trois-Rivières Lions are 4-5-1 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with a win. The Reading Royals are 5-4-1 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with back-to-back wins.
On paper this looks like another close series. The Lions should have the edge. The Lions are favored to win. The Royals want to get the upset.
Regular season head to head:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Trois-Rivières Lions | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 15 | +2 |
| #4 Reading Royals | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 17 | -2 |
Regular season comparison:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Trois-Rivières Lions | 72 | 45 | 19 | 8 | 98 | 251 | 186 | +65 |
| #4 Reading Royals | 72 | 33 | 28 | 11 | 77 | 203 | 223 | -20 |
Game one of this series will be on Friday, April 18th, 2025. That game will be in Trois-Rivières. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT. The winner of this series will face the Wheeling Nailers or Norfolk Admirals.
#1 South Carolina Stingrays vs #4 Orlando Solar Bears
The number one seed South Carolina Stingrays are taking on the number four seed Orlando Solar Bears. The South Carolina Stingrays are the Washington Capitals affiliate. The Orlando Solar Bears are the Tampa Bay Lighting affiliate. The Stingrays finished the regular season with a win percentage of 75%. The Solar Bears finished the regular season with a win percentage of 58%. Their record against each other this season was 4-3-1. They last played each other on Saturday, April 5th, 2025. The Stingrays won that game 5-1. The South Carolina Stingrays are 9-1-0 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with a loss. They won 16 games in a row before their last regular season loss. The Orlando Solar Bears are 5-5-0 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with back-to-back wins.
On paper this looks like a close match. It is not. The South Carolina Stingrays have dominated the ECHL this season. The Orlando Solar bears will go down swinging but the Stingrays should defeat them.
Regular season head to head:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 South Carolina Stingrays | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 25 | 24 | +1 |
| #4 Orlando Solar Bears | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 24 | 25 | -1 |
Regular season comparison:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 South Carolina Stingrays | 72 | 52 | 15 | 5 | 109 | 279 | 161 | +118 |
| #4 Orlando Solar Bears | 72 | 37 | 25 | 10 | 84 | 196 | 200 | -14 |
Game one of this series will be on Friday, April 18th, 2025. That game will be in South Carolina. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM EDT. The winner of this series will face the Florida Everblades or the Jacksonville Icemen.
#2 Florida Everblades vs #3 Jacksonville Icemen
The number two seed Florida Everblades are taking on the number three seed Jacksonville Icemen. The Florida Everblades are the St. Louis Blues affiliate. The Jacksonville Icemen are the Buffalo Sabers affiliate. The Everblades finished the regular season with a win percentage of 73%. The Icemen finished the regular season with a win percentage of 63%. The Florida Everblades won their regular season series 5-1-1. They last played each other on Wednesday, March 26th, 2025. The Everblades won that game 3-2 in overtime. The Florida Everblades are 8-2-0 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with three wins in a row. The Jacksonville Icemen are 4-4-2 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with back-to-back losses.
This series should not be close. The Florida Everblades should dominate this series. The Everblades are on a quest for their fourth straight cup. The Icemen are looking to stand in the way of that. It would take a miracle for the Icemen to overcome the Everblades in this series.
Regular season head to head:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Florida Everblades | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 23 | 16 | +7 |
| #3 Jacksonville Icemen | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 23 | -7 |
Regular season comparison:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Florida Everblades | 72 | 49 | 15 | 8 | 106 | 241 | 165 | +76 |
| #3 Jacksonvile Icemen | 72 | 42 | 22 | 8 | 92 | 232 | 190 | +42 |
Game one of this series will be on Friday, April 18th, 2025. That game will be in Florida. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM EDT. The winner of this series will face the South Carolina Stingrays or Orlando Solar Bears.
#2 Fort Wayne Komets vs #3 Iowa Heartlanders
The number two seed Fort Wayne Komets are taking on the number three seed Iowa Heartlanders. The Fort Wayne Komets are the Edmonton Oilers affiliate. The Iowa Heartlanders are the Minnesota Wild affiliate. The Komets finished the regular season with a win percentage of 63%. The Heartlanders finished the regular season with a win percentage of 57%. The Fort Wayne Komets won their regular season series with a record of 3-1-1. They last time they played each other on March 23rd, 2025. The Heartlanders won that game 2-1 in overtime. The Fort Wayne Komets are 4-2-4 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season by getting points in their last five games. The Iowa Heartlanders are 5-4-1 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with a win.
These two teams look close on paper. I think the Fort Wayne Komets are the better team. I think the Komets should have no issues getting past the Heartlanders.
Regular season head to head:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Fort Wayne Komets | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 12 | +2 |
| #3 Iowa Heartlanders | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 14 | -2 |
Regular season comparison:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Fort Wayne komets | 72 | 41 | 22 | 9 | 91 | 229 | 193 | +36 |
| #3 Iowa Heartlanders | 72 | 36 | 25 | 11 | 83 | 201 | 206 | -5 |
Game one of this series will be on Friday, April 18th, 2025. That game will be in Fort Wayne. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:35 PM EDT. The winner of this series will face the Toledo Walleye or the Indy Fuel.
#1 Kansas City Mavericks vs #4 Tulsa Oilers
The number one seed Kansas City Mavericks are taking on the number four seed Tulsa Oilers. The Kansas City Mavericks are the Seattle Kraken affiliate. The Tulsa Oilers are the Anaheim Ducks affiliate. The Mavericks finished the regular season with a win percentage of 71%. The Oilers finished the regular season with a win percentage of 61%. The Kansas City Mavericks won their regular season series with a record of 5-3-0. They last played each other on February 16th, 2025. The Oilers won that game 2-1. The Kansas City Mavericks are 8-2-0 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with four straight wins. The Tulsa Oilers are 6-4-0 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with three straight wins.
The Kansas City Mavericks should win this series. They are a tough team. I don’t think that the Tulsa Oilers have what it takes to beat the Kansas City Mavericks in a best of seven series.
Regular season head to head:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Kansas City Mavericks | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 17 | -2 |
| #4 Tulsa Oilers | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 17 | 15 | +2 |
Regular season comparison:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Kansas City Mavericks | 72 | 49 | 18 | 5 | 103 | 256 | 178 | +78 |
| #2 Tulsa Oilers | 72 | 40 | 24 | 8 | 88 | 244 | 212 | +32 |
Game one of this series will be on Friday, April 18th, 2025. That game will be in Kansas City. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM CDT. The winner of this series will face the Wichita Thunder or Tahoe Knight Monsters.
#2 Wichita Thunder vs #3 Tahoe Knight Monsters
The number two seed Wichita Thunder are taking on the number three seed Tahoe Knight Monsters. The Wichita Thunder are the San Jose Sharks affiliate. The Tahoe Knight Monsters are the Vegas Golden Knights affiliate. The Thunder finished the regular season with a win percentage of 61%. The Knight Monsters finished the regular season with a win percentage of 61%. The Wichita Thunder won their regular season series. They last played each other on April 12th, 2025. The Thunder won that game 3-1. The Wichita Thunder are 6-4-0 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with four wins in a row. The Tahoe Knight Monsters are 4-5-1 in their last ten regular season games. They finished the regular season with three straight losses.
Things got pretty heated between these two during their last meeting. They will have to play each other up to ten games in a row. They played their last three regular season games against each other. Now they will play each other for up to seven more games.
Regular season head to head:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Wichita Thunder | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 30 | 22 | +8 |
| #3 Tahoe Knight Monsters | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 30 | -8 |
Regular season comparison:
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Wichita Thunder | 72 | 41 | 24 | 6 | 89 | 248 | 214 | +34 |
| #3 Tahoe Knight Monsters | 72 | 41 | 25 | 6 | 88 | 255 | 228 | +27 |
Game one of this series will be on Saturday, April 19th, 2025. That game will be in Wichita. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:05 PM CDT. The winner of this series will face the Kansas City Mavericks or the Tulsa Oilers.
Upcoming games:
Zac Electrifly 
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