# 2002–03 ECHL season

The 2002–03 ECHL season was the 15th season of the East Coast Hockey League. The Brabham Cup regular season champions were the Toledo Storm and the Kelly Cup playoff champions were the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies.

## League changes

The Macon Whoopee relocated to Lexington, Kentucky, as the Lexington Men O' War.
The New Orleans Brass ceased operations due to the arrival of the New Orleans Hornets basketball team. The NBA team moved into the Brass' arena but wanted the Brass to pay for every conversion between the hockey and basketball configuration, an expense the Brass could not afford.
The Mobile Mysticks also suspended operations prior to the season and would relocate to Duluth, Georgia, beginning with the 2003–04 season.

## All-Star Game

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.

## Regular season
### Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= 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

#### Northern Conference

| Northeast Division | GP | W | L | SOL | 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 | SOL | 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 | SOL | 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 | SOL | 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 | Divisional Semifinals April 2–8 | Divisional Semifinals April 2–8 | Division Finals April 11–18 | Division Finals April 11–18 | Division Finals April 11–18 | Conference Finals April 23-May 3 | Conference Finals April 23-May 3 | Conference Finals April 23-May 3 |
| NE1 | Atlantic City | 3 | | | | | | |
| NE4 | Trenton | 0 | | | | | | |
| NE4 | Trenton | 0 | NE1 | Atlantic City | 3 | | | |
| | | | NE2 | Greensboro | 1 | | | |
| NE2 | Greensboro | 3 | NE2 | Greensboro | 1 | | | |
| NE3 | Roanoke | 1 | | | | | | |
| NE3 | Roanoke | 1 | | | | NE1 | Atlantic City | 4 |
| | | | | | | NW3 | Cincinnati | 3 |
| NW2 | Peoria | 1 | | | | | | | NW3 | Cincinnati | 3 |
| NW3 | Cincinnati | 3 | | | | | | |
| NW3 | Cincinnati | 3 | NW1 | Toledo | 1 | | | |
| | | | NW3 | Cincinnati | 3 | | | |
| NW1 | Toledo | 3 | NW3 | Cincinnati | 3 | | | |
| NW4 | Lexington | 0 | | | | | | |

#### Division semifinals

Northeast Division Semifinals Atlantic City vs. Trenton :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Trenton 3 | Atlantic City 4 |
| April 4 | Trenton 0 | Atlantic City 4 |
| April 7 | Atlantic City 7 | Trenton 3 |
| Atlantic City wins series 3–0 ||||
Northeast Division Semifinals Greensboro vs. Roanoke :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 3 | Roanoke 2 | Greensboro 7 |
| April 4 | Roanoke 3 | Greensboro 1 |
| April 5 | Greensboro 3 | Roanoke 2 |
| April 8 | Greensboro 5 | Roanoke 3 |
| Greensboro wins series 3–1 ||||
Northwest Division Semifinals Toledo vs. Lexington :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Lexington 1 | Toledo 9 |
| April 4 | Lexington 0 | Toledo 3 |
| April 5 | Lexington 1 | Toledo 5 |
| Toledo wins series 3–0 ||||
Northwest Division Semifinals Peoria vs. Cincinnati :
| Date | Away | Home | |
| April 1 | Cincinnati 4 | Peoria 3 | |
| April 2 | Cincinnati 1 | Peoria 2 | OT |
| April 5 | Peoria 0 | Cincinnati 1 | OT |
| April 6 | Peoria 3 | Cincinnati 4 | 2OT |
| Cincinnati wins series 3–1 ||||

#### Division finals

Northeast Division Finals Atlantic City vs. Greensboro :
| Date | Away | Home | |
| April 11 | Greensboro 2 | Atlantic City 3 | OT |
| April 12 | Greensboro 3 | Atlantic City 2 | OT |
| April 16 | Atlantic City 6 | Greensboro 3 | |
| April 18 | Atlantic City 3 | Greensboro 2 | |
| Atlantic City wins series 3–1 ||||
Northwest Division Finals Toledo vs. Cincinnati :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 11 | Cincinnati 2 | Toledo 1 |
| April 12 | Cincinnati 4 | Toledo 2 |
| April 15 | Toledo 1 | Cincinnati 0 |
| April 16 | Toledo 1 | Cincinnati 4 |
| Cincinnati wins series 3–1 ||||

#### Conference finals

Northern Conference Finals Atlantic City vs. Cincinnati :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 23 | Cincinnati 4 | Atlantic City 5 |
| April 25 | Cincinnati 0 | Atlantic City 5 |
| April 26 | Atlantic City 3 | Cincinnati 1 |
| April 28 | Atlantic City 1 | Cincinnati 3 |
| April 29 | Atlantic City 3 | Cincinnati 6 |
| May 2 | Cincinnati 4 | Atlantic City 3 |
| May 3 | Cincinnati 2 | Atlantic City 3 |
| Atlantic City wins series 4–3 and Gingher Memorial Trophy ||||

### Kelly Cup finals

Columbia vs. Atlantic City :
| Date | Away | Home |
| May 7 | Atlantic City 1 | Columbia 0 |
| May 9 | Atlantic City 3 | Columbia 0 |
| May 10 | Columbia 5 | Atlantic City 3 |
| May 12 | Columbia 1 | Atlantic City 3 |
| May 14 | Columbia 1 | Atlantic City 3 |
| Atlantic City wins series 4–1 and Kelly Cup ||||

## 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) |