# 1996–97 ECHL season

The 1996–97 ECHL season was the ninth season of the ECHL. Before the start of the season, two franchises relocated, one was renamed, and two expansion franchises were founded. Founding member Erie Panthers moved to Baton Rouge, LA and the Nashville Knights moved to Pensacola, FL, the Wheeling Thunderbirds changed their name to the Wheeling Nailers following a lawsuit with WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds, and the ECHL welcomed franchises in Peoria, IL and Biloxi, MS.
In 1996, the ECHL Board of Governors decided to retire the Jack Riley Cup and create a new trophy, the Patrick J. Kelly Cup, named after founding father and former ECHL commissioner, Patrick J. Kelly. The league also created a new individual award, the Sportsmanship Award, to be awarded to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams.
The South Carolina Stingrays finished first overall in the season and became the first team in ECHL history to win the Brabham and Kelly Cups in the same year as they defeated the Louisiana IceGators 4 games to 1.

## Regular season
### Final standings

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Green shade = Clinched playoff spot, Blue shade = Clinched division
| East Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| South Carolina Stingrays | 70 | 45 | 15 | 10 | 100 | 345 | 253 |
| Hampton Roads Admirals | 70 | 46 | 19 | 5 | 97 | 286 | 223 |
| Richmond Renegades | 70 | 41 | 25 | 4 | 86 | 252 | 235 |
| Roanoke Express | 70 | 38 | 26 | 6 | 82 | 262 | 250 |
| Charlotte Checkers | 70 | 35 | 28 | 7 | 77 | 271 | 267 |
| Raleigh Icecaps | 70 | 30 | 33 | 7 | 67 | 256 | 293 |
| Knoxville Cherokees | 70 | 24 | 43 | 3 | 51 | 260 | 343 |
| North Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| Columbus Chill | 70 | 44 | 21 | 5 | 93 | 303 | 257 |
| Peoria Rivermen | 70 | 43 | 21 | 6 | 92 | 308 | 219 |
| Dayton Bombers | 70 | 36 | 26 | 8 | 80 | 253 | 258 |
| Wheeling Nailers | 70 | 36 | 29 | 5 | 77 | 298 | 291 |
| Toledo Storm | 70 | 32 | 28 | 10 | 74 | 258 | 248 |
| Huntington Blizzard | 70 | 33 | 33 | 4 | 70 | 273 | 296 |
| Louisville RiverFrogs | 70 | 29 | 31 | 10 | 68 | 234 | 290 |
| Johnstown Chiefs | 70 | 24 | 39 | 7 | 55 | 253 | 354 |
| South Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| Tallahassee Tiger Sharks | 70 | 39 | 23 | 8 | 86 | 263 | 236 |
| Birmingham Bulls | 70 | 36 | 25 | 9 | 81 | 291 | 296 |
| Louisiana IceGators | 70 | 38 | 28 | 4 | 80 | 292 | 244 |
| Mobile Mysticks | 70 | 34 | 25 | 11 | 79 | 257 | 263 |
| Mississippi Sea Wolves | 70 | 34 | 26 | 10 | 78 | 241 | 245 |
| Pensacola Ice Pilots | 70 | 36 | 31 | 3 | 75 | 275 | 275 |
| Baton Rouge Kingfish | 70 | 31 | 33 | 6 | 68 | 222 | 238 |
| Jacksonville Lizard Kings | 70 | 21 | 37 | 12 | 54 | 220 | 299 |

## Kelly Cup playoffs
### Bracket

| First Round (Best of 5) | First Round (Best of 5) | First Round (Best of 5) | Quarterfinals (Best of 5) | Quarterfinals (Best of 5) | Quarterfinals (Best of 5) | Semifinals (Best of 5) | Semifinals (Best of 5) | Semifinals (Best of 5) | | Finals (Best of 7) | Finals (Best of 7) | Finals (Best of 7) |
| South Carolina | South Carolina | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Charlotte | Charlotte | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Charlotte | Charlotte | 0 | South Carolina | South Carolina | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Hampton Roads | Hampton Roads | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Hampton Roads | Hampton Roads | 3 | Hampton Roads | Hampton Roads | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Roanoke | Roanoke | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Roanoke | Roanoke | 1 | | | | South Carolina | South Carolina | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Pensacola | Pensacola | 2 | | | | |
| Richmond | Richmond | 3 | | | | | | | Pensacola | Pensacola | 2 | | | | |
| Dayton | Dayton | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dayton | Dayton | 1 | Richmond | Richmond | 1 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Pensacola | Pensacola | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Tallahassee | Tallahassee | 0 | Pensacola | Pensacola | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Pensacola | Pensacola | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pensacola | Pensacola | 3 | | | | | | | | South Carolina | South Carolina | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Louisiana | Louisiana | 1 |
| Columbus | Columbus | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | Louisiana | Louisiana | 1 |
| Toledo | Toledo | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Toledo | Toledo | 2 | Columbus | Columbus | 0 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Peoria | Peoria | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Peoria | Peoria | 3 | Peoria | Peoria | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Wheeling | Wheeling | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wheeling | Wheeling | 0 | | | | Peoria | Peoria | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Louisiana | Louisiana | 3 | | | | |
| Birmingham | Birmingham | 3 | | | | | | | Louisiana | Louisiana | 3 | | | | |
| Mississippi | Mississippi | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mississippi | Mississippi | 0 | Birmingham | Birmingham | 2 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Louisiana | Louisiana | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Louisiana | Louisiana | 3 | Louisiana | Louisiana | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Mobile | Mobile | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |

### First round

South Carolina vs. Charlotte :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Charlotte 2 | S. Carolina 4 |
| April 4 | Charlotte 3 | S. Carolina 5 |
| April 5 | S. Carolina 4 | Charlotte 2 |
| South Carolina wins series 3–0 ||||
Hampton Roads vs. Roanoke :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Roanoke 3 | Hampton Roads 4 | OT |
| April 4 | Roanoke 4 | Hampton Roads 2 |
| April 5 | Hampton Roads 4 | Roanoke 1 |
| April 6 | Hampton Roads 4 | Roanoke 3 |
| Hampton Roads wins series 3–1 ||||
Richmond vs. Dayton :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 1 | Dayton 3 | Richmond 5 |
| April 3 | Dayton 3 | Richmond 4 |
| April 5 | Richmond 1 | Dayton 4 |
| April 6 | Richmond 5 | Dayton 2 |
| Richmond wins series 3–1 ||||
Tallahassee vs. Pensacola :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Pensacola 4 | Tallahassee 2 |
| April 4 | Pensacola 4 | Tallahassee 0 |
| April 5 | Tallahassee 3 | Pensacola 4 | OT |
| Pensacola wins series 3–0 ||||
Columbus vs. Toledo :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Toledo 2 | Columbus 5 |
| April 4 | Columbus 2 | Toledo 3 | OT |
| April 5 | Toledo 3 | Columbus 2 | OT |
| April 6 | Columbus 3 | Toledo 2 | OT |
| April 9 | Toledo 2 | Columbus 5 |
| Columbus wins series 3–2 ||||
Peoria vs. Wheeling :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 1 | Wheeling 5 | Peoria 6 |
| April 2 | Wheeling 4 | Peoria 9 |
| April 4 | Peoria 8 | Wheeling 3 |
| Peoria wins series 3–0 ||||
Birmingham vs. Mississippi :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 1 | Mississippi 3 | Birmingham 6 |
| April 4 | Mississippi 3 | Birmingham 4 |
| April 5 | Birmingham 4 | Mississippi 3 | OT |
| Birmingham wins series 3–0 ||||
Louisiana vs. Mobile :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Mobile 2 | Louisiana 4 |
| April 4 | Louisiana 3 | Mobile 2 |
| April 6 | Mobile 4 | Louisiana 5 |
| Louisiana wins series 3–0 ||||

### Quarterfinals

South Carolina vs. Hampton Roads :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 11 | Hampton Roads 4 | South Carolina 5 | OT |
| April 12 | Hampton Roads 5 | South Carolina 6 | OT |
| April 17 | South Carolina 3 | Hampton Roads 8 |
| April 19 | South Carolina 4 | Hampton Roads 5 |
| April 20 | Hampton Roads 2 | South Carolina 6 |
| South Carolina wins series 3–2 ||||
Richmond vs. Pensacola :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 11 | Pensacola 4 | Richmond 2 |
| April 12 | Pensacola 3 | Richmond 6 |
| April 17 | Richmond 3 | Pensacola 4 |
| April 18 | Richmond 4 | Pensacola 8 |
| Pensacola wins series 3–1 ||||
Columbus vs. Peoria :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 2 | Columbus 2 | Peoria 5 |
| April 4 | Peoria 3 | Columbus 2 |
| April 6 | Peoria 5 | Columbus 2 |
| Peoria wins series 3–0 ||||
Birmingham vs. Louisiana :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 11 | Louisiana 4 | Birmingham 3 |
| April 13 | Louisiana 4 | Birmingham 5 |
| April 15 | Birmingham 4 | Louisiana 5 |
| April 16 | Birmingham 6 | Louisiana 5 |
| April 19 | Louisiana 6 | Birmingham 5 | OT |
| Louisiana wins series 3–2 ||||

### Semifinals

South Carolina vs. Pensacola :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 24 | Pensacola 6 | South Carolina 5 | OT |
| April 25 | Pensacola 2 | South Carolina 4 |
| April 17 | South Carolina 6 | Pensacola 5 | OT |
| April 19 | South Carolina 3 | Pensacola 4 |
| April 30 | Pensacola 1 | South Carolina 6 |
| South Carolina wins series 3–2 ||||
Peoria vs. Louisiana :
| Date | Away | Home |
| April 24 | Louisiana 4 | Peoria 3 | OT |
| April 26 | Louisiana 4 | Peoria 2 |
| April 28 | Peoria 10 | Louisiana 3 |
| April 29 | Peoria 3 | Louisiana 4 | OT |
| Louisiana wins series 3–1 ||||

### Kelly Cup finals

Kelly Cup Finals South Carolina vs. Louisiana :
| Date | Away | Home |
| May 2 | Louisiana 1 | South Carolina 6 |
| May 4 | Louisiana 2 | South Carolina 4 |
| May 7 | South Carolina 4 | Louisiana 5 |
| May 9 | South Carolina 7 | Louisiana 4 |
| May 11 | South Carolina 6 | Louisiana 4 |
| South Carolina wins series 4–1 ||||

## ECHL awards

| Patrick J. Kelly Cup: | South Carolina Stingrays |
| Henry Brabham Cup: | South Carolina Stingrays |
| John Brophy Award: | Brian McCutcheon (Columbus) |
| ECHL Most Valuable Player: | Mike Ross (South Carolina) |
| Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player: | Jason Fitzsimmons (South Carolina) |
| ECHL Goaltender of the Year: | Marc Delorme (Louisiana) |
| ECHL Rookie of the Year: | Dany Bousquet (Birmingham) |
| Defenseman of the Year: | Chris Valicevic (Louisiana) |
| Leading Scorer: | Ed Courtenay (South Carolina) |
| Sportsmanship Award: | Mike Ross (South Carolina) |