2003-04 ECHL season

The 2003-04 ECHL season was the 16th season of the ECHL. This season brought a major change in the ECHL as the ECHL Board of Governors approved membership applications from the Anchorage Aces, the Bakersfield Condors, the Fresno Falcons, the Idaho Steelheads, the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the San Diego Gulls from the recently defunct West Coast Hockey League. Alaska, Bakersfield, Fresno, Idaho, Las Vegas, Long Beach and San Diego were joined by franchises in Duluth, GA and Beaumont, TX as the league's latest expansion teams. In a change reflective of the nationwide presence of the ECHL, the East Coast Hockey League changed its name to simply ECHL on May 19, 2003.
The ECHL All-Star Game was held at Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois and was hosted by the Peoria Rivermen. The Eastern Conference All-Stars defeated the Western Conference All-Stars 7:6, with Peoria's Randy Rowe named Most Valuable Player.
At the end of the season, the Columbus Cottonmouths, Greensboro Generals, and Roanoke Express franchises all ceased operations as their franchises were revoked. (The Columbus team moved to the Southern Professional Hockey League for 2004-05; the franchise planned to be in Bradenton, Florida, but had its franchise revoked in the September 2006 ECHL Board of Governors meeting.) The Cincinnati Cyclones requested a voluntary suspension of franchise, which was lifted for the 2006-07 season, when the Cyclones resumed play following a full season without minor league hockey in the city.
==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
====Eastern Conference====
Northern Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	PTS	GF 	GA
Wheeling Nailers (z) 	72	51	17	4 	106	259	188
Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies	72	47	19	6 	100	242	159
Peoria Rivermen 	72	45	18	9 	99 	244	177
Johnstown Chiefs 	72	45	20	7 	97 	223	195
Reading Royals 	72	37	25	10	84 	212	189
Trenton Titans 	72	37	28	7 	81 	222	193
Dayton Bombers 	72	26	41	5 	57 	187	271
Toledo Storm 	72	23	38	11	57 	183	258
Cincinnati Cyclones 	72	25	43	4 	54 	175	223
Southern Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	PTS	GF 	GA
Columbia Inferno 	72	44	20	8 	96 	275	217
Roanoke Express 	72	38	26	8 	84 	219	232
Florida Everblades 	72	37	25	10	84 	239	221
South Carolina Stingrays	72	39	28	5 	83 	205	202
Greensboro Generals 	72	40	30	2 	82 	241	240
Charlotte Checkers 	72	31	32	9 	71 	206	230
Florence Pride 	72	30	33	9 	69 	210	254
Greenville Grrrowl 	72	14	53	5 	33 	177	281
====Western Conference====
Central Division 	GP	W 	L 	T	PTS	GF 	GA
Louisiana IceGators 	72	48	22	2	98 	235	167
Mississippi Sea Wolves	72	45	20	7	97 	256	200
Gwinnett Gladiators 	72	42	22	8	92 	248	193
Pensacola Ice Pilots 	72	40	23	9	89 	240	239
Columbus Cottonmouths 	72	37	27	8	82 	214	197
Augusta Lynx 	72	32	33	7	71 	203	234
Texas Wildcatters 	72	22	44	6	50 	196	287
Pacific Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	Pts	GF 	GA
San Diego Gulls (z)	72	49	13	10	108	240	177
Las Vegas Wranglers	72	43	22	7 	93 	227	186
Idaho Steelheads 	72	40	23	9 	89 	219	208
Alaska Aces 	72	38	28	6 	82 	220	210
Bakersfield Condors	72	25	38	9 	59 	201	236
Fresno Falcons 	72	23	43	6 	52 	187	275
Long Beach Ice Dogs	72	23	44	5 	51 	191	257
===Scoring leaders===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Player 	Team	GP	G 	A 	Pts
Tim Smith 	CBA 	69	33	62	95
Steffon Walby 	MS 	59	33	55	88
Brian McCullough 	FL 	72	40	47	87
Louis Dumont 	MS 	72	33	51	84
Louis Goulet 	AUG 	72	32	52	84
Mark Pederson 	SD 	70	44	37	81
Sylvai Deschatelets	SD 	72	24	57	81
Mark Turner 	GBO 	72	28	50	78
Cory Neilson 	PEN 	72	19	59	78
Jon Cullen 	AC 	71	29	48	77
===Leading goaltenders===
Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals allowed; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player 	Team	GP	Mins	W 	L 	T	GA 	SO	Sv% 	GAA
Scott Stirling 	AC 	49	2954	31	13	5	94 	4 	.933	1.91
Derek Gustafson	LA 	43	2498	28	14	0	87 	5 	.927	2.09
Michael Garnett	GWT 	33	1936	21	10	2	69 	4 	.926	2.14
Trever Koenig 	SD 	53	3154	37	7 	8	114	3 	.920	2.17
Mike Valley 	PEO 	37	2184	20	8 	7	83 	3 	.915	2.28
==Kelly Cup playoffs==
===Eastern Conference===
====1st round====
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"	Northern Division Wildcard Johnstown vs. Reading	Northern Division Wildcard Johnstown vs. Reading	Northern Division Wildcard Johnstown vs. Reading	Northern Division Wildcard Johnstown vs. Reading
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 5 	Reading 2 	Johnstown 1 	 	
Reading wins series 1–0	Reading wins series 1–0 	Reading wins series 1–0 	Reading wins series 1–0 	
====Division Semifinals====
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"	Northern Division Semifinals Wheeling vs. Reading	Northern Division Semifinals Wheeling vs. Reading	Northern Division Semifinals Wheeling vs. Reading	Northern Division Semifinals Wheeling vs. Reading
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 8 	Reading 1 	Wheeling 3 	 	
April 9 	Reading 3 	Wheeling 2 	 	
April 10 	Wheeling 3 	Reading 4 	 	
April 13 	Wheeling 3 	Reading 1 	 	
April 14 	Reading 4 	Wheeling 0 	 	
Reading wins series 3–2	Reading wins series 3–2 	Reading wins series 3–2 	Reading wins series 3–2 	
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"	Southern Division Semifinals Columbia vs. South Carolina	Southern Division Semifinals Columbia vs. South Carolina	Southern Division Semifinals Columbia vs. South Carolina	Southern Division Semifinals Columbia vs. South Carolina
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 6 	South Carolina 1 	Columbia 4 	 	
April 9 	South Carolina 4 	Columbia 2 	 	
April 10 	Columbia 2 	South Carolina 3 	OT 	
April 13 	Columbia 0 	South Carolina 3 	 	
South Carolina wins series 3–1	South Carolina wins series 3–1 	South Carolina wins series 3–1 	South Carolina wins series 3–1 	
====Division finals====
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"	Northern Division Finals Peoria vs. Reading	Northern Division Finals Peoria vs. Reading	Northern Division Finals Peoria vs. Reading	Northern Division Finals Peoria vs. Reading
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 17 	Reading 2 	Peoria 1 	OT 	
April 19 	Reading 2 	Peoria 4 	 	
April 21 	Peoria 2 	Reading 3 	 	
April 22 	Peoria 1 	Reading 3 	 	
Reading wins series 3–1	Reading wins series 3–1 	Reading wins series 3–1 	Reading wins series 3–1 	
====Conference finals====
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"	Eastern Conference Finals Florida vs. Reading 	Eastern Conference Finals Florida vs. Reading 	Eastern Conference Finals Florida vs. Reading 	Eastern Conference Finals Florida vs. Reading
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 28 	Reading 0 	Florida 1 	 	
April 30 	Reading 3 	Florida 5 	 	
May 2 	Florida 0 	Reading 6 	 	
May 5 	Florida 1 	Reading 4 	 	
May 10 	Reading 2 	Florida 3 	 	
Florida wins series 3–2and Gingher Memorial Trophy	Florida wins series 3–2and Gingher Memorial Trophy	Florida wins series 3–2and Gingher Memorial Trophy	Florida wins series 3–2and Gingher Memorial Trophy	
===Kelly Cup finals===
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"	Florida vs. Idaho 	Florida vs. Idaho 	Florida vs. Idaho 	Florida vs. Idaho
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 14 	Idaho 5 	Florida 1 	 	
May 15 	Idaho 6 	Florida 4 	 	
May 19 	Florida 0 	Idaho 1 	OT 	
May 21 	Florida 3 	Idaho 2 	OT 	
May 22 	Florida 2 	Idaho 5 	 	
Idaho wins series 4–1 and Kelly Cup	Idaho wins series 4–1 and Kelly Cup	Idaho wins series 4–1 and Kelly Cup	Idaho wins series 4–1 and Kelly Cup	
==ECHL awards==
Patrick Kelly Cup: 	Idaho Steelheads
Henry Brabham Cup: 	San Diego Gulls
Gingher Memorial Trophy: 	Florida Everblades
Bruce Taylor Trophy: 	Idaho Steelheads
John Brophy Award: 	Pat Bingham (Wheeling)
CCM TACKS Most Valuable Player: 	Scott Stirling (Atlantic City)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:	Dan Ellis (Idaho)
Reebok Hockey Goaltender of the Year: 	Scott Stirling (Atlantic City)
CCM Tacks Rookie of the Year: 	Kevin Doell (Gwinnett)
Defenseman of the Year: 	Corey Neilson (Pensacola)
Leading Scorer: 	Tim Smith (Columbia)
Reebok Hockey Plus Performer Award: 	Tim Smith (Columbia)
Sportsmanship Award: 	Mark Pederson (San Diego)
==See also==
* ECHL All-Star Game
* Kelly Cup
Category:ECHL seasons
ECHL season, 2003–04
ECHL season, 2003–04