Florida Everglades Repeat as ECHL Champs

It is difficult to repeat as champions in any sport but the Florida Everblades of the ECHL swept the Idaho Steelheads to win another Kelly Cup.

Florida made a furious third-period comeback in front of a sold-out home crowd.  Tyler Irvine broke a 3-3 tie eight minutes into the final period with a rebound to put the Everblades ahead for good.  

Everblades’ goaltender Cam Johnson earned the June M. Kelly Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award as the Most Valuable Player of the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Johnson becomes the first player in ECHL history to win the postseason MVP award in consecutive seasons and he joins Nick Vitucci and Dave Gagnon as the only players to win the award twice over their career.

This is the third Kelly Cup for the Everblades.  They also won the title in 2012.  The Everblades become the fifth team in ECHL history to claim back-to-back titles, joining Hampton Roads (1991 and 1992), Toledo (1993 and 1994), Allen (2015 and 2016) and Colorado (2017 and 2018) while their third championship ties Hampton Roads, South Carolina and Alaska for the most in League history.  The Everblades defeated Toledo in last years' Kelly Cup final.

Florida opened the playoffs defeating the South Carolina Stingrays 4-2 in the South Division semifinals then defeated the Jacksonville Icemen 4-2 in the division final.  They went on to defeat the Newfoundland Growlers 4-2 in the Eastern Conference final.  The Everblades opened the Kelly Cup final with a 3-2 overtime win over Idaho followed by a 5-3 win in game two then returned home with a close 1-0 win in game three.

The Everblades have qualified for the playoffs every season except one since they began play in the 1998-99 season.  They have won eight division titles and six conference titles.  They are an affiliate with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL).

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Review of ECHL Season:

Eastern Conference

North Division

1. Newfoundland Growlers
2. Reading Royals
3. Maine Mariners
4. Adirondack Thunder
5. Worcester Railers
6. Trois-Rivieres Lions
7. Norfolk Admirals

South Division

1. South Carolina Stingrays
2. Jacksonville Icemen
3. Greenville Swamp Rabbits
4. Florida Everblades
5. Atlanta Gladiators
6. Orlando Solar Bears
7. Savannah Ghost Pirates

Western Conference

Central Division

1. Cincinnati Cyclones
2. Toledo Walleye
3. Indy Fuel
4. Fort Wayne Komets
5. Kalamazoo Wings
6. Wheeling Nailers
7. Iowa Heartlanders

Mountain Division

1. Idaho Steelheads
2. Allen Americans
3. Kansas City Mavericks
4. Utah Grizzlies
5. Wichita Thunder
6. Rapid City Rush
7. Tulsa Oilers

Division Semifinals:

Newfoundland 4, Adirondack 1

Reading 4, Maine 2

Florida 4, South Carolina 2

Jacksonville 4, Greenville 2

Cincinnati 4, Fort Wayne 3

Toledo 4, Indy 0

Idaho 4, Utah 2

Allen 4, Kansas City 2

Division Finals:

Newfoundland 4, Reading 1

Florida 4, Jacksonville 2

Toledo 4, Cincinnati 0

Idaho 4, Allen 1

Conference Finals

Florida 4, Newfoundland 2

Idaho 4, Toledo 1

Kelly Cup Final

Florida 4, Idaho 0