WICHITA, Kan. – It could be a huge day in the race for the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Not only could we add a new team to the mix, but we could also crown a pair of conference regular-season champions.
This season, thanks to the imbalance of games, the league is doing things differently, with points percentage being used to award playoff positions.
With the playoffs fast approaching the questions of tiebreakers always comes up and even more so this season when playoff positions are decided by points percentage, not points. Here are the eight tiebreakers the ECHL will use in 2020-21:
1. The higher percentage of regulation wins (regulation wins/total games played)
2. The higher percentage of regulation and overtime wins (excluding games won in the Shootout) (regulation + OT wins/total games played)
3. The greater differential between goals scored for and against by Members having equal standing under priority (1)
4. The higher number of points earned in games against each other among two Members having equal standing under priorities (1) and (2)
5. The higher winning percentage earned in games within the Members Conference (only applicable if tied Members are from the same conference)
6. The higher number of goals scored during the Regular Season
7. The lowest number of goals against during the Regular Season
8. Coin toss
It’s a four-game night in the ECHL, with each game having implications on the playoff race. Let’s get into it!
Eastern Conference
Here is how the standings stack up at the beginning of play tonight.
Florida and Greenville will have home-ice in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The ‘Blades and Swamp Rabbits kick off a two-game set in Estero tonight, and if Florida wins in any fashion, they win the East.
The Indy Fuel can clinch a playoff berth tonight with a win over the Kansas City Mavericks.
Orlando’s magic number is down to five, but because South Carolina defeated Wheeling last night, the earliest the Solar Bears can clinch a playoff spot is Friday…provided they defeat South Carolina tomorrow night in Orlando. If the Stingrays win, they jump into the fourth spot in the East.
Jacksonville was eliminated from playoff contention last night.
Western Conference
Here is how the standings stack up at the beginning of play tonight.
Wichita and Allen are the likely two teams to have home-ice advantage in round one of the playoffs. The Thunder and Americans meet tonight in Allen for the final time this season. If Wichita wins the game in any fashion, they win the west.
Fort Wayne and Utah meet tonight in the first of a three-game set in West Valley City. If Utah defeats Fort Wayne in regulation three straight times this weekend, they will be the three-seed in the upcoming playoffs.
The Bracket
Teams With Best Record in Last 10 Games:
Greenville Swamp Rabbits: 8-2-0-0
Utah Grizzlies: 7-3-0-0
South Carolina Stingrays: 7-3-0-0
Wichita Thunder: 6-4-0-0
Kansas City Mavericks: 6-4-0-0
Race for the Brabham Cup
The race for the Brabham Cup, and home-ice throughout the 2021 Kelly Cup Playoffs, is a three-horse race between the Florida Everblades, Wichita Thunder, and Allen Americans, who separated by .021 percentage points for the league’s top spot entering games tonight.
Looking back to 2006-07, the winners of the Brabham Cup have gone on to win the Kelly Cup three times.
| YEAR | TEAM | PLAYOFF RESULT |
| 2006-07 | Las Vegas Wranglers | Lost in Conference Semis to Idaho |
| 2007-08 | Cincinnati Cyclones | WON KELLY CUP |
| 2008-09 | Florida Everblades | Lost in South Division Finals to SC |
| 2009-10 | Idaho Steelheads | Lost in Kelly Cup Finals to Cincinnati |
| 2010-11 | Alaska Aces | WON KELLY CUP |
| 2011-12 | Alaska Aces | Lost in Conference Finals to Las Vegas |
| 2012-13 | Alaska Aces | Lost in Conference Semis to Stockton |
| 2013-14 | Alaska Aces | WON KELLY CUP |
| 2014-15 | Toledo Walleye | Lost in Conference Finals to SC |
| 2015-16 | Missouri Mavericks | Lost in Conference Semis to Allen |
| 2016-17 | Toledo Walleye | Lost in Conference Finals to Colorado |
| 2017-18 | Florida Everblades | Lost in Kelly Cup Finals to Colorado |
| 2018-19 | Cincinnati Cyclones | Lost in Central Division Final to Toledo |
| 2019-20 | NO WINNER | SEASON CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC |
Stay with The Sin Bin as we chronicle the race to the 2021 Kelly Cup Playoffs!
