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‘Four more wins’: Record-setting Steelheads are in Kelly Cup Finals. Here’s what to know

Rachel Roberts
·5 min read
Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman

Since their lengthy ECHL hockey season began in October, the Idaho Steelheads have played 88 games.

But not a single one has been against their next opponent, the Florida Everblades.

That’s the team that stands between Idaho and a championship. Florida will be in Boise this weekend as the Kelly Cup Finals get underway at Idaho Central Arena. Game 1 is at 7:10 p.m. Saturday.

“These guys have a lot of fun with each other,” Idaho Steelheads coach Everett Sheen said Thursday. “They are just really enjoying spending this extra time together. The next two weeks will be some of the most fun they’ve ever had playing hockey. Vibes are high and everyone is just enjoying being around the arena.”

Here’s what you need to know as the Steelheads try to win their first Kelly Cup since 2007 and third title in franchise history:

THE SCHEDULE

Game 1: vs. Florida, Saturday, June 3, 7:10 p.m. Mountain time

Game 2: vs. Florida, Sunday, June 4, 4:10 p.m. MT

Game 3: at Florida, Wednesday, June 7, 5:30 p.m. MT

Game 4: at Florida, Friday, June 9, 5:30 p.m. MT

Game 5: at Florida, Saturday June 10, 5 p.m. MT (if necessary)

Game 6: vs. Florida, Tuesday, June 13, 7:10 p.m. MT (if necessary)

Game 7: vs. Florida, Wednesday, June 14, 7:10 p.m. MT (if necessary)

TICKETS

Tickets for Games 1 and 2 are on sale starting at a cost of $23. They can be purchased at the Idaho Central Arena box office, online at idahosteelheads.com, or by calling the Steelheads box office at 208-331-TIXS.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

The Steelheads and Everblades will meet for the second time in the Kelly Cup Finals. Idaho won its first league championship in 2004 — its first year in the ECHL — by defeating Florida in five games. Current Everblades coach Brad Ralph spent three seasons as the Steelheads’ head coach, from 2012 to 2015, leading them to the 2013 Western Conference finals and the playoffs all three years.

“They’re a good team. They’re a big, heavy, veteran team,” Sheen said. “They play a very structured hockey game. So do we, so I think it’s gonna be a good matchup. With our speed and our skill, I think we match up quite well.”

IDAHO’S RECORD-SETTING SEASON

During the 72-game regular season, the Steelheads set new ECHL records for overall wins (58), points (119), home wins (32) and road wins (26) on their way to winning the Brabham Cup, or ECHL regular-season championship, for the second time in franchise history.

They scored a league-best 290 goals in the regular season, 19 more than any other team, and gave up only 153, which led the league and was 26 fewer than the next-best squad.

FLORIDA’S LONG-SHOT POSTSEASON

The Everglades might be defending Kelly Cup champs, but they didn’t exactly storm into the playoffs. Florida was the No. 4 seed from the South Division, with 85 points on the season.

Much like their NHL affiliate, the upstart Florida Panthers — who are in the Stanley Cup Finals despite being the lowest-seeded team in the Eastern Conference and barely making the playoffs — the Everglades have gotten hot at the right time. They have won each of their best-of-7 series by a 4-2 count, knocking off a pair of No. 1 seeds along the way.

STEELHEADS’ HOT STREAK

Since dropping the first two games at home of their opening playoff series against Utah, the Steelheads have gone 12-2, and won both the Mountain Division and Western Conference finals 4-1. Their offense has been impressive, outscoring Toledo 20-9 over five games to win the conference title, and they scored 28 goals in five games against Allen, Texas, the series before.

FINALS EXPERIENCE

The Everblades have nine players on their roster who were on last year’s Kelly Cup championship team: Joe Pendenza, John McCarron, Blake Winiecki, Levko Koper, Ben Masella, Stefan Leblanc, Lukas Kälble, Kyle Neuber and Cam Johnson.

The Steelheads have just one player who has been in the Kelly Cup Finals: veteran defenseman Matt Register. Register won titles in his time with Allen (2016) and Colorado (2017, 2018), and was named MVP of the playoffs in 2017. The 33-year-old is the all-time leader in ECHL playoff games (142) and assists (84), and ranks second in points (110).

“It’s an exciting time, and it’s four more wins, but it’s the hardest four wins to get,” Register said. “I’m just kind of telling them to enjoy the next two weeks here and have fun with it. Hopefully the end result is us lifting that trophy.”

NAMES TO KNOW FOR STEELHEADS

  • No. 6 Wade Murphy: Leader in Kelly Cup playoffs in points (20) and goals (12) … tied for first in power-play goals (5) and game-winning goals (4) … fourth in shots (55).

  • No. 7 Owen Headrick: Leads all defensemen and rookies in points (18), shots (60) and plus/minus (+10) … tied for first in goals (3) and assists (15) among defenders … tied for second in power-play assists (7) and points (8) by a defenseman.

  • No. 15 Ryan Dmowski: Tied for third in goals (8) … tied for sixth in points (14) … leads all skaters in shots (73) … tied for third in power-play goals (3).

  • No. 17 Ty Pelton-Byce: Tied for fifth in points (15) … tied for third in goals (8) … tied for third in power-play goals (3).

  • No. 27 Patrick Kudla: Third among skaters in assists (11) … tied for fourth among defensemen in points (12) … tied for third among defenders in power-play assists (6) … second among defenders in shots (42).

  • No. 35 Adam Scheel: Started every playoff game in goal for the Steelheads, and has 12 wins and three shutouts. … second in playoffs with 429 saves.

ON THE AIR

The Steelheads’ games in the finals can be heard on 95.3-FM and also seen on Sparklight Channel 72. You also can go to Flohockey to stream the games live.