With hat trick, KC Mavericks reach first Kelly Cup Finals in franchise history

Jeremy McKenna’s hat trick led the way on Memorial Day as the Kansas City Mavericks routed the Toledo Walleye 7-1 to reach the first Kelly Cup Finals in franchise history.

The Game 6 victory clinched the Mavericks’ 2024 ECHL Western Conference crown. They’ll open the Kelly Cup Finals — the ECHL’s championship best-of-seven series — this Friday at Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence.

The Mavericks’ opponent is yet to be determined. The Eastern Conference Finals, between Adirondack and Florida, are ongoing.

Home ice proved beneficial for the Mavs on Monday afternoon. McKenna got the scoring underway by netting his team’s first goals of the contest.

By game’s end, a total of five KC players had turned in multi-point performances. Cole Coskey scored midway through the second period and the Mavericks took a 3-0 lead into the third.

McKenna scored his third goal of the night a minute and a half into the third period. It was his third hat trick of the season and first of the postseason. He finished the Western Conference Finals with four goals and five assists for a team-leading nine points.

Rookie Max Andreev, forward Justin Nachbaur and Theo Calvas also scored for the hosts, while Jack LaFontaine kept the Walleye from attempting any sort of comeback.

The former Minnesota Golden Gophers captain stopped 31 of 32 shots and finished the Western Conference Finals with a 3-0 record, 0.94 goals-against-average and .972 save percentage in 191-plus minutes.

The Mavericks continue to own home-ice advantage throughout the postseason and will thus play host Games 1 and 2 of the Kelly Cup Finals at Cable Dahmer Arena. Game 1 is Friday, Game 2 on Saturday.

Here’s the full schedule for the 2024 Kelly Cup Finals:

Game 1: Friday, 7:05 p.m. at Cable Dahmer Arena

Game 2: Saturday, 7:05 p.m. at Cable Dahmer Arena

Games 3-5: TBD (at Adirondack or Florida)

Game 6*: June 10, 7:05 p.m. at Cable Dahmer Arena

Game 7*: June 12, 7:05 p.m. at Cable Dahmer Arena

*if necessary