Colorado Wins Second Straight ECHL Crown

The Colorado Eagles are the two-time ECHL champions. The Eagles defeated the host Florida Everblades, 3-2, on Saturday night in Game 7 of the Kelly Cup Final in Estero, Fla. to win their second straight league title. They join the Allen Americans (2015-2016), Toledo Storm (1993-1994) and Hampton Roads Admirals (1991-1992) as back-to-back ECHL playoff champions.

Former NCAA players on the Eagles roster this spring included Matt Garbowsky (RIT), Jake Marto (North Dakota), Chase Norrish (RIT), Brady Shaw (Vermont), Cliff Watson (Michigan Tech), Sam Brittain (Denver), Joe Cannata (Merrimack) and Lukas Hafner (Western Michigan), plus head coach Aaron Schneekloth (North Dakota) and goalie coach Ryan Bach (Colorado College).

The Eagles' franchise got its start in the now-defunct Central Hockey League in 2003, winning two league playoff championships there before moving on to the ECHL in 2011. Beginning this fall, Colorado will move up one level to the American Hockey League (AHL) as an expansion franchise, to compete for the Calder Cup as the primary/Triple-A affiliate of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche.

Colorado Wins ECHL's Kelly Cup

The Colorado Eagles are the champions of the ECHL.

The Eagles, a transplant from the defunct Central Hockey league, won their first-ever Kelly Cup by completing a four-game sweep of the South Carolina Stingrays with a 2-1 triumph in North Charleston, S.C. on Monday night.

Luke Salazar (Denver) notched the Cup-winning goal just over a minute into the second period, to break a 1-1 tie at the North Charleston Coliseum. Lukas Hafner (Western Michigan) stopped 25 of 26 shots for the Eagles, and ended the postseason with a personal 14-2-0 record. Parker Milner (Boston College) finished with 42 saves Monday for the Stingrays, who got their lone goal from Derek Arnold (UMass Lowell).

Colorado won all four games of the final by one goal apiece, to capture its first playoff title since it won its second of two CHL Ray Miron President's Cups in 2007. South Carolina was seeking its fourth ECHL playoff crown overall, and first since 2009.