Everblades ECHL Champions Again

For the fourth time in five seasons, the Florida Everblades are ECHL champions. 

The Everblades claimed this year's Kelly Cup by defeating the Kansas City Mavericks in six games, including a 5-4 double-overtime victory in the clinching contest on Monday night in Missouri, after rebounding from a three-goal deficit after 40 minutes. Florida, which won the last four games of the series, including three in OT, previously defeated Kansas City in five games to win the Cup in 2024.

Anthony Romano (Clarkson) tied for Florida's playoff scoring lead with 17 points in 20 games, including a league-best 12 goals. Carson Gicewicz (UMass), who won an NCAA title in 2021, contributed 10 goals over 20 postseason outings. Everblades goaltender Cam Johnson (North Dakota) earned the Most Valuable Player award for a record third time in his career after posting a 16-4 record in 20 appearances this spring, including three shutouts and a 1.88 goals-against average, and has been a member of four Kelly Cup title teams.

Florida has now raised the Kelly Cup five times (2012, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026), extending its own ECHL record.

Everblades Win Third Straight ECHL Playoff Title

For the third year in a row, the Florida Everblades are ECHL playoff champions. 

The Everblades claimed their third straight Kelly Cup, and fourth overall, with last night's come from behind 4-3 overtime win over the visiting Kansas City Mavericks before 7,910 on-lookers at Hertz Arena in Estero, Fl. Florida won the best-of-seven final series, four games to one, while the third straight title and fourth overall are both league records. The Everblades have also bested the ECHL's Brabham Cup regular-season champion in each of the past three Kelly Cup finals, according to ECHL.com.

Matt Senden (North Dakota) tallied two goals in the third-period for Florida, including the game-tying goal in the final two minutes of regulation, while Will Reilly (Rensselaer) assisted on the game-winner early in sudden-death OT. Bobo Carpenter (Boston University) notched a goal and two assists, while Chad Johnson (North Dakota) made 29 saves in goal in winning his second straight Kelly Cup. David Cotton (Boston College) scored the first goal of the game for Kansas City, which got 35 stops from Jack LaFontaine (Minnesota).

Florida forward Oliver Chau (Quinnipiac), who won an NCAA title with UMass in 2021 and last year's Kelly Cup crown with the Everblades, earned this year's June M. Kelly Playoffs MVP Award after tallying nine goals and 23 points in 23 ECHL playoff contests this spring, including six goals in the final round.

Everblades Win Second Straight ECHL Title

The Florida Everblades are ECHL playoff champions for the second straight season. The Everblades, who began play in 1998, won their third Kelly Cup in six ECHL finals appearances all-time since 2004, by finishing a four-step sweep of the Idaho Steelheads with a 4-3 win in Estero, Fla. on Friday night. Tyler Irvine (Merrimack) notched the game-winning goal with 12 minutes remaining in regulation to break a three-all tie, with an assist going to Brandon Hickey (Boston University).

Cam Johnson (North Dakota) earned the June M. Kelly Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award for the second consecutive year, after backstopping the Everblades to the title with a 16-4-2 record and a 2.10 goals-against average in 22 postseason contests this spring. He stopped 32 out of 35 shots in the clinching contest to close out the Everblades 25th anniversary season.

Other players with NCAA experience who were part of Florida's 2023 playoff run included Ashton Calder (Lake Superior/North Dakota/Penn State), William Calverley (RIT), Oliver Chau (UMass/Quinnipiac), Cameron Darcy (Northeastern), Lukas Kaelble (Lake Superior/Clarkson), Logan Lambdin (Michigan State), Ben Masella (St. Lawrence), John McCarron (Cornell), Zachary Uens (Merrimack) and Blake Winiecki (St. Cloud). 

Calverley scored the only goal of the game in Florida's 1-0 triumph in Game Three on Wednesday, while Lambdin notched two goals and set up another in a 5-3 win in Game Two. Chau potted the game-winner in Game One in the Everblades' 3-2 overtime victory, after setting up the tying goal in the third period.

ECHL's Everblades Win 2022 Kelly Cup

For the first time since 2012, the Florida Everblades are ECHL champions.

The Everblades completed their playoff journey on Saturday night at Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla. with a 4-2 win over the Toledo Walleye in Game Five of the 2022 Kelly Cup Final. Florida won the series, four games to one, to claim the second Kelly Cup in franchise hostory.

Former NCAA players on this year's Everblades playoff roster included: Darik Angeli (Ohio State), Parker Gahagen (Army West Point), John McCarron (Cornell), Jake Jaremko (Minnesota State), Cam Johnson (North Dakota), Lukas Kaelble (Lake Superior State/Clarkson), Ben Masella (St. Lawrence), Chris McKay (RIT), Jake McLaughlin (UMass), Michael Neville (Michigan Tech), Joe Pendenza (UMass Lowell), Nathan Perkovich (Lake Superior State), Zach Solow (Northeastern), Dylan Vander Esch (SUNY Potsdam) and Blake Winiecki (St. Cloud State), 

Johnson earned the June M. Kelly Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award for his performance in net for Florida. He fashioned a 15-3 record in 18 postseason games this spring, along with a 1.90 goals-against average and four shutouts.

UND's Johnson Leads Florida to 2-0 Lead in ECHL Final

Cam Johnson (North Dakota) has backstopped the ECHL's Florida Everblades to a two games-to-none lead in the best-of-seven 2022 Kelly Cup Final.

Johnson, 27, from Troy, Mich., made 29 stops in Game 2 in Ohio last night as the Everblades defeated the host Toledo Walleye, 3-1. He made 33 saves in a 3-2 win in Game One. Game Three will be Wednesday night in Estero, Fla.

Johnson played at UND from 2014 to 2018, and also led the Fighting Hawks to the 2016 NCAA title. He posted a 56-26-12 record with 12 shutouts in 102 career NCAA appearances, to go with a 2.10 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. He has also played professionally in the AHL with Binghamton, Cleveland and Milwaukee, and in the ECHL with Adirondack.

MSU's Hildebrand Named ECHL Goaltender of the Year

 

Jake Hildebrand (Michigan State) has claimed the 2020-21 ECHL Goaltender of the Year Award, as voted upon by league personnel.

Hildebrand, 28, from Butler, Pa., finished with a 23-10-5 record in 40 regular-season appearances with the Florida Everblades. He also recorded a 2.40 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage to go with two shutouts. 

It was his sixth season in the ECHL, in a career that has also included stops in Texas, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Michigan, plus a 2016 Kelly Cup championship with the Allen (TX) Americans. In 222 career ECHL regular-season outings, he has gone 99-86-23 (3.30, .901) with eight shutouts.

Hildebrand backstopped Michigan State from 2012 to 2016. In 133 career NCAA contests with the Spartans, he finished 45-70-14 (2.54, .921) with 13 shutouts, and was also a First Team All-America selection in 2014-15 after a 17-win, six-shutout campaign.

Former NCAA Players Sign with ECHL Clubs

Several former NCAA Division I forwards were recently in the news regarding the ECHL, the primary Tier II or Double-A league for professional hockey, according to the league's website at ECHL.com.

Alex Kile (Michigan) became the first-ever player to sign with the new Maine Mariners franchise that will begin play in the fall. He spent last season with Cincinnati (ECHL), recording 15 goals and 13 assists for 28 points in 46 games, after tallying 40-40—80 points in 130 games at Michigan from 2013 to 2017.

Joe Cox (Michigan State) re-signed with the Florida Everblades after helping them to within one victory of the ECHL's Kelly Cup playoff title earlier this month. He recorded 22-32—54 points in 70 regular-season games, before adding six goals and 16 points in 21 playoff outings. He collected 28-41—69 points in 143 games at MSU from 2013 to 2017.

Woody Hudson (St. Lawrence) re-signed with the Worcester Railers after posting 10-19—29 points in the team's inaugural campaign in 2017-18. He registered 19 goals and 35 points in 140 games at SLU from 2013 to 2017, and then turned pro with Indy (ECHL) following his senior NCAA season.

Bo Brauer (Notre Dame) has signed with the South Carolina Stingrays after helping the Fighting Irish to within one victory of the NCAA championship in April. He notched a career-high five goals and eight points in 35 appearances last season, and finished his career with 8-5—13 points in 64 games overall.