Ice hockey league season
Sports season
The 2002–03 ECHL season was the 15th season of the East Coast Hockey League . The Brabham Cup regular season champions were the Toledo Storm and the Kelly Cup playoff champions were the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies .
The Macon Whoopee relocated to Lexington, Kentucky , as the Lexington Men O' War .
The New Orleans Brass ceased operations due to the arrival of the New Orleans Hornets basketball team. The NBA team moved into the Brass' arena but wanted the Brass to pay for every conversion between the hockey and basketball configuration, an expense the Brass could not afford.
The Mobile Mysticks also suspended operations prior to the season and would relocate to Duluth, Georgia , beginning with the 2003–04 season .
The ECHL All-Star Game was held at Germain Arena in Estero, Florida and was hosted by the Florida Everblades . The Northern Conference All-Stars dominated the game, beating the Southern Conference All-Stars 8–2. Atlantic City's Scott Stirling was named Most Valuable Player.
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses; SOL = Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points Green shade = Clinched playoff spot; Blue shade = Clinched division; (z) = Clinched home-ice advantage [ 1] [ 2]
Northern Conference [ edit ] Southern Conference [ edit ] Northern Conference [ edit ] Division semifinals [ edit ] Northeast Division Semifinals Atlantic City vs. Trenton Date Away Home April 2 Trenton 3 Atlantic City 4 April 4 Trenton 0 Atlantic City 4 April 7 Atlantic City 7 Trenton 3 Atlantic City wins series 3–0
Northeast Division Semifinals Greensboro vs. Roanoke Date Away Home April 3 Roanoke 2 Greensboro 7 April 4 Roanoke 3 Greensboro 1 April 5 Greensboro 3 Roanoke 2 April 8 Greensboro 5 Roanoke 3 Greensboro wins series 3–1
Northwest Division Semifinals Toledo vs. Lexington Date Away Home April 2 Lexington 1 Toledo 9 April 4 Lexington 0 Toledo 3 April 5 Lexington 1 Toledo 5 Toledo wins series 3–0
Northwest Division Semifinals Peoria vs. Cincinnati Date Away Home April 1 Cincinnati 4 Peoria 3 April 2 Cincinnati 1 Peoria 2 OT April 5 Peoria 0 Cincinnati 1 OT April 6 Peoria 3 Cincinnati 4 2OT Cincinnati wins series 3–1
Northeast Division Finals Atlantic City vs. Greensboro Date Away Home April 11 Greensboro 2 Atlantic City 3 OT April 12 Greensboro 3 Atlantic City 2 OT April 16 Atlantic City 6 Greensboro 3 April 18 Atlantic City 3 Greensboro 2 Atlantic City wins series 3–1
Northwest Division Finals Toledo vs. Cincinnati Date Away Home April 11 Cincinnati 2 Toledo 1 April 12 Cincinnati 4 Toledo 2 April 15 Toledo 1 Cincinnati 0 April 16 Toledo 1 Cincinnati 4 Cincinnati wins series 3–1
Northern Conference Finals Atlantic City vs. Cincinnati Date Away Home April 23 Cincinnati 4 Atlantic City 5 April 25 Cincinnati 0 Atlantic City 5 April 26 Atlantic City 3 Cincinnati 1 April 28 Atlantic City 1 Cincinnati 3 April 29 Atlantic City 3 Cincinnati 6 May 2 Cincinnati 4 Atlantic City 3 May 3 Cincinnati 2 Atlantic City 3 Atlantic City wins series 4–3 and Gingher Memorial Trophy
Southern Conference [ edit ]
Southeast Division Wildcard Florida vs. Greenville Date Away Home April 1 Greenville 3 Florida 2 Greenville wins series 1–0
Southwest Division Wildcard Jackson vs. Pensacola Date Away Home April 1 Pensacola 3 Jackson 2 OT Pensacola wins series 1–0
Division Semifinals [ edit ] Southeast Division Semifinals Columbia vs. Greenville Date Away Home April 2 Greenville 2 Columbia 6 April 4 Greenville 4 Columbia 6 April 7 Columbia 6 Greenville 4 Columbia wins series 3–0
Southeast Division Semifinals South Carolina vs. Pee Dee Date Away Home April 2 Pee Dee 3 South Carolina 0 April 4 Pee Dee 1 South Carolina 7 April 5 South Carolina 3 Pee Dee 4 April 7 South Carolina 3 Pee Dee 4 OT Pee Dee wins series 3–1
Southwest Division Semifinals Mississippi vs. Pensacola Date Away Home April 2 Pensacola 1 Mississippi 5 April 4 Pensacola 1 Mississippi 5 April 5 Mississippi 5 Pensacola 1 Mississippi wins series 3–0
Southwest Division Semifinals Louisiana vs. Arkansas Date Away Home April 2 Arkansas 0 Louisiana 2 April 3 Arkansas 1 Louisiana 2 April 5 Louisiana 3 Arkansas 1 Louisiana wins series 3–0
Southeast Division Finals Columbia vs. Pee Dee Date Away Home April 11 Pee Dee 2 Columbia 5 April 12 Pee Dee 1 Columbia 2 April 16 Columbia 5 Pee Dee 1 Columbia wins series 3–0
Southwest Division Finals Mississippi vs. Louisiana Date Away Home April 9 Louisiana 2 Mississippi 5 April 12 Mississippi 4 Louisiana 0 April 14 Louisiana 2 Mississippi 3 Mississippi wins series 3–0
Southern Conference Finals Columbia vs. Mississippi Date Away Home April 23 Mississippi 2 Columbia 5 April 25 Mississippi 2 Columbia 3 OT April 27 Columbia 4 Mississippi 3 April 28 Columbia 1 Mississippi 3 April 30 Columbia 1 Mississippi 2 OT May 2 Mississippi 2 Columbia 4 Columbia wins series 4–2 and Bruce Taylor Trophy
Columbia vs. Atlantic City Date Away Home May 7 Atlantic City 1 Columbia 0 May 9 Atlantic City 3 Columbia 0 May 10 Columbia 5 Atlantic City 3 May 12 Columbia 1 Atlantic City 3 May 14 Columbia 1 Atlantic City 3 Atlantic City wins series 4–1 and Kelly Cup
Western Conference Eastern Conference