The 1997–98 ECHL season was the tenth season of the ECHL . Before the start of the season, the league saw the Knoxville Cherokees move to Florence, SC and welcomed expansion teams in New Orleans, LA and Upper Marlboro, MD . The Louisiana IceGators finished the regular season first overall and the Hampton Roads Admirals won their record setting third overall ECHL championship (1st Kelly Cup ), defeating the Pensacola Ice Pilots 4 games to 2.
League realignment [ ] With the league expanding to 25 teams, the Board of Governors decided to divide the league into two conference (Northern and Southern), with two divisions each. With the realignment the Board of Governors also created two new trophies, one each for the playoff champion of each conference.[1]
Northern Conference [ ]
Northeast Division [ ]
Northwest Division [ ]
Southern Conference [ ]
Southeast Division [ ]
Southwest Division [ ]
Regular season [ ] Final standings [ ] Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot; Blue shade = Clinched division; (z) = Clinched home-ice advantage
Northern Conference [ ] Southern Conference [ ] Kelly Cup playoffs [ ] Bracket [ ] Northern Conference [ ] Quarterfinals [ ]
(1) Peoria vs. (8) Hampton Roads
Date
Away
Home
March 31
Hampton Roads 7 Peoria 3
April 3
Peoria 0
Hampton Roads 2
April 4
Peoria 3
Hampton Roads 4 OT
Hampton Roads wins series 3–0
(2) Roanoke vs. (7) Huntington
Date
Away
Home
March 31
Huntington 1
Roanoke 4
April 3
Roanoke 2
Huntington 3
April 4
Huntington 2
Roanoke 5
April 6
Roanoke 3 Huntington 2
Roanoke wins series 3–1
(3) Toledo vs. (6) Chesapeake
Date
Away
Home
April 1
Chesapeake 2
Toledo 4
April 3
Chesapeake 1
Toledo 4
April 4
Toledo 3 Chesapeake 2
OT
Toledo wins series 3–0
(4) Wheeling vs. (5) Dayton
Date
Away
Home
April 1
Dayton 1
Wheeling 4
April 3
Dayton 2 Wheeling 1
April 4
Wheeling 3
Dayton 4 OT
April 7
Wheeling 3 Dayton 2
OT
April 8
Dayton 2
Wheeling 4
Wheeling wins series 3–2
Semifinals [ ]
(2) Roanoke vs. (8) Hampton Roads
Date
Away
Home
April 9
Hampton Roads 0
Roanoke 3
April 11
Hampton Roads 2
Roanoke 3 OT
April 15
Roanoke 3
Hampton Roads 4
April 17
Roanoke 1
Hampton Roads 2
April 20
Hampton Roads 3 Roanoke 2
OT
Hampton Roads wins series 3–2
(3) Toledo vs. (4) Wheeling
Date
Away
Home
April 10
Wheeling 3 Toledo 0
April 11
Wheeling 5
Toledo 6
April 15
Toledo 2
Wheeling 3 OT
April 17
Toledo 0
Wheeling 3
Wheeling wins series 3–1
Finals [ ]
(4) Wheeling vs. (8) Hampton Roads
Date
Away
Home
April 22
Hampton Roads 4 Wheeling 3
OT
April 24
Hampton Roads 1
Wheeling 2
April 25
Hampton Roads 3
Wheeling 4 OT
April 30
Wheeling 1
Hampton Roads 3
May 2
Wheeling 1
Hampton Roads 2 OT
May 3
Wheeling 1
Hampton Roads 5
Hampton Roads wins series 4–2
Southern Conference [ ] Quarterfinals [ ]
(1) Louisiana vs. (8) Mobile
Date
Away
Home
March 31
Mobile 2
Louisiana 4
April 4
Louisiana 8 Mobile 7
OT
April 6
Mobile 4
Louisiana 6
Louisiana wins series 3–0
(2) South Carolina vs. (7) Pee Dee
Date
Away
Home
April 30
Pee Dee 6 South Carolina 3
April 1
South Carolina 0
Pee Dee 3
April 3
Pee Dee 1
South Carolina 5
April 4
South Carolina 3 Pee Dee 0
April 8
Pee Dee 4 South Carolina 3
OT
Pee Dee wins series 3–2
(3) Birmingham vs. (6) Charlotte
Date
Away
Home
April 1
Charlotte 4 Birmingham 2
April 2
Charlotte 3
Birmingham 4
April 4
Birmingham 4
Charlotte 5 OT
April 5
Birmingham 2
Charlotte 5
Charlotte wins series 3–1
(4) Pensacola vs. (5) New Orleans
Date
Away
Home
April 2
New Orleans 2
Pensacola 3
April 3
New Orleans 4 Pensacola 2
April 4
Pensacola 6 New Orleans 5
OT
April 7
Pensacola 6 New Orleans 4
Pensacola wins series 3–1
Semifinals [ ]
(1) Louisiana vs. (7) Pee Dee
Date
Away
Home
April 10
Pee Dee 3
Louisiana 6
April 11
Pee Dee 3
Louisiana 7
April 16
Louisiana 3 Pee Dee 0
Louisiana wins series 3–0
(4) Pensacola vs. (6) Charlotte
Date
Away
Home
April 10
Charlotte 2
Pensacola 3
April 11
Charlotte 3
Pensacola 4 OT
April 16
Pensacola 2 Charlotte 1
Pensacola wins series 3–0
Finals [ ]
(1) Louisiana vs. (4) Pensacola
Date
Away
Home
April 22
Pensacola 1
Louisiana 3
April 25
Pensacola 1
Louisiana 3
April 26
Louisiana 4
Pensacola 9
April 28
Louisiana 4
Pensacola 6
April 30
Pensacola 8 Louisiana 2
May 3
Louisiana 4
Pensacola 5 OT
Pensacola wins series 4–2
Kelly Cup finals [ ]
Kelly Cup Finals
Date
Away
Home
May 8
Hampton Roads 4
Pensacola 7
May 9
Hampton Roads 3 Pensacola 1
May 12
Pensacola 1 Hampton Roads 0
OT
May 13
Pensacola 2
Hampton Roads 4
May 18
Pensacola 3
Hampton Roads 7
May 20
Hampton Roads 4 Pensacola 1
Hampton Roads wins series 4–2
ECHL awards [ ] References [ ] See also [ ] show Western Conference Eastern Conference