Fort Wayne, IN-- The ECHL announced Thursday the revised divisional alignment and format for the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs following the approval of seven expansion teams on Tuesday.The Board of Governors approved the conference and divisional alignment for the upcoming 2014-15 season as follows: Eastern ConferenceNorth Division: Fort Wayne, Cincinnati, Evansville, Indianapolis, Kalamazoo, Toledo and Wheeling. East Division: Elmira, Florida, Greenville, Gwinnett, Orlando, Reading and South Carolina.
Western ConferenceCentral Division: Allen, Brampton, Missouri, Quad City, Rapid City, Tulsa and Wichita.Pacific Division: Alaska, Bakersfield, Colorado, Idaho, Ontario, Stockton and Utah.Revised playoff format-- The top four teams in each division during the regular season will qualify for the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs. All four rounds will be played in a best-of-seven format.The first two rounds of the playoffs will be played entirely within the division with the division winner meeting the fourth-place finisher and the second-place finisher meeting the team that finished in third place in the Division Semifinals.The Division Finals will pit the winner of each series against each other. The winner of the North Division Finals will meet the winner of the East Division Finals in the Eastern Conference Finals while the winner of the Central Division will meet the winner of the Pacific Division Finals in the Western Conference Finals. The Eastern Conference champion will face the Western Conference champion in the 2015 Kelly Cup Finals.
Updates to the 2014-15 ECHL playing schedule will be announced within the next few days.
Komets camping-- The Komet training camp will continue to run through next week and includes three exhibition games, all at the Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. The Evansville IceMen visit for back-to-back tune-ups this Friday (8pm) and Saturday (7:30pm). The Komets will then host the Kalamazoo Wings in preseason action Monday, Oct. 13 at 7:30pm.
The 63rd season of Komet hockey in Fort Wayne opens when the Komets visit the Indianapolis Fuel Friday night, Oct. 17 at 7:35pm. Both teams return to Fort Wayne for the Komets' home opener Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7:30pm. Fans are encouraged to arrive early for pregame festivities.Tickets to all three Komet upcoming exhibition games and all regular season individual home games are on sale at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Adirondack Thunder
Allen Americans
Atlanta Gladiators
Bloomington Bison
Cincinnati Cyclones
Florida Everblades
Fort Wayne Komets
Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Idaho Steelheads
Indy Fuel
Iowa Heartlanders
Jacksonville Icemen
Kalamazoo Wings
Kansas City Mavericks
Maine Mariners
Norfolk Admirals
Orlando Solar Bears
Rapid City Rush
Reading Royals
Savannah Ghost Pirates
South Carolina Stingrays
Tahoe Knight Monsters
Toledo Walleye
Trois-Rivières Lions
Tulsa Oilers
Utah Grizzlies
Wheeling Nailers
Wichita Thunder
Worcester Railers