2000–01 ECHL season

The 13th season of the ECHL was played in 2000–01. Before the season, the league lost three members as the Huntington Blizzard and the Jacksonville Lizard Kings ceased operations and the powerhouse Hampton Roads Admirals were replaced by the Norfolk Admirals in the American Hockey League. The league also decided to expand the regular season to 72 games. The Trenton Titans finished first overall in the regular season, and the South Carolina Stingrays won their second Kelly Cup defeating the Trenton Titans four games to one.

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

Northeast Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA
Trenton Titans	72	50	18	4	104	236	164
Roanoke Express	72	38	30	4	80	231	195
Charlotte Checkers	72	34	26	12	80	247	252
Richmond Renegades	72	35	31	6	76	223	228
Greensboro Generals	72	26	39	7	59	215	277

Northwest Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA
Peoria Rivermen	72	45	17	10	100	238	182
Dayton Bombers	72	45	21	6	96	247	194
Toledo Storm	72	37	27	8	82	262	259
Johnstown Chiefs	72	28	36	8	64	207	238
Wheeling Nailers	72	24	40	8	56	192	277

Southern Conference

Southeast Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA
South Carolina Stingrays	72	42	23	7	91	240	210
Florida Everblades	72	38	26	8	84	236	242
Pee Dee Pride	72	38	28	6	82	242	231
Augusta Lynx	72	36	29	7	79	259	253
Greenville Grrrowl	72	34	33	5	73	219	239
Tallahassee Tiger Sharks†	72	38	27	7	68	248	219

Southwest Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA
Louisiana IceGators	72	42	24	6	90	237	209
Jackson Bandits	72	39	24	9	87	206	209
Mobile Mysticks	72	38	28	6	82	242	231
New Orleans Brass	72	35	25	12	82	247	239
Arkansas RiverBlades	72	34	24	14	82	237	232
Baton Rouge Kingfish	72	35	26	11	81	216	225
Mississippi Sea Wolves	72	34	33	5	73	221	218
Birmingham Bulls	72	28	40	4	60	224	296
Pensacola Ice Pilots	72	27	40	5	59	201	250

†-Tallahassee was penalized 15 points for salary cap violations (from 83 to 68), knocking them out of a playoff spot

Kelly Cup playoffs

Northern Conference

Bracket

	Conference Quarterfinals (Best of 5)					Conference Semifinals (Best of 5)					Conference Finals (Best of 7)
	1	Trenton	3
	8	Johnstown	1
						1	Trenton	3
						4	Toledo	0
	4	Toledo	3
	5	Roanoke	2
											1	Trenton	4
											2	Peoria	3
	3	Dayton	3
	6	Charlotte	2
						3	Dayton	0
						2	Peoria	3
	2	Peoria	3
	7	Richmond	1

Quarterfinals

(1) Trenton vs. (8) Johnstown Date Away Home April 7 Johnstown 0 Trenton 2 April 8 Johnstown 3 Trenton 4 OT April 13 Trenton 1 Johnstown 3 April 14 Trenton 5 Johnstown 1 Trenton wins series 3–1

(2) Peoria vs. (7) Richmond Date Away Home April 9 Richmond 3 Peoria 0 April 10 Richmond 2 Peoria 3 April 12 Peoria 4 Richmond 1 April 13 Peoria 4 Richmond 0 Peoria wins series 3–1

(3) Dayton vs. (6) Charlotte Date Away Home April 6 Charlotte 3 Dayton 2 2OT April 7 Charlotte 2 Dayton 3 OT April 12 Dayton 5 Charlotte 4 OT April 14 Dayton 1 Charlotte 4 April 17 Charlotte 2 Dayton 5 Dayton wins series 3–2

(4) Toledo vs. (5) Roanoke Date Away Home April 6 Roanoke 2 Toledo 3 OT April 7 Roanoke 4 Toledo 2 April 12 Toledo 4 Roanoke 3 April 14 Toledo 1 Roanoke 2 2OT April 17 Roanoke 2 Toledo 5 Toledo wins series 3–2

Semifinals

(1) Trenton vs. (4) Toledo Date Away Home April 23 Toledo 0 Trenton 6 April 24 Toledo 2 Trenton 4 April 27 Trenton 3 Toledo 2 OT Trenton wins series 3–0

(2) Peoria vs. (3) Dayton Date Away Home April 21 Peoria 4 Dayton 3 OT April 23 Dayton 2 Peoria 4 April 24 Dayton 1 Peoria 2 Peoria wins series 3–0

Finals

(1) Trenton vs. (2) Peoria Date Away Home May 2 Peoria 1 Trenton 4 May 4 Peoria 4 Trenton 1 May 6 Trenton 2 Peoria 1 May 8 Trenton 3 Peoria 1 May 9 Trenton 5 Peoria 6 OT May 11 Peoria 3 Trenton 0 May 13 Peoria 3 Trenton 4 Trenton wins series 4–3

Southern Conference

Bracket

	Conference Wild Card (Best of 3)					Conference Quarterfinals (Best of 5)					Conference Semifinals (Best of 5)					Conference Finals (Best of 7)
						1	South Carolina	3
						8	Arkansas	1
	8	Arkansas	2
	9	Baton Rouge	0
											1	South Carolina	3
											6	Mobile	2
						3	Jackson	2
						6	Mobile	3
																1	South Carolina	4
																2	Louisiana	0
						4	Florida	2
						5	Pee Dee	3
											5	Pee Dee	2
											2	Louisiana	3
						2	Louisiana	3
						7	New Orleans	2
	7	New Orleans	2
	10	Augusta	1

Wild Card

NOTE: These series are two-game series; if the series is tied at one game each, the two teams immediately played a 10-minute period to determine the team that advances to the quarterfinals. If the ten-minute period ends in a tie, sudden death overtime would be played as if it was a standard playoff game.

(7) New Orleans vs. (10) Augusta Date Away Home April 3 Augusta 2 New Orleans 4 April 4 New Orleans 3 Augusta 9 April 4* New Orleans 1 Augusta 0 New Orleans wins series 2–1

(8) Arkansas vs. (9) Baton Rouge Date Away Home April 3 Baton Rouge 3 Arkansas 4 OT April 4 Arkansas 4 Baton Rouge 3 Arkansas wins series 2–0

* The New Orleans-Augusta series ended as a 1–1 tie; a ten-minute period was played to determine the winner of the series.

Quarterfinals

(1) South Carolina vs. (8) Arkansas Date Away Home April 6 Arkansas 3 South Carolina 7 April 9 South Carolina 4 Arkansas 1 April 10 South Carolina 3 Arkansas 5 April 13 Arkansas 3 South Carolina 6 South Carolina wins series 3–1

(2) Louisiana vs. (7) New Orleans Date Away Home April 6 New Orleans 7 Louisiana 8 2OT April 8 New Orleans 5 Louisiana 3 April 10 Louisiana 4 New Orleans 1 April 12 Louisiana 2 New Orleans 3 April 14 New Orleans 1 Louisiana 3 Louisiana wins series 3–2

(3) Jackson vs. (6) Mobile Date Away Home April 6 Mobile 1 Jackson 0 April 7 Jackson 7 Mobile 2 April 10 Mobile 3 Jackson 4 April 12 Jackson 2 Mobile 5 April 13 Mobile 5 Jackson 1 Mobile wins series 3–2

(4) Florida vs. (5) Pee Dee Date Away Home April 6 Pee Dee 4 Florida 1 April 7 Pee Dee 2 Florida 4 April 13 Florida 4 Pee Dee 2 April 14 Florida 2 Pee Dee 3 OT April 17 Pee Dee 5 Florida 3 Pee Dee wins series 3–2

Semifinals

(1) South Carolina vs. (6) Mobile Date Away Home April 19 Mobile 2 South Carolina 4 April 20 Mobile 5 South Carolina 4 OT April 27 South Carolina 4 Mobile 7 April 28 South Carolina 6 Mobile 3 May 1 Mobile 2 South Carolina 3 2OT South Carolina wins series 3–2

(2) Louisiana vs. (5) Pee Dee Date Away Home April 20 Louisiana 6 Pee Dee 3 April 21 Louisiana 4 Pee Dee 1 April 27 Pee Dee 4 Louisiana 2 April 29 Pee Dee 6 Louisiana 4 May 1 Pee Dee 3 Louisiana 4 Louisiana wins series 3–2

Finals

(1) South Carolina vs. (2) Louisiana Date Away Home May 3 Louisiana 1 South Carolina 4 May 5 Louisiana 0 South Carolina 4 May 9 South Carolina 3 Louisiana 2 May 11 South Carolina 5 Louisiana 4 South Carolina wins series 4–0

Kelly Cup finals

	Kelly Cup Finals
	N.1	Trenton	1
	S.1	South Carolina	4

(N.1) Trenton vs. (S.1) South Carolina Date Away Home May 18 South Carolina 3 Trenton 2 OT May 20 South Carolina 5 Trenton 3 May 22 Trenton 4 South Carolina 3 2OT May 24 Trenton 5 South Carolina 6 May 27 Trenton 2 South Carolina 3 South Carolina wins series 4–1

ECHL awards

See also: ECHL awards

Patrick J. Kelly Cup:	South Carolina Stingrays
Henry Brabham Cup:	Trenton Titans
Northern Conference Champion:	Trenton Titans
Southern Conference Champion:	South Carolina Stingrays
John Brophy Award:	Troy Ward (Trenton)
ECHL Most Valuable Player:	Scott King (Charlotte)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:	Dave Seitz (South Carolina)
ECHL Goaltender of the Year:	Scott Stirling (Trenton)
ECHL Rookie of the Year:	Scott Stirling (Trenton)
Defenseman of the Year:	Tom Nemeth (Dayton)
Leading Scorer:	Scott King (Charlotte)
Plus Performer Award:	Jay Murphy (Louisiana)
Sportsmanship Award:	Jamie Ling (Dayton)

See also

• ECHL All-Star Game
• List of ECHL seasons
• 2000 in sports
• 2001 in sports