Kansas City Mavericks oust Idaho, open ECHL Western Conference Finals on Friday
The Kansas City Mavericks’ best season in franchise history surpassed another milestone Saturday as KC’s hockey team advanced to the ECHL Western Conference Finals.
The Mavericks beat the defending Western Conference champs, the Idaho Steelheads, in five games, moving one step closer to capturing the organization’s first Kelly Cup.
The Mavericks next face the Toledo Walleye in the conference finals. Game 1 is Friday night in Toledo, Ohio.
Before we flip the page this week, let’s take a look at the ECHL playoff series that got them there.
ECHL series recap: Mavericks oust Steelheads
After splitting Games 1 and 2 at Cable Dahmer Arena, the Mavericks traveled to Boise for Games 3-5.
KC set an ECHL record for road wins this season and was certainly up to the task of winning three games away from home ice.
Patrick Curry got the Mavericks on the board a mere 36 seconds into the contest. Cade Borchardt, Cole Coskey and Jeremy McKenna scored, too, making it 4-1 Mavericks at the first intermission .
David Cotton picked up a goal early in the second period and KC entered the final period with a four-goal lead. Idaho scored four times in the third period, but rookie Bradley Schoonbaert and Nolan Walker answered for KC as the visitors secured a 7-5 win.
KC’s Curry opened the scoring in Game 4 and Walker and McKenna netted goals in the second period. Team captain Jake Jaremko scored midway through the third period and Walker added a second goal as KC skated to a 5-3 victory and 3-1 series lead.
Saturday’s Game 5, which went to overtime, was one of the Mavericks’ best outings of the season. The teams combined for more than 100 shot attempts; McKenna, rookie Max Andreev and Curry all scored in regulation.
With less than eight minutes remaining in OT, Borchardt found the back of the net for the series-clincher. It was Borchardt’s fourth goal of the postseason and his second series-clinching goal in as many rounds.
But the Mavericks’ Game 5 star was goaltender Jack LaFontaine, who notched 53 saves — most by a KC net-minder this season.
Incredible between the pips
LaFontaine’s 53 saves in the series-clinching overtime win were the most by a Mavericks goaltender this season.
LaFontaine’s .944 save percentage in the postseason leads the ECHL, and his 2.16 goals-against average puts him in the top-five among goaltenders with 100 or more saves in the playoffs.
ECHL Western Conference Finals schedule
Here is the schedule for the ECHL Western Conference Finals series between the Mavericks and Toledo Walleye:
Game 1: 6:15 p.m. Central Time on Friday, at Toledo
Game 2: Saturday, 6:15 p.m., at Toledo
Game 3: Monday, May 20, 6:15 p.m., at Toledo
Game 4: Friday, May 24, 7:05 p.m., at Cable Dahmer Arena
Game 5*: Saturday, May 25, 7:05 p.m., at Cable Dahmer Arena
Game 6*: Monday, May 27, 4:05 p.m., at Cable Dahmer Arena
Game 7*: Wednesday, May 29, 7:05 p.m., at Cable Dahmer Arena
*if necessary
Tickets to KC Mavericks ECHL playoffs home games
Tickets for the Western Conference Finals at Cable Dahmer Arena (available starting Tuesday) can be obtained by calling (816) 252-7825 or visiting kcmavericks.com/tickets.
