Fort Wayne wins 2021 Kelly Cup title

Komets capture ECHL championship for first time

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Fort Wayne Komets captured the 2021 Kelly Cup championship on Friday with a 2-1 win over the South Carolina Stingrays in Game 4 of the 2021 Kelly Cup Finals in front of a capacity crowd of 10,477 fans at Memorial Coliseum, marking the sixth largest crowd in Riley/Cup Finals history.

Fort Wayne, which was appearing in the Kelly Cup Finals for the first time in its nine ECHL seasons, has captured 10 championships in its 69 seasons of existence across the ECHL, Central Hockey League, United Hockey League and International Hockey League.

Komets’ forward Stephen Harper earned the June M. Kelly Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award. Harper, who scored two goals in the Game 4 victory, shared the playoff lead with 13 points and was tied for second with six goals.

Brandon Hawkins led Fort Wayne in the Kelly Cup Finals with four goals and seven points while Cole Ully paced South Carolina with five points (1g-4a).

2021 Kelly Cup Finals
Game 1 – FORT WAYNE 7 at South Carolina 2
Game 2 – Fort Wayne 2 at SOUTH CAROLINA 4
Game 3 – South Carolina 4 at FORT WAYNE 6
Game 4 – South Carolina 1 at FORT WAYNE 2

Kelly Cup Champions
2021 – Fort Wayne defeated South Carolina, 3 games to 1
2020 – Playoffs were canceled due to COVID-19
2019 – Newfoundland defeated Toledo, 4 games to 2
2018 – Colorado defeated Florida, 4 games to 3
2017 – Colorado defeated South Carolina, 4 games to 0 
2016 – Allen defeated Wheeling, 4 games to 2
2015 – Allen defeated South Carolina, 4 games to 3
2014 – Alaska defeated Cincinnati, 4 games to 2
2013 – Reading defeated Stockton, 4 games to 1
2012 – Florida defeated Las Vegas, 4 games to 1
2011 – Alaska defeated Kalamazoo, 4 games to 1
2010 – Cincinnati defeated Idaho, 4 games to 1
2009 – South Carolina defeated Alaska, 4 games to 3
2008 – Cincinnati defeated Las Vegas, 4 games to 2
2007 – Idaho defeated Dayton, 4 games to 1
2006 – Alaska defeated Gwinnett, 4 games to 1
2005 – Trenton defeated Florida, 4 games to 2
2004 – Idaho defeated Florida, 4 games to 1
2003 – Atlantic City defeated Columbia, 4 games to 1
2002 – Greenville defeated Dayton, 4 games to 0
2001 – South Carolina defeated Trenton, 4 games to 1
2000 – Peoria defeated Louisiana, 4 games to 2
1999 – Mississippi defeated Richmond, 4 games to 3
1998 – Hampton Roads defeated Pensacola, 4 games to 2
1997 – South Carolina defeated Louisiana, 4 games to 1

Riley Cup Champions
1996 – Charlotte defeated Jacksonville, 4 games to 0
1995 – Richmond defeated Greensboro, 4 games to 1
1994 – Toledo defeated Raleigh, 4 games to 1
1993 – Toledo defeated Wheeling, 4 games to 2
1992 – Hampton Roads defeated Louisville, 4 games to 0
1991 – Hampton Roads defeated Greensboro, 4 games to 1
1990 – Greensboro defeated Winston-Salem, 4 games to 1
1989 – Carolina defeated Johnstown, 4 games to 3
 

About the ECHL

Began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 26 teams in 19 states and two Canadian provinces for its 33rd season in 2020-21. There have been 698 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 20 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2020-21 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 31 NHL teams in 2020-21, marking the 24th consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook.