ECHL: Jacksonville Icemen Clinch Kelly Cup Playoff Berth

The Jacksonville Icemen became the seventh organization to gain a playoff spot this season. The Jacksonville Icemen join the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Norfolk Admirals, and Adirondack Thunder to become the 4th team to join the Eastern Conference and the second Southern team to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff berth. The Icemen beat the previous Kelly Cup Champions the Florida Everblades 2 – 0, on Saturday, March 30th to secure their spot in the playoff race. 

The Icemen are having a strong season, as they are second in the Eastern Conference and Southern Division. The Icemen are currently only three points behind the divisional-leading Greenville Swamp Rabbits. But in recent transactions, the Jacksonville Icemen have received key players back from the AHL, Forwards, Brenden Harris and Riley Fiddler-Schultz. Harris and Fiddler-Schultz are key players for the Icemen offensive, as Harris is first in points and assists for the organization. While Riley Fiddler-Schult is 4th in points and 2nd in goals for the team. 

The Icemen have now secured a spot in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the 4th time in franchise history and third in the last three years. The Iceman’s first of the three appearances was in 2022, where they beat the Atlanta Gladiators in the first round, winning all four games. But the Icemen fell short against the Florida Everblades losing four games, one in which they finished in overtime. The following year in 2023, The Icemen successfully surpassed the Greenville Swamp Rabbits winning three of their five matchups. But again, the Icemen fell short to the Florida Everblades. Icemen fans are hoping the third time’s a charm, and the Icemen will move past the second round of playoffs and hopefully bring the Kelly Cup back to Jacksonville for the first time in Icemen history. 

The Icemen will continue to their stretch as they face the Atlanta Gladiators, on Wednesday, April 3rd at 7 pm. The Icemen will be back at home Friday, April 12 at 7 pm