Saturday starts round two of the Kelly Cup Playoffs with Kansas City Mavericks and Idaho Steelheads meeting for game one. The Kansas City Mavericks are coming in after a dominating sweep of the Tulsa Oilers. At the same time, the Idaho Steelheads took the Allen Americans out of the running after game five with a series ending 4-1. These teams finished the regular season ranked 1st and 3rd in the league, with six wins and 14 points separating them, with the Mavericks 4-1-1 against Idaho in the regular season.
Going into the first game, we will see if this will be a battle of Titans or if this will be another sweep by KC. In their first series, Idaho had 22 goals and 176 shots on goal, and KC had 12 goals and 120 shots on goal. The two most significant differences going into this series are that the Mavericks have been off since the 22nd of April, while Idaho finished their series on the 28th, giving them only six days of rest and preparation compared to the 12 days that KC had. How much of a difference this will make is to be seen. KC could arrive wholly rested and ready to dominate, or they could arrive lackadaisical and get blown out of the water. This also goes for Idaho. They are coming off a win, but with only six days rest and two requiring travel, this team may not be ready for what KC is serving.
Both teams have had stellar seasons, but the Kansas City Mavericks’ performance is nothing short of awe-inspiring. They clinched the prestigious Brabham Cup, a testament to their first-place finish in the league. Max Andreev’s recognition as the ECHL Plus Performer of the Year, alongside his selection for the ECHL All-Rookie Team, is a significant achievement. Patrick Curry’s inclusion in the All-ECHL First Team is another feather in the Mavericks’ cap. These accolades, coupled with the franchise records that KC, Andreev, and Curry have broken, underscore the team’s exceptional performance.
Idaho has had an impressive season, with Patrick Kudla receiving the ECHL Defenseman of the Year and being assigned to the ECHL First Team, A.J. White receiving the ECHL Sportsmanship Award, and Matt Register being named to the ECHL Second Team. The Steelheads also saw a shutout in the first round of the finals against Allen, which KC couldn’t do. This recent shutout is a testament to Idaho’s strong defensive play, which could be a key factor in their upcoming game against the Mavericks.
Both teams are pretty evenly matched for the season in some areas: shots are 303 and 305, power kills are 79%, and there is only an 8% difference in power plays, with Idaho having the higher at 29%. Idaho, however, has been better at shorthanded goals over the year, with six compared to KC’s three. Our most significant area of difference will be penalties. Idaho sits at 803 PIM, while KC is collectively cool at 688. This could be a crucial factor in the game, as a high number of penalties can disrupt a team’s rhythm and give the opposing team more scoring opportunities.
As we head into game one, the stage is set for a thrilling showdown. The Kansas City Mavericks, despite their Brabham Cup win, are not guaranteed a Kelly Cup victory. In the history of the Brabham, only five times has the winning team gone on to win the Kelly Cup. The last time this happened was in 2014 for the Alaska Aces. Last year, Idaho won the Brabham Cup and lost in the final series against Florida for the Kelly Cup. This unpredictability adds to the intrigue of the game. The Mavericks will need to maintain their season-long energy, while Idaho might need to step up their game. The first puck drops on Saturday, May 4th, at 7:05 p.m. CT in Kansas City.
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