ECHL: South Division Push to the Kelly Cup Playoffs

We are in the final week of the ECHL’s Regular Season, and the South Division playoff push is as tight as it is, with only two of the four spots clinched and the division champion still to be determined with one week left in the regular season.

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits and the Jacksonville Icemen are the two teams that have clinched. Greenville had a chance to lock up the South Division this past week, but the Orlando Solar Bears said no, as the Bears swept the Swamp Rabbits at the Kia Center in Orlando in a three-game series. The only teams in the South that haven’t been eliminated from the Kelly Cup playoffs are the Savannah Ghost Pirates and the Atlanta Gladiators.

With the final week upon us, let’s take a look at the ECHL’s South Division Standings for the teams fighting for the playoffs and their respective remaining games.

1- Greenville- 69 GP, 42-22-4-1; 89 points. Greenville will Host Atlanta on Friday the 12th, they will then travel to Savannah on Saturday the 13th, and they will close out the season hosting the Ghost Pirates next Sunday the 14th

2- Jacksonville- 68 GP, 41-21-5-1; 88 points. The Icemen will travel to Estero to face the Everblades on Wednesday the 10th, then host Savannah and Atlanta on Friday and Saturday, respectively

3- South Carolina– 70 GP, 39-25-4-2; 84 points. The Stingrays will play their final two games of the regular season in Estero on Friday and Saturday Night

4- Florida- 69 GP, 37-23-7-2; 83 points. Florida will host Jacksonville on Wednesday, as well as hosting the Stingrays on Friday and Saturday

5- Orlando- 70 GP, 37-24-6-3; 83 points. Orlando will travel to Reading, PA to take on the Royals who are in last place in the North Division.

As you can see in the list above, it is as tight as it will ever be, especially for South Carolina, Florida, and Orlando. Looking at the schedule above, Greenville and Jacksonville will most likely get seeds 1 and 2. Orlando has a very good shot at making the playoffs as they play Reading, as well as Florida and South Carolina, playing two games against one another.

Let’s take a look at the scenarios for the three teams fighting for the two spots left: If Florida beats the Icemen and sweeps the Stingrays, they will guarantee a playoff spot as that will finish them with 89 points. Any combination of five or more points this week will put them above Orlando and get a playoff spot.

Let’s say the Icemen beat Florida in regulation and Florida splits the series with South Carolina which will give the Everblades three more points putting them at 86 points. Orlando has been really hot lately, which, in this kind of scenario, hurts Florida if they lose to the Icemen, along with the split with SC and an Orlando sweep over Reading, happens, Florida will be knocked out on the last day.

With how close the division is, we take a look at the tiebreakers… If two or all three teams tie, these tiebreakers will take place in the following order.

1. Regulation Wins
2. Regulation + OT Wins
3. Goal Differential

We will be keeping track of this huge playoff race as we are down to the final week.