2005–06 ECHL season


The 2005–06 ECHL season is the 18th season of the ECHL, a professional ice-hockey league based in the United States. The season ran from late October 2005 to early June 2006. The Brabham Cup regular season champions and Kelly Cup playoff champions were the Alaska Aces.

League changes

At the end of the 2004–05 season, the Pee Dee Pride and Louisiana IceGators franchises ceased operations, with the Florence-based Pride announcing a move to nearby Conway while awaiting completion of the new Atlantic Center Arena that eventually never happened. The ECHL eventually revoked the franchise at the 2009 Board of Governors meeting. The Peoria Rivermen franchise also ceased operations when the ownership acquired an AHL franchise and under the same name.
The league also approved of Barry Kemp's Ontario, California, expansion franchise rights to be transferred to play in Bloomington, Illinois, in May 2004. After an apparent fallout among the Bloomington Partners and the nearby Peoria Rivermen transferring to the AHL, the Bloomington ECHL franchise was sold to Legacy Partners, LLC, headed by Phoenix Suns' majority owner Robert Sarver and the franchise was relocated as the Phoenix RoadRunners as the only expansion team for the season.
The Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies were sold and relocated to Stockton, California, as the Stockton Thunder. The Utah Grizzlies' new ownership also bought the former Lexington Men O' War franchise that had been dormant since 2003 after the American Hockey League's Grizzlies ceased operations.
Just prior to the start of the season, the Texas Wildcatters and the Mississippi Sea Wolves were both forced to sit out the season due to damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Wildcatters were given permission to re-enter the league for the 2006–07 season, while the Sea Wolves were allowed to return for the 2007–08 season.
While most leagues adopted the entire NHL rule change package for 2005–06, the ECHL kept the shootout at five players, and kept the automatic icing rule which has been used in the league.

All-Star Game

The ECHL All-Star Game was held at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, and was hosted by the Fresno Falcons. The National Conference All-Stars defeated the American Conference All-Stars 7–6, with Fresno's Luke Curtin named Most Valuable Player.

Regular season

Final standings

''Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses; OTL = Overtime Losses; SOL = Shootout Losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot; Blue shade = Clinched division; = Clinched home-ice advantage''

American Conference

South Division
Gwinnett Gladiators 72501507107304208
Florida Everblades 72482031100267208
Greenville Grrrowl 7244250393248203
South Carolina Stingrays 7232257879230237
Charlotte Checkers 7234332373226250
Augusta Lynx 7230361566216255
Columbia Inferno 7225393558209290
Pensacola Ice Pilots 7221445249194293

National Conference

Pacific Division
Fresno Falcons 72431559100230205
Bakersfield Condors 7240262486221222
Long Beach Ice Dogs 7236274581210217
San Diego Gulls 7234304476213214
Stockton Thunder 7218407748192260

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Alex LeavittAlaska72266591
Mike ScottAlaska72375087
D'Arcy McConveyIdaho58394786
Ryan KinasewichUtah60394685
Jeff CampbellGwinnett62305383
Luke CurtinFresno64216182
Daniel SiscaFlorida71295079
Matt DzieduszyckiLas Vegas68344478
Sean CollinsWheeling62274976
Scott CameronSouth Carolina68225072
Justin KelleyJohnstown59314071

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
PlayerTeamGPMinsWLTGASOSV%GAA
Drew MacIntyreToledo3319812472682.9262.06
Andy FranckWheeling553214331551225.9192.28
Matt UnderhillAlaska502979361031135.9172.28
Marc MagliarditiLas Vegas512985341151233.9092.47
Cody RudkowskyReading38229124113962.9162.51