Officials named for 2016 Kelly Cup Finals

The following four referees and five linesmen have been selected to work the 2016 Kelly Cup Finals. The officials are selected based on the merit of their performance over the course of the regular season and their work thus far in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

As was the case throughout the 2016 Kelly Cup Playoffs, all games during the Kelly Cup Finals will utilize the two-referee system.

Referees – Pierre Lambert, Nic Leduc, Peter MacDougall and Stephen Reneau

Linesmen – Brent Hooks, Ryan Madsen, Shaun Morgan, Charlie O’Connor and Pat Richardson

It is the third Finals assignment for Leduc, who also worked the 2013 and 2014 Finals, and for Lambert who worked the Finals in 2014 and 2015. Reneau is working the Kelly Cup Finals for the second consecutive season while MacDougall is working in the Kelly Cup Finals for the first time.

Morgan is appearing in the Kelly Cup Finals for the fourth straight season while Richardson is in the Finals for the second consecutive season. It is the first Finals assignment for O’Connor, Hooks and Madsen.

“This is a terrific honor for all of these officials to reach the Kelly Cup Finals,” said ECHL Vice President of Hockey Operations Joe Ernst. “Each of them has earned this assignment as a result of their performance throughout the playoffs. For the officials working their first Finals, it will be a great experience, and for the officials returning to the Finals, it is a very good honor to have worked multiple final series. It speaks to the development of officials in the ECHL and is something that our supervisory staff and I take a great deal of pride in.”

Kelly Cup Finals (Best of Seven)Allen Americans vs. Wheeling Nailers

Game 1 – Saturday, May 28 at 8:05 p.m. CT at Allen Event Center in Allen, TexasGame 2 – Sunday, May 29 at 4:05 p.m. CT at Allen Event Center in Allen, TexasGame 3 – Wednesday, June 1 at 7:05 p.m. ET at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, W.Va.Game 4 – Friday, June 3 at 7:35 p.m. ET at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, W.Va.Game 5 – Saturday, June 4 at 7:35 p.m. ET at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, W.Va. *Game 6 – Thursday, June 9 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas *Game 7 – Saturday, June 11 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas *

* – If Necessary

Allen defeated South Carolina 4 games to 3 in the 2015 Kelly Cup Finals, and is seeking to become the first repeat champion in the ECHL since Toledo in 1993 and 1994. Wheeling is in the Finals series for the first time since falling to Toledo 4 games to 2 in the 1993 Riley Cup Finals.

The Americans defeated Fort Wayne 4 games to 1 in the Western Conference Finals while the Nailers defeated South Carolina 4 games to 3 in the Eastern Conference Finals becoming the first team in ECHL postseason history to win Games 6 and 7 of a series on the road.

About the ECHL

Began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 21 states and one Canadian province for its 28th season in 2015-16. There have been $2 who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 30 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2015-16 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 30 NHL teams in 2015-16, marking the 19th 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 Facebook and Twitter.