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Allen claims second consecutive Kelly Cup title

Allen claims second consecutive Kelly Cup title

Thursday, June 9th

The Allen Americans claimed their second straight Kelly Cup title on Thursday with a 4-2 win over the Wheeling Nailers in Game 6 of the 2016 Kelly Cup Finals at the Allen Event Center.

Allen is the first team to win back-to-back ECHL titles since the Toledo Storm claimed Riley Cup championships in 1993 and 1994. The Americans are the third team in League history to win consecutive championships, joining Toledo and the 1991 and 1992 Hampton Roads Admirals.

Chad Costello of Allen was named the Most Valuable Player of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Costello, who led the ECHL in scoring during the regular season and was named 2015-16 ECHL Most Valuable Player, led all players in the postseason with 36 points (7g-29a). He becomes the first player in the ECHL's 28-year history to win the regular season and playoffs Most Valuable Player awards.

Costello tallied 10 assists in the Kelly Cup Finals, setting a new record for most assists in a Finals series in ECHL history, while his 13 points in the Finals is the third most in a Finals series in league history. Costello's 36 points in the playoffs is the second most in a single postseason in ECHL history while his 29 assists are the most in a single postseason all-time.

Allen goaltender Riley Gill, who made 42 saves in the clinching game, claimed his third Kelly Cup title with the win after previously winning titles with Reading in 2013 and Allen in 2015. He becomes just the fifth individual in ECHL history to win three Kelly Cup titles joining Jared Bednar (South Carolina in 1997, 2001 and 2009); Scott Burt (Idaho in 2004 and 2007 and Alaska in 2011); Louis Mass (Alaska in 2006, 2011 and 2014) and Patrick Wellar (Alaska in 2005, South Carolina in 2009 and Reading in 2013).