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Trois-Rivières captures E.A. “Bud” Gingher Trophy as Eastern Conference champions

Trois-Rivières captures E.A. “Bud” Gingher Trophy as Eastern Conference champions

Tuesday, May 27th

The Trois-Rivières Lions claimed the E.A. “Bud” Gingher Trophy as Eastern Conference champions on Tuesday with a 6-0 win over the Florida Everblades in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Trois-Rivières wins the series 4 games to 2, and advances to meet the Western Conference champion Toledo Walleye in the 2025 Kelly Cup Finals

Justin Ducharme and Tyler Hylland both scored a pair of goals in the win for Trois-Rivières while Luke Cavallin stopped all 25 shots he faced to record his third shutout of the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The Lions advance to the Kelly Cup Finals for the first time in team history. Trois-Rivières is the second Canadian-based team in ECHL history to reach the Finals, joining the Newfoundland Growlers who defeated Toledo in six games in the 2019 Kelly Cup Finals.

The trophy is named in recognition of E.A. “Bud” Gingher, who was Chairman of the ECHL Board of Governors from 1992-95. Gingher, who passed away in 2002, co-founded the Dayton Bombers in 1991 and owned the team for seven seasons, serving as President and Governor until selling the team in 1998. Gingher was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2010.

E.A. “Bud” Gingher Trophy Champions
2025    Trois-Rivières Lions
2024    Florida Everblades
2023    Florida Everblades
2022    Florida Everblades
2021    South Carolina Stingrays
2020    Trophy not awarded due to COVID-19
2019    Newfoundland Growlers
2018    Florida Everblades
2017    South Carolina Stingrays
2016    Wheeling Nailers
2015    South Carolina Stingrays
2014    Cincinnati Cyclones
2013    Reading Royals
2012    Florida Everblades
2011    Kalamazoo Wings
2010    Cincinnati Cyclones
2009    South Carolina Stingrays
2008    Cincinnati Cyclones
2007    Dayton Bombers
2006    Gwinnett Gladiators
2005    Florida Everblades
2004    Florida Everblades
2003    Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
2002    Dayton Bombers
2001    Trenton Titans
2000    Peoria Rivermen
1999    Richmond Renegades
1998    Hampton Roads Admirals

About the ECHL

Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 29 teams in 22 states and one Canadian province for its 37th season in 2024-25. There have been 768 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 16 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2024-25 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 29 of the 32 NHL teams in 2024-25, marking the 27th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.