Kansas City Mavericks vs. Fort Wayne Komets
Series Matchup Sheet

The two best road teams in the regular season meet with a berth in the 2026 Kelly Cup Finals on the line. Kansas City was a league-best 28-4-4 away from home in the regular season while Fort Wayne went 25-4-7.
 
Kansas City, which is appearing in the Conference Finals for the third consecutive season, went 55-12-5 in the regular season to capture the Mountain Division title for the third season in a row and the Brabham Cup as regular-season champions for the second time in three seasons. The Mavericks have won all eight of their playoff games to this point, with sweeps over Tahoe in the Mountain Division Semifinals and Allen in the Mountain Division Finals.
 
Bobo Carpenter is tied for the playoff lead with eight goals, and his 10 points are tied for the team lead with Jack Randl (2g-8a). Jackson Jutting leads rookies through the first two rounds with six goals with his seven points tied for fifth among first-year players. Dylan Wells leads goaltenders with a 1.18 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage in four appearances while All-ECHL Second Team selection Jack LaFontaine ranks sixth with a 2.01 goals-against average in his four outings.
 
The Komets went 45-17-10 in the regular season, earning their first division title in 10 years. Fort Wayne is appearing in the Conference Finals for the fourth time in team history (2016, 2018, 2021 and 2026).
 
Fort Wayne enters the Conference Finals off of a five-game victory over Indy and a six-game win against Toledo. Austin Magera is second through two rounds with 15 points (6g-9a) and is tied for second along with teammate William Dufour with nine assists. Samuel Jonsson is 6-1 in seven appearances, ranking second with a .947 saves percentage, third with a 1.71 goals-against average and tied for second with two shutouts. Nathaniel Day is 2-2 in his four outings with a 2.49 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.
 
The winner of the Western Conference Finals receives the Bruce Taylor Trophy. The trophy is named in recognition of Bruce Taylor, who was the founding father of the West Coast Hockey League. In the early 1990s, Taylor purchased teams in Fresno, Reno and Bakersfield and in 1995 joined them with teams in Anchorage, Fairbanks and San Diego to form the West Coast Hockey League. The Taylor Cup was presented to the playoff champion in the WCHL from the league’s inaugural season in 1995-96 until the league ceased operations following the 2002-03 season. Taylor’s ownership in hockey began in 1983 with the purchase of the Burnaby Bluehawks of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League and continued with the purchase of the Richmond Sockeyes in the BCJHL and the New Westminster Royals in the BCJHL.

Game 1 - Friday, May 22 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City
Game 2 - Saturday, May 23 at 6:05 p.m. CT Kansas City
Game 3 - Monday, May 25 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne
Game 4 - Tuesday, May 26 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne
Game 5 - Sunday, May 31 at 5:05 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne (If Necessary)
Game 6 - Tuesday, June 2 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City (If Necessary)
Game 7 - Wednesday, June 3 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City (If Necessary)