ECHL concludes Board of Governors Pre-Season Meeting

PRINCETON, N.J. The ECHL Board of Governors held their Pre-Season Meeting last week in Chicago, Illinois. The following items were approved by the Board. Format for 2014 Kelly Cup Playoffs The top eight teams in both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference will advance to the 2014 Kelly Cup Playoffs. All four rounds of the playoffs will be played in best-of-seven format. In the Eastern Conference, postseason berths will be awarded to the top eight teams based on regular-season finish, regardless of division. The conference semifinals will have the winner of the first-place and eighth-place matchup meeting the winner of the fourth-place and fifth-place game while the winner of the second-place and seventh-place game will face the winner of the third-place and sixth-place matchup. In the Western Conference, postseason berths will be awarded to the first-place team in each division and the next six teams in the conference, based on points. The division winners will be seeded first and second and will play the eighth-place finisher and the seventh-place finisher, respectively, while the third-place finisher will meet the sixth-place finisher and the fourth-place finisher will meet the fifth-place finisher. The conference semifinals will have the winner of the first-place and eighth-place matchup playing the winner of the fourth-place and fifthplace game while the winner of the second-place and seventh-place game will face the winner of the third-place and sixth-place matchup. Minor penalty for removal of helmet prior to fight The Board of Governors approved a two-minute minor penalty for any player who removes his helmet prior to a fight. Height of goaltender pads New regulations for the height of goaltender pads was discussed and is under further review. An announcement on the policy and timing of the implications will be announced at a later date.