Kansas City Mavericks open 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs Wednesday in Independence: schedule
The Kansas City Mavericks ended the regular season on a four-game winning streak, and now they’re in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
A logjam atop the ECHL Mountain Division standings made things interesting down the stretch. With four teams vying for two playoff spots, the Mavericks played — and won — some of the biggest games in recent franchise history.
The week began with a Wednesday night visit to Texas to play the second-place Allen Americans, who had locked up a playoff spot a few days before. A scoreless first period featured a combined 20 shots on goal, but KC’s Hugo Roy scored for the 18th time this season midway through the second. Later, with less five minutes remaining in the game, forward Luke Stevens added an empty-net goal to seal the Mavericks’ 2-0 victory.
Goaltender Shane Starrett turned in a dominant performance for his second straight shutout, becoming just the second goaltender in the ECHL to accomplish the feat this season.
Wednesday’s win sent the Mavericks into the season’s penultimate game needing a victory and a Rapid City loss to clinch a playoff berth. And as has been the case multiple times this year, rookies led the way against Cincinnati at Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence. KC jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead in the second period, with all three goals coming from skaters playing their first month of professional hockey.
Defenseman Elias Rosen scored his first professional goal early in the second period, assisted by rookie Cade Borchardt and defenseman Tommy Muck.
A Cincinnati goal four minutes later evened the game before Borchardt netted one of the most impressive goals of the Mavs’ season, stealing the puck in KC’s offensive zone before skating past a defenseman and burying it in the back of the net.
Rookie A.J. Vanderbeck scored his fifth goal for the eventual game-winner, Rosen added his second goal for insurance and Tommy Muck scored the home team’s fifth goal of the night late in the third period. With an assist and a goal in KC’s 5-2 win, Muck moved into fifth place in franchise history in points scored by defensemen.
To top it off, Rapid City aided the Mavericks’ cause by losing a close game to the Idaho Steelheads.
With a playoff spot secured, the Mavericks played Cincinnati for seeding in Saturday night’s regular-season finale at Cable Dahmer Arena. The Cyclones scored midway through the first period, but that was essentially all the offense they could muster. The Mavericks scored five goals — one apiece by Rosen, Muck, Borchardt, Casey Carreau and Luke Santerno — in another 5-2 victory.
Starrett starred in net again, allowing just one goal until the Cyclones added a garbage-time goal late in the game. He finished April with a 1.22 goal-against average and two shutouts in seven games.
So now the Mavericks open the playoffs Wednesday at Cable Dahmer Arena against a familiar foe: the Allen Americans. It’s the Mountain Division semifinals, with Kansas City playing host for the first three games of the series: Wednesday, Thursday and Monday.
The best-of-seven series will then shift to Allen for at least one game in Texas.
PLAYOFF TICKETS ON SALE NOW
The Mavericks set attendance records during the 2022-23 season and are hoping for more big crowds in the postseason. For tickets, call the Mavericks’ ticket office at 816-252-7825 or visit kcmavericks.com.
Here is the Mavs’ playoff schedule for the first-round series against Allen (all games at 7 :05 p.m.):
Game 1: Wednesday at Cable Dahmer Arena
Game 2: Thursday at Cable Dahmer Arena
Game 3: Monday at Cable Dahmer Arena
Game 4: Friday, April 28 at Credit Union of Texas Event Center
Game 5*:Saturday, April 29 at Credit Union of Texas Event Center
Game 6*: Monday, May 1 at Credit Union of Texas Event Center
Game 7*: Wednesday, May 3 at Credit Union of Texas Event Center
*if necessary
