The 1989–90 ECHL season was the second season of the ECHL. The league brought back all five teams from the inaugural season and added three more franchises in Greensboro, North Carolina, Nashville, Tennessee, and Norfolk, Virginia. Before the season began, the Carolina Thunderbirds changed their name to the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds. The eight teams played sixty games in the schedule, unchanged from the total games played in the inaugural 1988–89 ECHL season. The Winston-Salem Thunderbirds finished first overall in the regular season. The Greensboro Monarchs won their first Riley Cup championship.
Regular season Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot East Coast Hockey League GP W L OTL Pts GF GA Winston-Salem Thunderbirds 60 38 16 6 82 312 257 Erie Panthers 60 38 16 6 82 357 251 Virginia Lancers 60 36 18 6 78 261 218 Greensboro Monarchs 60 29 27 4 62 263 283 Hampton Roads Admirals 60 29 29 2 60 252 267 Nashville Knights 60 26 30 4 56 248 289 Johnstown Chiefs 60 23 31 6 52 233 291 Knoxville Cherokees 60 21 33 6 48 230 300
Riley Cup playoffs
Bracket
1st round Winston-Salem vs. Nashville Away Home Nashville 3 Winston-Salem 6 Winston-Salem 2 Nashville 6 Winston-Salem 5 Nashville 1 Nashville 2 Winston-Salem 7 Nashville 3 Winston-Salem 6 Winston-Salem wins series 4-1 and earns bye to Riley Cup Finals Erie vs. Hampton Roads Away Home Hampton Roads 2 Erie 4 Hampton Roads 5 Erie 4 OT Erie 5 Hampton Roads 9 Erie 4 Hampton Roads 3 Hampton Roads 3 Erie 7 Erie wins series 3-2 Greensboro vs. Virginia Away Home Greensboro 3 Virginia 2 Greensboro 4 Virginia 5 OT Virginia 1 Greensboro 3 Virginia 3 Greensboro 4 Greensboro wins series 3-1
2nd round Greensboro vs. Erie Away Home Greensboro 4 Erie 3 Erie 2 Greensboro 3 Greensboro wins series 2-0
Riley Cup Finals Winston-Salem vs. Greensboro Away Home Greensboro 5 Winston-Salem 3 Greensboro 3 Winston-Salem 6 Winston-Salem 1 Greensboro 5 Winston-Salem 3 Greensboro 4 OT Greensboro 4 Winston-Salem 1 Greensboro wins series and Riley Cup 4-1
ECHL awards
Jack Riley Cup: Greensboro Monarchs Henry Brabham Cup: Winston-Salem Thunderbirds ECHL Most Valuable Player: Bill McDougall (Erie) Riley Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player: Wade Flaherty (Greensboro) ECHL Rookie of the Year: Bill McDougall (Erie) Defenseman of the Year: Bill Whitfield (Virginia) Leading Scorer: Bill McDougall (Erie)
All-Star teams
First All-Star Team Forward: Bill McDougalli, Erie Panthers Forward: Trent Kaese, Winston-Salem Thunderbirds Forward: Len Soccio, Winston-Salem Thunderbirds Defense: Dave Doucette, Winston-Salem Thunderbirds Defense: Bill Whitfield, Virginia Lancers Defense: Andre Brassard, Nashville Knights Goaltender: Alain Raymond, Hampton Roads Admirals Head coach: Dave Allison, Virginia Lancers
Second All-Star Team Forward: Joe Ferras, Winston-Salem Thunderbirds Forward: Glen Engevik, Nashville Knights Forward: Trevor Jobe, Hampton Roads Admirals Forward: Brian Martin, Hampton Roads Admirals Defense: Scott Drevich, Virginia Lancers Goaltender: Craig Barnett, Erie Panthers Head coach: Ron Hansis, Erie Panthers
Note: The East Coast Hockey League did not hold an official All-Star game until the 1992–93 season. All-Star Teams were announced at the conclusion of the season.
See also ECHL All-Star Game Kelly Cup List of ECHL seasons 1989 in sports 1990 in sports
References
External links ECHL official site