Lions End Everblades’ Kelly Cup Run with 6-0 Win in Conference Finals

Tuesday night at Hertz Arena, the Trois-Rivières Lions crushed the Florida Everblades' hopes of a fourth straight ECHL Kelly Cup title with a dominant 6-0 win.

Taking the series 4-2, the Lions grabbed all three wins against the defending champs on their home ice. Justin Ducharme scored twice in the second period, building a lead the Everblades couldn't bounce back from.

Things got worse when Alex Beaucage scored. Tyler Hylland then added two more in the third period - one shorthanded, another into an empty net. Despite outshooting the Lions 25-20, Florida couldn't get on the board.

With 5,709 fans looking on, one of minor league hockey's most impressive championship runs came to an end. The loss marked the finish of Florida's three-year run as ECHL champions.

Just last summer, the Everblades wrote their names in ECHL history. They became the first team in the league's 36 years to win three straight titles after Matt Wedman's overtime goal beat Kansas City.

That night, a rowdy crowd of 7,910 filled Hertz Arena - the largest crowd of their championship run. They watched an amazing comeback as Florida fought back from two goals down in the final period.

The Everblades' Kelly Cup wins stretch across more than a decade with championships in 2012, 2022, 2023, and 2024, making them the only four-time champions the league has seen.

The Lions now face the Toledo Walleye in the 2025 Kelly Cup Finals. Game One kicks off Saturday, with fans able to watch on FloHockey.