Mississippi Sea Wolves Official Hockey Web Site

BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves announced today that the team will participate in the ECHL�s Second Annual Kelly Cup Tour making a stop at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum for the game on Friday at 7:35 p.m. against the Florida Everblades.

Presented annually to the postseason champion and won in 2004 by the Idaho Steelheads, the Kelly Cup will be located in section 15 at the Wolves Den.

The Kelly Cup Tour offers fans of the ECHL the opportunity to view and take pictures of the coveted trophy which was first awarded to the league champion in 1997. Standing 19 3/8 inches and weighing 25 3/8 pounds, the Patrick J. Kelly Cup features the names of players, coaches and support staff from the last eight ECHL champions including the 1999 Mississippi Sea Wolves.

Accompanying the Kelly Cup on the tour is a full-color display that highlights the intensity and the excitement of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The Kelly Cup is named in recognition of Patrick J. Kelly, who was one of the founding fathers of the ECHL in 1988-89. Kelly served as Commissioner for the first eight seasons and was named Commissioner Emeritus in 1996, a title that he continues to hold. Kelly celebrated his 50th season in professional hockey in 2002-03. Kelly coached 1,900 career games and has 935 wins to rank second all time among professional coaches to only the legendary Scotty Bowman with 2,571 games and 1,511 wins. Kelly coached in the Eastern Hockey League, the Southern Hockey League and the National Hockey League where he was the only coach to ever lead the Colorado Rockies to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He also coached in the American Hockey League and the International Hockey League, leading Peoria to the Turner Cup in 1984-85.

The 51-day and 7,112-mile tour is scheduled to visit 12 cities in eight states with the trophy making appearances not only at games but also at schools, sponsors, radio and television stations and other community events.

Additional promotions for Friday�s game include an attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the most balloons popped simultaneously. The record of 1,603 was set on January 22, 2004 at a University men�s basketball game held in Hays, Kansas.

Friday�s game is also Youth For Christ Night featuring a postgame jersey auction plus the first 2,000 fans will receive Thundersticks courtesy of Aaron's Sales and Leasing in Long Beach. In addition, the game features Military 2-for-1, sponsored by Keesler Federal Credit Union, which offers all military personnel, active or retired, two tickets for the price of one by showing military identification at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office.

The Sea Wolves get back into action at 7:05 p.m. tomorrow against the Pensacola Ice Pilots at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. It�s Discounted Daiquiri Night, offering $2 off each daiquiri.

Individual tickets for tomorrow�s game can be purchased at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (228) 385-2600 and online at ticketmaster.com.

Watch the live web telecast for $6, courtesy of B2 Networks, online at msseawolves.com. Listen live on flagship radio station WGCM-AM 1240, or online at msseawolves.com, courtesy of Teamline.

Flex packs, discounted groups tickets, birthday packages and fundraiser opportunities are available by calling (228) 275-WOLF or online at msseawolves.com.

2005 Kelly Cup Tour Facts
* 51 days (February 18 to April 9)
* 12 ECHL Cities - Bakersfield, Biloxi, Boise, Charlotte, Columbia, Estero,
Florence, Fresno, Long Beach, North Charleston, Reading and Toledo
* Distance Traveled - 7,112 miles
* Longest Travel Segment - 2,511 miles (North Charleston, S.C. to Bakersfield, Calif.)
* Shortest Travel Segment - 78 miles (Columbia, S.C. to Florence, S.C.)

2004 Kelly Cup Tour Facts
* 44 Days (February 20 to April 3)
* 10 ECHL Cities - Atlantic City, Boise, Columbia, Duluth, Estero, Florence, Greensboro, Lafayette, North Charleston and Wheeling
* Distance Traveled - 7,543 miles
* Longest Travel Segment - 2,506 miles (Boise, Idaho to Atlantic City, N.J.)
Shortest Travel Segment - 78 miles (Columbia, S.C. to Florence, S.C.)

Kelly Cup Champions
2004 - Idaho defeated Florida, 4 games to 1
2003 - Atlantic City defeated Columbia, 4 games to 1
2002 - Greenville defeated Dayton, 4 games to 0
2001 - South Carolina defeated Trenton, 4 games to 1
2000 - Peoria defeated Louisiana, 4 games to 2
1999 - Mississippi defeated Richmond, 4 games to 3
1998 - Hampton Roads defeated Pensacola, 4 games to 2
1997 - South Carolina defeated Louisiana, 4 games to 1

Kelly Cup Notes
* The Kelly Cup Champion has come from the Northern Conference three times (2003 - Atlantic City, Peoria - 2000, 1998 - Hampton Roads) and from the Southern Conference three times (2002 - Greenville, 2001 - South Carolina, 1999 - Mississippi). For the first time in 2004, the Kelly Cup Champion came from the Western Conference (Idaho). The first season that the Kelly Cup was awarded the ECHL did not have conferences but rather three divisions (East, North and South). The winner was South Carolina from the East Division.

* The state of South Carolina has produced the winner three of the eight years. * With the exception of Hampton Roads in 1998 and Idaho in 2004, every ECHL Champion has finished in the Top Five in the regular season standings. Hampton Roads finished 18th overall and qualified for the postseason on the final day of the regular season. Idaho finished tied for 11th overall. Ironically, only once in ECHL history has a team finished first in the regular season and gone on to win in the postseason - South Carolina in 1997.

* The Idaho Steelheads hold the distinction of being the Kelly Cup Champion located the furthest west and also the furthest north. The latitude of Boise, Idaho is 43.64564 N while its longitude is 116.13285 W. The Kelly Cup Champion located the furthest south (30.40334 N ) is the Mississippi Sea Wolves in 1999 while the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in 2003 are located the furthest east (74.431727 W).

* Nine players whose name appears on the Kelly Cup have played in the National Hockey League: Sebastien Charpentier, Hampton Roads, 1998; Chris Schmidt and Travis Scott, Mississippi, 1999; Cody Rudkowsky and Cam Severson, Peoria, 2000; Zdenek Blatny, Simon Gamache and Luke Sellars, Greenville, 2002; Dan Ellis, Idaho, 2004.

* Boardman Silversmiths, Inc. in Meriden, Connecticut created the Kelly Cup. Boardman also produces the Calder Cup for the American Hockey League as well as the trophies for the U.S. Open tennis tournament and the Masters golf tournament.

* There are eight individuals whose name appears on the Kelly Cup twice. Seven had their name engraved for the second time while the eighth had his name engraved for the first time in 2001 when South Carolina won the Kelly Cup. Rick Adduono was assistant coach in 1997 and head coach in 2001 while Jason Fitzsimmons was a player in 1997 and assistant coach in 2001. Jared Bednar, Brad Dexter, Brett Marietti and Dave Seitz were players in both 1997 and 2001. Marty Clapton had his name first engraved in 1998 with Hampton Roads and in 2001 with South Carolina. Mike Nicholishen had his name engraved for the first time in 2001 with South Carolina and for the second time in 2003 with Atlantic City.