Michigan names prominent for ECHL’s Kelly Cup champions

June 15, 2015June 15, 2015 MiHockey Staff

The Allen Americans just wrapped up its franchise’s third straight championship, but first in the East Coast Hockey League.

And they had some help from Michigan names.

The Americans franchise was a member of the Central Hockey League just last summer, but the league’s seven teams were ultimately absorbed by the ECHL for the 2014-15 season. The team’s five Michigan connections helped lift Allen to the Kelly Cup after a 6-1 victory in a decisive Game 7 over the South Carolina Stingrays.

Swedish-born Greger Hanson – a Northern Michigan University product – led the Americans with 29 points in 25 games in the postseason after posting 29 goals and 62 points in 56 regular season games. The 27-year-old Hanson skated for the Wildcats from 2007-11, accruing 112 points in 161 contests.

Rookie forward Kyle Follmer, a teammate of Hanson’s at Northern Michigan, saw limited action in the postseason, skating in just four playoff games for the Americans after suiting up for 45 games during the regular season.

Grand Blanc native and Allen alternate captain Gary Steffes, 27, led his team with 13 goals and also added five helpers for 18 points. During the season, his 44 goals were best among all ECHL skaters and, despite only skating in 63 games, he finished ninth in league scoring with 73 points.

Western Michigan alum Riley Gill backstopped the Americans to 13 of the 16 victories, posting a 2.41 goals-against average and .905 save percentage in the process. The 29-year-old Gill tended goal for the Broncos from 2006-10.

Defenseman Tyler Ludwig, a teammate of Gill’s at Western Michigan, potted a goal and seven assists in 20 games from the back-end for Allen.