ECHL

The ECHL announced the new divisional alignment for the 2016-17 season, along with a new format for the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Within the new league alignment, the Fuel join the Western Conference’s Central Division, alongside the Fort Wayne Komets, Kalamazoo Wings, Quad City Mallards, Toledo Walleye, Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder.

As approved by the Board of Governors, the Conference and Divisional alignment for the 2016-17 Season will be as follows:

Eastern Conference



North Division:
 Adirondack Thunder, Brampton Beast, Elmira Jackals, Manchester Monarchs, Reading Royals, Wheeling Nailers

South Division: 
Atlanta Gladiators, Cincinnati Cyclones, Florida Everblades, Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Norfolk Admirals, Orlando Solar Bears, South Carolina Stingrays

Western Conference

Central Division
: Fort Wayne Komets, Indy Fuel, Kalamazoo Wings, Quad City Mallards, Toledo Walleye, Tulsa Oilers, Wichita Thunder

Mountain Division
: Alaska Aces, Allen Americans, Colorado Eagles, Idaho Steelheads, Missouri Mavericks, Rapid City Rush, Utah Grizzlies

With the ECHL’s 2016-17 schedule remaining the same, the Fuel will play a total of 33 of their 72 games within the new-look Central Division. Indy will meet Quad City 10 times (6 home, 4 road), Fort Wayne nine times (5 home, 4 road), Toledo five times (2 home, 3 road), Kalamazoo four times (2 home, 2 road), Tulsa four times (2 home, 2 road) and Wichita once on the road. Twenty-two of Indy’s final 36 games will be against Central opponents.

The first two rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs will be played entirely within the division, with the division winner playing the fourth-place finisher and the second-place team meeting the third-place team in the Division Semifinals.

The winners of each series will meet in the Division Finals, leading to the Conference Finals and Kelly Cup Finals. The new format will allow most teams to have a better chance of playing traditional rivals in the first two rounds of the playoffs, and to allow for more economical travel.

SOURCE: Indy Fuel Hockey

The Indy Fuel, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, announced Monday their broadcast partners for the upcoming season. The club unveiled a new television broadcast agreement with WTHR-TV, Channel 13, while renewing their radio partnership with CBS Sports 1430 for the third straight season.

During the 2016-17 season, all Friday and Saturday Fuel home games will be aired live on WTHR-TV affiliate COZI TV, while home and road games will be broadcast live on CBS Sports 1430, online at cbssports1430.com and on mobile devices using the free TuneIn radio app. Each and every ECHL game can also be streamed live online via computer and mobile device through ECHL.TV, powered by NeuLion.

“As our organization continues to grow into year three in the ECHL, we look forward to once again give our fans the opportunity to follow the Fuel at every turn this season,” said Fuel CEO Sean Hallett. “We are thrilled to continue our great partnership with CBS Sports 1430 and Entercom Indianapolis, and are extremely excited to join up with WTHR for 2016-17.”

Back on the microphone for all 72 regular season games is Tom Callahan, who will be bringing his NHL-polished call to Indianapolis hockey fans for the second consecutive season. In addition to being the radio “Voice of the Fuel”, television audiences will also get to hear Callahan as his call will be simulcast during WTHR broadcasts.

Joining Callahan in the television booth for 2016-17 is Indy sports icon and award-winning WTHR.com columnist Bob Kravitz. Sideline reporter Talor Whitaker will return for her second season as part of the Fuel television broadcast, which will be produced for the third consecutive year by Indianapolis-based WebStream Sports, a Raycom Media Company.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do television work for the Fuel,” said Kravitz, who joined the WTHR newsroom in 2014. “Hockey is growing in Central Indiana and I want to be part of that growth.”

COZI TV can be found over-the-air on channel 13.2, on Bright House channel 357, and Comcast channel 250 in the Indianapolis area.

SOURCE: Indy Fuel