The Western Conference Finals begin Friday as the Kansas City Mavericks and Fort Wayne Komets clash for a spot in the 2026 Kelly Cup Finals. Kansas City enters as the league’s best road team at 28-4-4, while Fort Wayne matches up with a 25-4-7 record. The Mavericks have won all eight of their playoff games so far, including sweeps of Tahoe and Allen.
Bobo Carpenter leads the Kansas City offense with eight playoff goals and 10 points, tied for the team lead with Jack Randl. Rookie Jackson Jutting has made an impact with six goals and seven points in the postseason. Dylan Wells has been dominant in net with a 1.18 GAA and .957 save percentage. Jack LaFontaine, an All-ECHL Second Team selection, has played four games with a 2.01 GAA.
Fort Wayne is making its fourth Conference Finals appearance in team history. The Komets captured their first division title in 10 years with a 45-17-10 regular-season record. In the playoffs, ECHL Most Valuable Player Brandon Hawkins has been unstoppable with 17 points (4g-13a). His linemate Trenton Bliss is close behind with 16 points (4g-12a). Rookie Colby Ambrosio leads all first-year players with nine points (3g-6a).
In goal, Fort Wayne has split time between Jan Bednar and Carter Gylander. Bednar is 4-1 with a 2.62 GAA while Gylander is also 4-1 with a 2.81 GAA. The Komets have already defeated the Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs this season, adding extra motivation for both teams.
The winner of this series will earn the Bruce Taylor Trophy. Named after the founding father of the West Coast Hockey League, the trophy honors Bruce Taylor’s legacy in junior and professional hockey. The first two games of the series will be played in Kansas City before moving to Fort Wayne for Games 3 and 4.
Game 1 is set for Friday, May 22 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City. The series continues Saturday with Game 2 at 6:05 p.m. CT. The Mavericks will look to take control of the series early, while the Komets aim to even the set in front of their home crowd in Fort Wayne.
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