Colorado Leaves the ECHL With Back-to-Back Cups

The Colorado Eagles have been on a mission these last two years climbing up the hockey ladder.

Last year the Eagles won the Kelly Cup title and then announced the 2017-18 season would be their final in the ECHL before moving up to the AHL, the top rung of the hockey developmental ladder.

Such was their motivation as Colorado knocked the Idaho Steelheads from the second round of the Kelly Cup playoffs and once again advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals.

This time Florida provided all Colorado could handle. The Eagles had to win game 6 at home to force a game 7 in Florida. The game player Saturday night was tied 2-2 with under three minutes to play.

That's when Colorado hit the back of the net to end their ECHL run with a 3-2 win and back to back Kelly Cups.

The Eagles finished their seventh and final year in the ECHL and will head to the AHL as champions.The American Hockey League is pretty much the "Triple A" of minor league hockey.

The Eagles played from 2003 to 2011 in the Central Hockey League, winning titles in 2005 and 2007. They spent 2011-18 in the ECHL, winning titles in 2017 and Saturday night defended their title