ECHL 1988/89

	East Coast Hockey League
		1988/89 season	next ►
Master:	Carolina Thunderbirds
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The 1988/89 season was the first regular season of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). The five teams completed 60 encounters each in the regular season . The ECHL initially only played in one division . The team with the highest points in the regular season were the Erie Panthers , while the Carolina Thunderbirds won their first and only Riley Cup in the playoffs .

Regular season

Closing tables

Abbreviations: GP = games, W = wins, L = defeats, T = draws, OTL = defeat after overtime , GF = goals scored, GA = goals conceded, Pts = points

East Coast Hockey League	GP	W.	L.	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
Erie Panthers	60	37	20th	3	327	256	77
Johnstown Chiefs	60	32	22nd	6th	295	251	70
Knoxville Cherokees	60	32	27	1	266	286	65
Carolina Thunderbirds	60	27	32	1	266	329	55
Virginia Lancers	60	22nd	30th	8th	266	298	52

Riley Cup playoffs

Riley Cup semi-finals			Riley Cup Final

1	Erie Panthers	0
4th	Carolina Thunderbirds	4th
			4th	Carolina Thunderbirds	4th

			2	Johnstown Chiefs	3
3	Knoxville Cherokees	0

2	Johnstown Chiefs	4th

Riley Cup winner

Riley Cup winner Carolina Thunderbirds	Scott Allen , John Devereaux , Jay Fraser , Jeff Greene , Bill Huard , Randy Irving , Michel Lanouette , Rick McCarthy , Blair McReynolds , Steve Plaskon , Scott Rettew , EJ Sauer , John Torchetti , Nick Vitucci , Bob Wensley , Gary Willett Trainer: Brendan Watson

Awarded trophies

Award	player	team
John Brophy Award Best Trainer	Ron Hansis	Erie Panthers
ECHL Most Valuable Player Best player of the regular season	Daryl Harpe	Erie Panthers
Riley Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player Best player of the playoffs	Nick Vitucci	Carolina Thunderbirds
ECHL Rookie of the Year Best rookie of the regular season	Tom Sasso	Johnstown Chiefs
ECHL Defenseman of the Year Best Regular Season Defender	Kelly Szauter	Erie Panthers
ECHL Leading Scorer Best scorer of the regular season	Daryl Harpe	Erie Panthers
Riley Cup winner of the ECHL playoffs	Carolina Thunderbirds
Henry Brabham Cup Best team of the regular season	Erie Panthers