JOHNSTOWN — The Kelly Cup playoffs officially opened on Thursday night, minus a Johnstown Chiefs team that not so long ago appeared to be a postseason lock.

With all the uncertainty involving the team’s ECHL future and the negotiations with Cambria County commissioners regarding the War Memorial, it’d be easy to overlook the stunningly disappointing conclusion to what had been one of the most exciting years in Johnstown’s 21 ECHL seasons.

Yes, coach Ian Herbers’ team only won once in its final seven games (1-5-1) or the Chiefs would have been in the playoffs. Yes, the schedule was downright brutal for the stretch run, with eight of the final 10 games on the road and the last three at the always-difficult U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. But the Chiefs controlled their own destiny, and thanks to four one-goal losses and a blowout setback in the finale, Johnstown will be at home tonight instead of, say, Trenton. The Chiefs missed the playoffs by a point.

“This was a very close division. Every game was a big game,” Herbers said. “There were no easy nights. It’s very disappointing we didn’t make it, especially by just one point after being there all season long. The players weren’t planning on things ending this early.”

As usually is the case for Johnstown, a change in the playoff format burned the Chiefs. In recent years, five teams advanced from the division, with Nos. 4 and 5 meeting in a play-in series. This year, the five seed was voted out – and, ironically, during the league meetings the Chiefs voted against the fifth team advancing. Six current ECHL playoff teams finished with fewer points than Johnstown.

The Chiefs just happened to play in the North Division, where one point often separated a team from first place or from being out of the playoffs.

Even without a playoff appearance, this team ranks among some of the better Chiefs squads: 37 wins and 79 points. Minus the late funk, it might have been among the best.

Win or lose, Herbers had the Chiefs playing competitive hockey. Had the Chiefs won or even reached overtime in the lopsided finale, they would have earned the final playoff spot in the North Division instead of Wheeling.

“When you’ve been traveling for a month, and eight of our last 10 games are on the road, and you’ve got guys up in the American League and some injuries, that makes it tough,” Herbers said. “At the same time you’ve got to find a way to get that point and get in the playoffs.”

There were a lot of positives for the Chiefs. Leaders emerged in Petr Pohl (31 goals, 43 assists, 74 points), Ryan Del Monte (16-32-48, plus-19) and Andrew Sarauer (19-27-46, plus-10). When captain Randy Rowe was in the lineup, he had a Randy Rowe-like season, with 12 goals, 31 points and a plus-3 in 33 games. The left wing spent the second half of the season with Lake Erie in the AHL.

Goaltender Kris Mayotte started in the ECHL All-Star Game in Reading and finished with 20 wins and two ECHL Goaltender of the Week nods.

Like Rowe, Mayotte spent time in the AHL, a factor for the Chiefs during the stretch run. While Ian Keserich and Sebastian Dahm had spurts of excellent play, neither took command during Mayotte’s absence.

“We had a lot of guys that developed into legitimate American League players,” Herbers said. “We had guys who started with us play in the National Hockey League. We had guys who spent the majority of the season playing in the American League and signing American League deals.”

Defensemen Wes O’Neill and Ray Macias each played for the Chiefs early in the season, then skated most of the year with Lake Erie before each was called up to the NHL by Colorado. The AHL list is even longer, with Rowe, Sarauer, Ryan Garlock, Mayotte, Mike Bartlett, Del Monte, Pohl, Jarrett Konkle, Trevor Hendrikx, Jon Landry and Kyle Wharton gaining a lot of AHL ice time.

Unlike past Chiefs teams form the 2002-07 era, Herbers somehow found good players after the usual call-ups and injuries struck. He signed former all-stars in Andy Contois and Konkle. He obtained players such as Todd Griffith, Sean Berkstresser and Toby LaFrance. Instead of simply using the same old line, “This is why we’re here, to develop players,” and leave it at that, Herbers often added quality replacements. His team just ran out of time and luck at the most inopportune portion of the schedule.

“We competed for first place for most of the year,” said Herbers, who was selected to coach the ECHL All-Star Game. “We were one of the top teams for AHL call-ups. For the standings to be that competitive for that long is a good year. We just fell short in that last week.”

If the Chiefs return, pending the arena situation, the next logical question is, will Herbers return?

“It would have to be the right situation,” Herbers said. “If it’s a year lease with the team and the rink that’s not a stable situation, it’s not good. If it was a legitimate deal and the team was going to be stable and things would be done properly, I think Johnstown would be a fantastic place to be in the ECHL.”

Herbers said his exit interviews with his players went well. Many indicated a willingness to consider the Chiefs if the team returns.

“They’re such a great group of guys. They even offered to put their team money that goes to their party at the end of the season to pay for equipment,” Herbers said, referring to financial difficulties facing the team under the current structure. “That’s the kind of character we had in the dressing room. The guys said they want to come back. They’re disappointed we didn’t make the playoffs.

“But there needs to be some changes. We can’t run a team like that. To compete against teams like Reading, Cincinnati and Trenton is tough. You have to do things the proper way.”



Mike Mastovich is a sports writer for The Tribune-Democrat.