South East Hockey League Explained

South East Hockey League
Sport:	Ice hockey
Founded:	2003
Commissioner:	Jim Riggs
Teams:	4
Champion:	Huntsville Channel Cats
Folded:	2004

The South East Hockey League was a minor ice hockey league formed in August 2003.^[1] It succeeded the short-lived Atlantic Coast Hockey League and had 4 teams for its first and only season. Jim Riggs was the commissioner.

The Huntsville Channel Cats were the 2003–2004 President's Championship Cup winners. The Channel Cats defeated the Knoxville Ice Bears in three straight games in the championship series.

For the 2004–2005 season, the SEHL ceased play when two of its teams folded while the other two joined with teams from the World Hockey Association 2 to form the Southern Professional Hockey League.

Teams

• Huntsville Channel Cats (folded; SPHL had an expansion team in the city)
• Knoxville Ice Bears (moved to SPHL)
• Cape Fear Fire Antz (moved to SPHL as Fayetteville FireAntz)
• Tupelo T-Rex (never played due to contractual issues with the Central Hockey League)
• Winston-Salem T-Birds (folded; SPHL had an expansion team in the city)

2003–2004 season

Regular season

Team	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
	56	43	13	0	233	164	86
	56	26	30	0	201	195	52
	56	25	31	0	213	221	50
	56	18	38	0	178	245	36

Playoffs

Semifinals

Huntsville received a bye into the final.

Final

Awards

League MVP:	James Patterson (Huntsville)^[2]
Rookie of the Year:	Allan Carr (Huntsville)^[3]
Defenseman of the Year:	Alex Alepin (Knoxville)^[4]
Goaltender of the Year:	Matt Carmichael (Huntsville)^[5]
Coach of the Year:	John Gibson (Huntsville)^[6]
Playoff MVP:	Matt Carmichael (Huntsville)^[7]

See also

• List of developmental and minor sports leagues
• List of ice hockey leagues

Notes and References

1. Book: Scott, Jon C.. Hockey Night in Dixie: Minor Pro Hockey in the American South. 2006. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd.. x. 1-894974-21-2. registration.
2. Web site: Patterson named SEHL MVP. Press release. South East Hockey League. September 20, 2011. March 25, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20121010212528/http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3014976. October 10, 2012. live.
3. Web site: Carr Named SEHL Rookie of the Year. Press release. South East Hockey League. September 20, 2011. March 29, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20121011013937/http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3016227. October 11, 2012. live.
4. Web site: Knoxville’s Alex Alepin is SEHL Defenseman of the Year. Press release. South East Hockey League. September 20, 2011. March 26, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20121011013944/http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3015304. October 11, 2012. live.
5. Web site: Carmichael Named Goaltender of the Year. Press release. South East Hockey League. September 20, 2011. March 31, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20121011014007/http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3016939. October 11, 2012. live.
6. Web site: Huntsville’s John Gibson Named SEHL Coach of the Year. Press release. South East Hockey League. September 20, 2011. March 24, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20121011014013/http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3014559. October 11, 2012. live.
7. Web site: Huntsville Channel Cats are the 2003–04 President’s Championship Cup Winners. Press release. South East Hockey League. September 20, 2011. April 6, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20121011014019/http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3019296. October 11, 2012. live.