The Kansas City Mavericks are returning to the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the fourth straight season, and this year's clinch came after another milestone: Kansas City became the first team in the league to secure a postseason spot. The Mavericks officially punched their ticket to the playoffs on Sunday, March 8th, continuing on what has been a dominant 25-26 season.
Playoff hockey returns to Kansas City in April, bringing postseason energy back to Cable Dahmer Arena as the Mavericks prepare to make another run at the Kelly Cup. Tickets go on sale today, giving fans a chance to secure their spot during one of the most exciting stretches of the season.
For returning forward David Cotton, reaching the post-season is meaningful, but it is only one step closer to the team's larger goal.
“Making the postseason is a goal that we set at the beginning of the year,” Cotton said. “I think that our success this year has been our ability to make the next game the most important game, something that will be important going forward into the playoffs.”
That mindset has shown up consistently this season, especially after the Mavericks swept Tahoe in their recent home series this past weekend.
Cotton believes the makeup of the locker room is one of the biggest reasons for the Mavericks' success.
“We have a very close team, and it seems cliché, but a lot of the time that makes the difference,” Cotton said. "To go along with that, I feel we always seem to have someone new step up and make a big play to help get a win.”
This depth has been on display all season. The result has been a team that continues to find ways to win and has positioned itself as one of the top organizations in the ECHL heading into the postseason.
Now, with a playoff spot secured, the Mavericks continue to take each game one at a time, while building on what has already been a strong season and carrying that level of hockey into the postseason.
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