The Western Conference Finals of the 2026 Kelly Cup playoffs will pit the Kansas City Mavericks against the Fort Wayne Komets in a best‑of‑seven showdown that begins on May 22 in Kansas City. The series determines the recipient of the Bruce Taylor Trophy, a tribute to the league’s founding visionary.
Series Schedule and Format
Kansas City entered the conference finals with a league‑best road record of 28‑4‑4 and has not lost a playoff game, having swept both Tahoe and Allen to extend their winning streak to eight. The Mavericks are making their third straight appearance in the conference finals, riding the momentum of a dominant regular season.
Fort Wayne, the division champions, posted a 25‑4‑7 record on the road and captured their first division title in a decade with a 45‑17‑10 overall mark. Leading the charge is Brandon Hawkins, who tops the postseason scoring chart with 17 points, while Trenton Bliss sits just a point behind with 16.
Goaltending has been a cornerstone for both clubs. Dylan Wells of Kansas City boasts a 1.18 goals‑against average and a .957 save percentage across four appearances, whereas Fort Wayne’s tandem of Jan Bednar and Carter Gylander each finished the regular season with a 4‑1 record between the pipes.
The schedule alternates home‑ice advantage, with Games 1 and 2 set for May 22 and 23 at 7:05 p.m. CT in Kansas City, followed by Games 3 and 4 in Fort Wayne on May 25 and 26 at 7:35 p.m. ET. If the series extends, Games 5 through 7 will be played in Fort Wayne and Kansas City on May 31, June 2 and June 3 respectively.
With the trophy on the line and a chance to etch their names into playoff lore, both teams are poised to deliver a series that could reshape the narrative of West Coast hockey.