Lynx, ECHL continue season

With the official announcement on the fate of the NHL season still an hour and a half away, the buzz was mostly upbeat at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

The last-minute flurry of negotiations had Augusta Lynx players and personnel hopeful that the NHL season would be salvaged.

But at a 1 p.m. news conference, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the season was canceled.

"It's too bad, obviously we all wish they would have settled it," Lynx coach Stan Drulia said while sitting in his office, Bettman still on television in the background.

Drulia called Wednesday a "sad day" for hockey, but said he was also relieved.

"It's nice to have the questions answered," he said. "Now we can go on with business as is."

That's because the ECHL won't be affected by the cancellation since the league has operated all season with no NHL. Had the lockout ended Wednesday, though, many ECHL teams would have faced losing most of their players who are on American Hockey League contracts.

For the Lynx, that could have meant losing forwards Ken Magowan and Eric Johansson, defenseman Phil Cole and backup goalie Matus Kostur.

Reach Kristy Shonka at (706) 823-3216 or kristy.shonka@augustachronicle.com.