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NHLGamers, Tonight we'll be in for a great treat in the form of virtual hockey action from the Russian scene, as the RCL 7 Pro finals will be played in full and broadcasted at www.twitch.tv/nhlgamer. Our Russian leagues have taken some massive development steps in recent seasons and with that the 7th iteration is also featuring a prize pool of 100 000 RUB. The RCL 7 Pro division included a total of 12 teams at the start and at this point of the season - as customary - only two remain. Seed #1 and defending champion NOVA are in the position to become the second ever team to secure back to back championships after Rusty Bulls managed to do so back in season 2 and 3. Opposing them will be #3 seed Show Time, who managed to overpower ECH Traktor Chelyabinsk in the semifinals. An outcome of the series is next to impossible to predict, as these two squads are extremely tightly matched. Their regular season clashes resulted in split points, as NOVA won the first game 3-2, whereafter Show Time secured points of their own with a 2-0 victory. (1) NOVA vs Show Time (3) PLAYOFF RECORD 4-0 (Rusty Bulls), 4-2 (Alliance HT) vs 4-2 (Nearbird Fighters), 4-2 (EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk) TOP SCORER Evgeny @Virusactive Popov (10+12=22) vs Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala (19+16=35) GOALTENDER Aleksey @Алексей Zvezdin (6 W, 80,56 SV%, 1.75 GAA, 1 SO) vs Andrey @Hrenoslon Savchenko (8W, 81,93 SV%, 2.6 GAA, 0 SO) See you in the chat tonight! Who do you think will win?

NHLGamers, NOTE: This log was written on Friday, 11th of December and opinions/statements reflect the situation of the past. I thought I’d post some recent thoughts on my team and ECL 11. First things first: we haven’t had the easiest season so far. This is both because our game wasn’t ready from the beginning and because ECL Pro is a tough division these days. It’s so tough, in fact, that perhaps I should have tempered my expectations for our brand new roster. So far, though, I feel like we are learning as we go. That’s obviously not the optimal way to go about it, considering you tend to miss all-important points in the process, but we need to accept that reality and move along. As the captain, there’s been a lot to learn. One thing is the important role of the assistant captains. It gets difficult trying to manage everything by yourself, and the utility of having a variety of perspectives cannot be overstated. Having the C and A’s play off each other is imperative in the successful management of the team. A dictatorship actually worked for us for a really long time, but it was a unique situation where we benefited from the unwavering leadership of one Johtaja the Great (@J0HTAJA). Another big aspect of team management has been player dynamics and figuring out the lineup for games. I’ve never had to think about that before unless I really wanted to, so mostly I’ve just focused on playing my own game in the past. It’s such an intricate thing to balance, isn’t it? There’s a lot to consider—how do you find the specific 6-man unit that works together the best, and how do you keep everyone happy and committed enough in the process? It’s also crucial to find that optimal lineup as quickly as possible so as to ensure continuity in the team’s game. I am fortunate in that my team has been very good about this as there has been zero drama about who gets to play and who doesn’t. I am very grateful to everyone on the roster because such distractions are sure to detract from the team’s main objective in some way. On a more personal level, I find myself returning to something that was first pointed out to me by Roots defenseman @vSilenttio a long time ago. During games, it is vital to focus on the current moment instead of things external to it. All too often, a player starts thinking about a situation in the game that should have gone differently or begins to form various scenarios in the mind of how the momentum is shifting, how much time there is left to tie the game, and so on and so forth. Barring the obvious requirement for someone to assume a leader’s role in reacting in the party as needed, none of that really matters. The way to help your team is to focus on one very simple thing: performing the next situation to the best of your abilities. Shift after shift, moment after moment. And that’s why, going back to the beginning, where we’re at in the standings right now doesn’t really make a difference. You always know what to do next because nothing could be simpler. Get in the moment and stay there until you hear the sound of the final buzzer. A huge thanks to @Janikka for sharing his thoughts in this article! Are you interested in also sharing some inside from your teams perspective? Contact @jahajaha93 for more information.