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NHLGamers, The ECL 11 Lite season has now reached its semifinal stage and as usual, by now we know the four best Lite teams this season. Most of the favorites are still in the race for the ECL Lite title and therefore I predict extremely tight semifinal series that could very well be extended to a 7th bout in either one of the matchups. Before the quarterfinals, I predicted all "surprise teams" to be eliminated from the competition but Hotbox is only one of those left as they have consistently overturned predictions. Hotbox surely is having a season to remember going on but Bjorkloven Esport - the biggest candidate at the moment for the ECL Lite title - is their biggest challenge yet. One of the most interesting points in the semifinals is that all semifinalists are from the same regular season group - a feat for which the odds are very slim. Go group 3! Here is the full playoff schedule for ECL 11 Lite: (1) Bjorkloven Esport vsHotbox (42) Bjorkloven Esport has advanced convincingly to this stage and is in my books the biggest favorite to win the ECL Lite title. Hotbox is one of the phenomenons of the seasons and the sole remaining clear underdog at this stage. They are now facing their biggest obstacle yet, but Hotbox sure are ready for this huge challenge. Bjorkloven's goalies are bit ahead of Hotbox's counterparts and their biggest scoring stars have a similar edge so this might be the end of the Hotbox success story in this semifinal series. However, Hotbox has progressed this far against all odds so there is of course a place for an upset this time too. @olgaaa71 and @Tacterz combining for nearly 200 points between the two of them in the regular season is outright ridiculous, which just shows the scoring prowess that the Bjorkloven team possesses in this division. The Hotbox dynamic duo @Frans-Fin & @Jann3_67_ isn't far behind, but a combined 150 markers is far less. Bjorkloven will be facing the interesting decision of which goaltender to play in this series as both of their netminders have been solid throughout. Players to watch in this series: Bjorkloven Esport - playoff statistics @olgaaa71 19GP, 27+45=45 @Tacterz 19GP, 15+29 =44 @Kallmanius 10GP, 8W, 85.71 SV%, 1.2 GAA, 3 SO @Mrantonn 9GP, 8W, 85.51 SV%, 1.11 GAA, 3 SO Hotbox - playoff statistics @Frans-Fin 21GP, 13+31= 42 @Jann3_67_ 21GP, 25+14=38 @Randomjanne 21GP, 16W, 83.41 SV%, 1.71 GAA, 1 SO Prediction: Hotbox makes this series an unforgettable event and does all they can to battle back. Bjorkloven Esport can't be stopped and advances to the finals by winning 4-2. (8) Exerceo vs Grenoble BDL Esport (22) While the clear star power individuals aren't as bright for Grenoble BDL Esport, the 'I' in that team has been compensated with extremely disciplined team play. By being one of the most well oiled units in the league they've reached this far and are currently the torchbearers for French virtual hockey. When it comes to individual skill, Exerceo in turn possesses these key components better while simultaneously being able to generate disciplined approach to play. This is why they are a minor favorite in this series for me. While Exerceo has the edge individually, the scoring differential in the playoffs hasn't been so large and in fact the clear leader here is @Adri1_SCP for Grenoble. Adri will be the x-factor for the French team but they will require to find secondary alternatives if and when Exerceo shut him down. Players to watch in this series: Exerceo @Limbe65 19GP, 24+33=57 @Sagee95 19GP, 18+34=52 @Pettersson12 9GP, 8W, 82.47 SV%, 1.89 GAA, 1 SO @Jjmakkeli 10GP, 8W, 79.12 SV%, 1.9 GAA, 1 SO Grenoble BDL Esport @Adri1_SCP 24GP, 33+29=61 @Winci 23GP, 17+29=46 @Trollstivegen 24GP, 16W, 77.25 SV%, 2.21 GAA, 4 SO Prediction: Game 7 is needed. Exerceo's individual skill and goalies are decisive factors as they will be advancing advancing to the finals with 4-3 in wins. As always, play hard - have fun!

NHLGamers, after a regular season for the ages and last Wednesday's ECL El Clasico in recent memory, we are now ready for the postseason, where the stakes are as high as ever and almost nothing is sacred when it comes to what you'll do to grab those required wins. There's been countless success stories written over the years and we've seen two teams reign supreme for the past few seasons, but each postseason is an equal opportunity for the eight best teams in the business, and here we are yet again. From this point on, 12 wins is all it takes to be the one to hoist the cup at the end of the season. Joining the ECL Champion's club is something every player dreams of achieving at some point of their career, so now is the time for these guys involved to step up. As the USA U20 squad put it - one barrel at a time. (1) FILADELPHIA vs Northern Ascendancy (8) TOP SCORER Erik @Eki Tammenpää (22+46=68) vs Juho @RutonMosse Kinnunen (23+26=49) GOALTENDER Casper @ICappeI Lundgren (80.11 SV%, 1.23 GAA, 12 SO) vs Ville @Supreex Korhonen (80.59 SV%, 2.43 GAA, 1 SO) So far this season, FILADELPHIA have made it clear that no one will be stopping them from reaching their third ECL title since starting their journey with the lineup (barring minor changes) as we know it back in ECL 7. A record breaking regular season (highest point total ever, most shutouts ever) puts them at the #1 seed and we all know that if anyone, these guys will be able to handle that pressure. Eki has been the teams leading scorer this season but it should be noted that finding secondary or tertiary options is no problem for the FILADELPHIA team that looks as strong as ever. Their fiercest rivalry against HAVU Gaming looked like child's play in the second last round of the regular season, where FILA dissected HAVU and walked away with two routine wins out of the normally so tough matchup. Some questions were looming before the season about whether Northern Ascendancy would be able to handle seeing a high percentage of player turnover over the offseason, but long time captain Connor @MartindalexC Martindale has been able to pull a rabbit out of his hat and push his team to their absolute maximum performance - unless they still have some tricks up their sleeve. What clouds the sky is the fact that NOR is heading into the playoffs with a cold streak, having grabbed only 3 wins and a total of 7 points out of their last ten games, albeit most of them being matches against playoff bound teams. NOR is also by far the most penalized team heading into the playoffs and can with their 15th ranking penalty kill in the league by no means afford to sit in the box against a lethal offensive team like FILADELPHIA. Prediction: An interesting dynamic to this matchup is brought by the fact that just a few months back, Eki spent the SCL with MartindalexC and his NOR, despite NOR having almost a completely different roster by now there could be some strategic takeaway from that time spent together on both sides of the puck. Statistically, the outcome in this series is very clear - Northern Ascendancy haven't beaten FILADELPHIA on ECL ice since back in ECL 7 (in 2018) when the two teams met in a similar setup in the quarterfinals. Then, the series ended 4-1 in favor of FILADELPHIA, which I believe will be the result this time too. (2) HAVU Gaming vs Roots Gaming (7) TOP SCORER Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha (25+50=75) vs André @Foppatofflan Liljegren (19+34=53) GOALTENDER Oskari @SibeIius Grönroos (78.2 SV%, 1.53 GAA, 7 SO) vs Kasper @Kaz_zu Ramstedt (79.87 SV%, 1.88 GAA, 2 SO) HAVU Gaming saw some changes to their roster for the first time since ECL 8, when Kristian-Mikael @Nassustelija Katajisto joined the squad, forming their well-known championship machine. The loss of Ilmari @Buantso Lehkonen stings, but at least based on what we've seen so far, Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen has done well in filling those boots. The thing is, Puantso has always been at his best in the playoffs so now is when the real test for Hansu starts. Team captain FlyerKungen is having a career season if that's even possible for a man who's seemingly won it all, so he can definitely be counted on even this season when the going gets rough. What raises some eyebrows is the fact that in the recent HAVU-FILA regular season matchup, HAVU didn't show up to play like they use to. The games were seemingly kept close, but the eye test indicates that they were outplayed by their sweet rivals. It might just be a night off and even if they would have needed to make some fixes, they've had a weeks time to do so. Now is the time to be at their best and that is what HAVU is known for in the playoffs, bring it on, they say. Roots Gaming is "the other green team" in the Elite division, but despite being overshadowed by the HAVU powerhouse, we're talking about a definite Elite title contender who can dismantle just about any team if and when the stars align. The addition of Foppatofflan has given them an added level of creativity on offense and their quick puck movement can be tough to handle even for some better teams around. Väinö @vSilenttio Pietilä seems to be back in his prime and as we know is a vocal leader who can do good things for his team when he plays like he has been so far this season. When going up against a team like HAVU, it's always highly doubtful for the underdog to walk away victorious, but IF Roots were to do so, now is their time. Prediction: The black and green battle rages hard in this one and despite looking out of focus from time to time in the regular season, HAVU will be coming to play in the postseason as always. Roots is one of the few teams that managed to beat HAVU in the regular season, but wins against a team of HAVU's caliber come few and far between even for your regular ECL Elite squad. Roots are looking better than ever this season and that is why they will manage to challenge HAVU, but the defending champions will march on, 4-2 for HAVU. (3) hREDS vs Vesa Pompa (6) TOP SCORER Joakim @Joukki Nyholm (32+46=78) vs Jere @jergelii Jortama (20+20=40) GOALTENDER Mika @FinKonna Paasikontu (78.6 SV%, 1.73 GAA, 7 SO) vs Filip @Faze91- Azri (80.32 SV%, 2.03 GAA, 3 SO) It's been said multiple times and should be stressed ahead of every time hREDS take the ice. They are possibly the most skilled team out there at the moment. The offensive power that the squad possesses is nearly unmatched at the moment and with that Joukki managed to grab the regular season scoring title with a stunning 78 points to his name and beside him, Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen tied for most assists ever (55) in a regular season whereas Tuukka @Tuukka.R Röpelinen set a new goal scoring high for defensemen in the regular season (16). It is clear that hREDS will be able to outscore just about any opponent in the league, but the difference in them compared to champions like FILADELPHIA and HAVU Gaming in their prime is defensive play. If hREDS wishes to win - which I believe they can - they will need to find a way to tighten up defensively without sacrificing their number one weapon, which is their lethal offense. Vesa Pompa were one of the most underestimated teams in our season preview, but it has turned out that has indeed gelled nicely and been able to perform at a high level - as their talent packed roster would suggest. The team, being led in scoring by Finnish imports jergeli and Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen of former Butterfly Effect fame has aptly been able to climb into playoff contention in just their second season at the Elite level. Vesa Pompa has seen a lot of turnover over the years with the constant being captain Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann and winger Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund, who despite being widely considered as one of the most talented young players around is yet to truly make his claim as one of the very top players in the division. Maybe this playoff run is his time to shine? Prediction: It will be a warm reunion to start the series between former Butterfly Effect forward trio Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen on the hREDS side, whereas Jergeli and Vilupoika will be representing Vesa Pompa. The trio has been apart on ECL ice since ECL 9, when they last wreaked havoc on the division in the old purple jerseys. The difference in this series will most likely be experience in playing together. There is no doubt in the world that Vesa Pompa wouldn't possess the skill to beat hREDS, but due to the fact that hREDS have so much more time together, they will win this series 4-1. (4) Farjestad BK vs JYP Jyvaskyla (5) TOP SCORER Christoffer @I-Maise-I Berntsson (17+30=47) vs Antti @tbnantti Kuittinen (20+35=55) GOALTENDER Johan @McSavid Rundqvist (83.09 SV%, 1.9 GAA, 3 SO) vs Santeri @Sandr0hh Reijasalo (82.07 SV%, 2.06 GAA, 2 SO) Since last ECL, Farjestad BK has turned their roster into an all-Swedish machine and are currently the lone Elite team flying that flag proudly. We're all very familiar with their style of play, but especially with the addition of Anton @antoniomannen004 Svensander on the right wing the team has managed to diversify their game and give themselves more of a puck possession option whenever that might be required. Compared to the FBK we saw back in ECL 10, this team is considerably stronger defensively while being able to maintain their danger on offense, which could partially be attributed to good signings, but also simply due to evolving their play and finding better situational awareness in seemingly trivial situations on the ice. The worrysome part for them is that Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg is their number one option and has scored over 40% of the goals for his team this season. Secondary scoring surely exists but it will be interesting to see whether they need to find it or not in this series. Last season has surely not been forgotten in the JYP camp. Their roster has seen some minor, but very meaningful turnover as mainly Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola suddenly left prior to the season, and was swiftly replaced by equally talented young gun Valtteri @Vattu__ Virtanen. The thing is, though, that Kriketski is an incredibly impactful player on the ice - most of the times for good, but sometimes for bad. Losing such a player has forced JYP to evolve, just alike their opponent and despite being outplayed in the playoffs last season, this time will surely look a lot different. JYP is boasting one of the most skilled defensive pairings in the league and will be utilizing both of them to create danger and odd-man chances on both sides of the ice, and their offensive trio can very well make things happen on their own if need be. Overall, we're looking at a JYP that is more balanced than last season, but do they have that extra something that will push them on to the next round? We'll see. Prediction: Despite there being a significant amount of turnover from last season in both teams, we all still remember what happened back in ECL 10 Elite, when FBK dismantled the #1 seed and caused an incredible upset. It'll surely be a factor that could have an impact on the first few games even in this series, but as play moves on, those memories will fade. We're looking at a tremendously exciting matchup that will extend into games 6-7, and I'm hoping for the latter. JYP will bounce back from last season and advance 4-3. Tune in for ECL 11 Elite Quarterfinals tonight!

NHLGamers, What a season it has been so far and now we are already heading to the semifinals! It seems that I was completely wrong with the predictions of the quarterfinals when it was predicted that the games were going to be extremely tight. All of these four great teams had impressive performances in the quarterfinals beating their opponents with clear margins and they showed us the reason why they belong in the top four of ECL 11 Pro. Now all that remains is to figure out which of these teams will go to the finals. As previously, we here at NHLGamer will take a look at the semifinalists and make our best try at predicting these series. Here is the full schedule for the ECL 11 Pro Playoffs: (1) GOONS vs ZSC Esports (8) GOONS continued their victory march by beating RCTIC with a clear 4-0 score. There isn’t really that much to say, this team is having a perfect season and no-one has been able to find out how to stop them. Left winger @pikkuroger is dominating the stats table with an unbelievable 40 points in just 8 games and his teammates @xKeskitalo and @kriketski17 are right behind him in the top 3. Something that can’t be overlooked is Kriketski‘s playing style. It’s really interesting that a player can score 34 points and have 82 hits in 8 playoff games. I think we’re closing in on the division record since the guy has now hit a total of 378 times in 38 games. While the GOONS attackers are smashing, scoring and stealing the spotlights up front, the teams defenders @Miika(MiiQu81-), @viba2008 and goalkeeper @SanteriAK47 (santerichristian) are keeping their own end clear and giving the team and especially the attacking trio a chance to play brave offensive hockey without the fear that every loose puck will turn into a dangerous counter-attack. As I have described in earlier previews, GOONS is really complete in every part of the game and it takes a lot of work to find out how to overcome them. Could ZSC Esports be the team that will finally figure out the weak points of their opponent and put an end to GOONS perfect season? There is no doubt that the team should be mentally well prepared for this great challenge ahead. ZSC Esports took a really convincing victory over Djurgarden Hockey with a 4-0 score and sent a strong message to the whole league that they deserve to be among the teams competing for the Elite spot for next season. Team captain and center @Original-SnuS is the scoring leader of the team with 17 points in 10 games and the fact that every skater on ice has grabbed pretty much the same amount of points tells a lot about ZSC Esports' style of playing this game. Left winger @Alex28 (I__LX__I) is the best goal scorer for his team with 9 goals in 10 games while right winger @Freeman7187 has concentrated more on the creative side of the game. Defenders @Toneee9 and @Haldeem have played a good season at back and become a known threat on the blueline for their accurate slapshots. Even though we are talking about a great team effort it is the goalkeeper @afc_Tschitsch (eTschitsch) that has become one of the brightest stars for his team and of the whole playoffs as well. 90 saves in 10 games and an outstanding 84.11% save percentage tells the fact that GOONS will be facing the hottest keeper in the division at the moment. Prediction: ‘’Domination’’ is the word to describe GOONS' season and we are still searching for the team that is able to stop them. The individual talent, experience from high level and the way these things have formed up into a single unit have made GOONS unstoppable so far. ZSC Esports has a great task at hand but as the season has shown us this team has been able to improve their game throughout the competition and there is no doubt they will be well prepared for the semifinals as well. However this won’t be enough. It seems to be impossible to stop talented GOONS attackers from scoring and even the rock solid ZSC Esports defense won’t be able to shut the doors this time. ZSC Esports great season will end in the semifinals and GOONS will continue to the finals with a score of 4-1. (2) Tunnel Vision vs Enigma (6) Tunnel Vision played a strong series against Rookie Mistakes in the quarterfinals and the team advanced to the semifinals with a comfortable 4-0 series win. After the first game that ended 1-0 in overtime for Tunnel Vision, Rookie Mistakes couldn’t keep up with the speed of their opponent. It was a great response to the difficulties in the first round of the playoffs against Nordic Stars as this time Tunnel Vision came out as clear winners. Left winger @BensaPoju (Jerskayy) continues his good form and is the top scorer for his team with 12 goals in 10 games. Right winger @Sokkelo__ is right behind him with 9 goals and 16 points in 10 games and center @Pikkardz is a couple of points behind his wingers. Defender @tombo_02 is currently leading the defenders points and assists table with 13 assists and 14 points in 10 games as the other defender @Frilander is clearly the more defensive of the two. Goalkeeper @Erholtzi has been the starting goalie with an 81.08% save percentage and a league leading 1.4 GAA. Tunnel Vision has been able to improve their game a lot since the start of the season and now they have to play at their maximum limits to beat another strong title favorite in the semifinals. Enigma was able to beat the strong Vaxjo Lakers with an impressive 4-1 series win in the quarterfinals. Even though the series ended clearly in Enigma’s favor, games were extremely tight and almost all of the games ended with a one goal margin. Vaxjo Lakers had a great season in the offensive zone and Enigma showed real maturity as they put forth a balanced display with strong defense and finished the series as deserving winners. Left winger and captain @Nieppii is the points leader for Enigma with 24 points in 9 games. Right behind him comes the center @laitineen64 with 21 points and right winger @sannteri has scored 17 points so far. Defenders @Makeaxl and @zNico aren’t enjoying a great playoffs in the points department but it’s clear that their job in this team is to defend while the goal scoring is left to the forwards and they have done their job with great success. In this series we’re also having a matchup between two great goalkeepers as Enigma keeper @Pirtsa89 is also having a great season with 81.69% in save percentage and a 1.44 GAA. Enigma was really close to being one of the Elite division teams this season and they are now certainly hungrier than ever for success and claiming what they feel is theirs. Prediction: In the end Tunnel Vision had a smooth run to the semifinals as they were able to play their own game at the best level. Tunnel Vision has been constantly improving this season and now they are facing a team with a pretty similar story. It’s obvious that both of these teams have a real shot to earn the promotion to Elite this season but also both teams want to do that with the Pro division title in their trophy case. In my opinion Enigma’s series against Vaxjo Lakers was really promising. The team knows what it takes to shut down even the most dangerous attacking opponents and this could give them an edge over Tunnel Vision. That's why I believe that the series will be tight but Enigma will advance to the finals with the score 2-4. That’s it! The predictions have been given. Now it’s time for the teams to prove them true or false. Every one of the teams are now one step closer reaching the finals and winning the competition. We at NHLGamer wish you enjoy the games whether you’re playing or watching them. Remember to respect the opponents and have fun! Please tell us your favorites in the comments section below and also other feedback that comes on your mind. Let the games begin!