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NHLGamers, The quarterfinals of the playoffs are now behind and we know the semifinalists of ECL 12 Pro. The best four teams of the season have now already secured a chance to play for an Elite spot next season but the Pro title and instant promotion is what the four remaining teams are aiming for. We have seen tight matchups and big surprises. Team LEISURE managed to sweep Conquer Gaming - the best team of the regular season – in breathtaking fashion. HV71 and Blackdawgs fought until the end with the Swedish side getting the edge over the Russians in game 7. BoxinElite overcoming VISU Gaming by winning four straight after losing the series opening game and securing their spot among the top 4 of the league in their rookie season as well as Djurgarden Hockey taking the next step and beating the Finnish outfit from Kiekko-Espoo Esports in six games. In the following we will take a closer look at the two remaining matchups. Who will pave their way to the finals? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each team? We will know better in a few days! (2) HV71 - Team LEISURE (12) After playing against Inter Iceland in round 1, HV71 is now facing a German team for the second time in this playoffs already. The Swedish outfit around captain @Demski13 managed to beat Inter Iceland in six games and secure their place among the top 8 in the league. The esports team from Jönköping had a tough time in the quarterfinals against Blackdawgs. After being down 2-1 after the first evening in the series and losing game 3 in astonishing fashion with 0-6, the blue and yellow outfit seem to have drawn the right conclusions and fought back on the second evening of the series. By winning 3 games and securing a 7-1 victory in the deciding game 7, HV71 put an exclamation mark on claiming their spot among the top 4 in ECL Pro. On the other side we find Team LEISURE. The German juggernauts might have found their form after the first half of the regular season only losing four games since including the playoffs. Being seeded at spot #7 the Germans were not able to secure home ice advantage which looks to suit them quite well. LEISURE did not lose a single game on the away server during their playoff run. Being able to beat Sulkavan Sudet in 7 games in round 1 the GCL record champion approached their biggest challenge so far in facing the #1 spot Conquer Gaming. The squad around captain @Franky__2768 looked as strong as never before and beating the former Finnish Elite outfit in crushing fashion. Team LEISURE secured their spot in the final four with a 4-0 sweep being able to shut down the strongest offense of the league three times and only conceding one goal in the whole series. Are the Germans on their way back to Elite? While HV71's offense is improving during their playoff run and looking very strong around their trio of @Demski13, @Rubituss and @Zupancic_King424 (Zuppe_29), Team LEISURE will be a very tough nut to crack defensively. Captain Franky__2768 and @xXPsykoSkillsXx found themselves as the top two scoring D-men in the regular season but seem to given up their scoring abilities to their forwards and focus on shutting down the opponents offense. @RPH_31 already secured three shutouts, which are the most in the playoffs of ECL 12 Pro so far. Both teams have found their qualities on both ends of the ice and always managed to find the right solutions to overcome their opponents in the playoffs. Especially the center matchup will be a decisive factor in this semifinal. Both players are top scorers of their teams and are extremely strong at the faceoff dot. @PlaymakerSJ contributed with 26 points (11G+15A) in 11 games to his teams success while also managing to win over 55% of his faceoffs giving his team the slight edge in tight games. Demski scored 25 points in 13 games and was always able to decide a matchup with contributing three game winning goals in their current run. Both teams are looking very strong which could make the series go either way. While HV71 played on a good and solid level for the whole season, the ex-Elite team of the former Deadly Phantoms HC found their form quite late in this years ECL. The winger duo of @ProfaneKiss and @Flo_goes_grazy (flgr93), who is playing his rookie season on Pro level, seem to harmonize even better with each game. After losing in the Elite relegation 4-2 against Tunnel Vision, LEISURE’s goal was clear: Instant promotion back to Europes Top 16. But will they be able to break down HV71 defense around @Terasniska, @Putteekiing and @Tiipponenii (Coffelainen)? The Swedish squad often enough proved this season that they took the next step in their development and are one of toughest teams to beat in ECL Pro. Since Team LEISURE already has the experience of four seasons on Elite level, as well as winning the Pro title back in ECL 7, the Germans could have the edge over their North European competitor. The away game disadvantage seems not to have any impact on their gameplan which makes it hard for any team in the league to beat Team LEISURE in their current form. @Keuschemisch's prediction: 2-4 Team LEISURE @Mikka's prediction: 1-4 Team LEISURE (4) BoxinElite - Djurgarden Hockey (5) Written by @Mikka If they struggled a bit surprisingly in the first round, the quarterfinals saw BoxinElite most definitely get back where they left off in the regular season. The high-flying Pro rookies took down VISU Gaming a lot easier than anticipated, only losing the opening game before winning the next four in a row. Getting their revenge on their playoff foes from last season is sure to give the Finns a nice boost when they look to take on the next challenge. The quarterfinals were not as easy for Djurgarden Hockey as they cleanly swept first round. That was expected though, and while they have had tight results for the whole season they have still ended up on top most of the time. Once again they did just that, narrowly avoiding a game seven by getting it done in six. The matchup went just about as expected as the Swedes continue onwards with their solid team play and routine, backstopped by amazing stats from netminder @Sorsa103 (10 GP, 88.78%, 1.1 GAA, 2 SO). As already stated, Djurgarden Hockey’s games have been quite tight. “How tight?”, one might ask. Well, their only loss with more than a one goal margin came with a 0-2 result. BoxinElite on the other hand have lost with a two plus goal margin six times out of the 13 in which they have fallen. Both teams have already secured a chance to play for an Elite spot, but avoiding that best of seven series altogether by grabbing the Pro title is at the top of their minds as they still have plenty of games left to play. BoxinElite has a relatively unproven squad, but @Prom99 and @Mehiiss have already been at this stage a few years ago with White Trash (now known as KOVA Esports). Although they lost to FILADELPHIA in the semifinals back then, they still managed to get promoted ahead of ECL 7. That experience is going to come in handy as they prepare to face off against a team that does not have any players with the same background. While BoxinElite might be the more offensive one of the teams, their defense has not had a bad performance either. Will it be Djurgarden who makes the series a small margins one, or will the Finns’ offensive prowess prevail? It will be interesting to see who manages to turn the results their way and pave their road to the final. Seeing how the teams’ playing styles match up and how well gelled the Swedes are, it seems like BoxinElite will have to overcome the predicted results just like they did in the last round. It is close though, so once again do not be surprised no matter whose way this goes. As we saw in the quarterfinal series between Conquer Gaming and Team LEISURE, even a presumed seven game series can end in a sweep. @Mikka's prediction: 3-4 Djurgarden Hockey @Keuschemisch's prediction: 2-4 Djurgarden Hockey

After an action-packed quarterfinal round in which all top seeds advanced, we're now left with four familiar contenders, all eager to punch their tickets to the grand final. Number one seed FILADELPHIA are looking to defend their title and keep their impressive finals streak going, whereas hREDS and HAVU are clashing in a rematch of their ECL 11 semifinals series!  FILADELPHIA (1) vs Färjestad BK (4)  Tale of the tape (Reg. season record) 28-0-2 vs. 20-8-2 (GF/G) 3.67 vs. 3.3 (GA/G) 1.00 vs. 2.23 (Special teams %) 112.85 vs. 118.18 (Season series) FILA If you feel like you've seen this before, you're not wrong! FILADELPHIA and Farjestad have went head-to-head at this stage back in ECL 10, which was the last time Farjestad was seen in the semifinals. Back then, the Swedes faltered 4-1, but have strengthened their squad considerably since then, while keeping the core intact around captain Christoffer @I-Maise-I Berntsson. To differ from their previous seasons, the new and improved FBK are now on par with the best of them in terms of offensive power with the emergence of Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann and Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt among the very best of defensemen in terms of point production. The problem is - this has happened at the cost of defensive responsibilities at times - Farjestad has an average goals conceded way above the rest of the semifinalist teams, and a significant drop from their numbers last season. FILADELPHIA, the reigning champions. They are on yet another impressive run towards their sixth consecutive finals appearance and is the only team currently in the Elite division to make the finals every season since they entered the top 16. On top of that impressive stat, the team also broke their own record of the highest regular season point total ever with a whopping 58(!). The black and orange remained undefeated in regulation throughout the regular season, but suffered their first loss against IQUE in the quarterfinals. Now facing the very familiar Farjestad, who they made easy work of in the regular season, there should be no stopping FILA in a long seven game series.  This series will be decided in two main areas - the center lane and on defense. There is no doubt about the fact that FILADELPHIA captain Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala has the edge on Farjestad center @I-Maise-I, and the Finn rarely takes days off. Maise needs to step up his game in the faceoff circle and find a way to help his team more off the puck if they are to overcome the beast of a team that FILA currently is. On defense, however, the current form of Farjestad duo @Lehmannens and @l-Furyan-l tops that of FILA's Aleksi @loimmu Loimuvirta and Teemu @Xteemuz Polttila in terms of production, but the Swedes will need to stay patient and not sacrifice their defensive end, since every mistake will be costly against the defending champs. Prediction: FILADELPHIA in 6  hREDS (2) vs HAVU Gaming (3)    Tale of the tape (Reg. season record) 25-4-1 vs. 22-6-2 (GF/G) 3.80 vs. 2.87 (GA/G) 1.40 vs. 1.17 (Special teams %) 116.70 vs. 116.66 (Season series) hREDS hREDS is one of those teams that have been on the rise for quite some time already. Since entering the top 16 back in ECL 10, the squad has made minor changes and managed to improve every season. Their last campaign was their first finals appearance and ended in a rather quick exit, but now the offensive powerhouse could be ready to take things that one step further with last seasons experience in mind. Former radar duo Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen and Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen reunited this season, resulting in a career high in Elite points for both, while Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen followed close behind also reaching career high numbers. On defense, the addition of Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen alongside Tuukka @Tuukka.R (KingOfApes_) Röpelinen makes for an offense first-pairing, that have managed to help out young star goaltender Filip @Faze91- Azri in a great way so far.  If hREDS have managed to improve on a steady pace, the engine of HAVU Gaming hasn't been chugging along quite as nicely. Despite making the playoffs in the top three once agains, the black and green collected their lowest point total ever (under the HAVU banner) in the Elite division and they mustn't be happy about that. The recent ground-and-pound laid upon YMCA Esports in the quarterfinals surely salvages some of that confidence and we'll see if HAVU can return to their strong form looking for revenge against hREDS. The return of Ilmari @Buantso Lehkonen to the left wing is massive for HAVU, as the man usually brings out the best of himself and his teammates in the playoffs.  Last season, HAVU Gaming suffered from an inability to convert on scoring chances against hREDS, whereas the other side was the clearly more prevalent squad on that front. Looking blindly at the stats, it is apparent that we could be in for a similar show this season too, but as seen before - anything could happen in the playoffs. Special teams have been great for both sides and the two are very evenly matched in that department, but hREDS is the far more aggressive squad. In fact, hREDS were the most penalized team of the regular season and can't afford to continue that trend in the semifinals. Prediction: hREDS in 7 Both matchups will be featured tonight on our broadcast, starting 19:45 CEST with Cody @Tougie24 Tougas and Paul @Cyn Anderson in the booth! See you there!

ECL 12 Lite has now reached the semifinals and with that the last four teams remain. There are now two teams from each of the two groups: Groups 2 and 4. They are facing their own groups teams so it makes for an interesting setup where one can look back at the regular season matches. Also the finals are guaranteed to be between a team from each group. Both pairs were 1-1 wins in the regular season in very tight and minimal goal scoring games. These playoff series are expected to follow that very same format: tight defending, a minimal amount of goals, great goaltending and in the end, the team with the better nerves will prevail.   (1)  Reality Check HC vs Lulea Hockey  (11) Reality Check HC is a clear favorite in this series although the games in the regular season between these teams were tight. Reality Check HC has looked dominant during the whole season and is the  team with more experience and therefore more stability in their performance level. This can give them a crucial edge in this series. Lulea Hockey does have the skillset to surprise strong teams and have done so previously this season, they have a solid defense, which has been the recipe for their success so far. Prediction: Reality Check wins 4-2   (2)  noRex Gaming vs Powerhouse HC  (9) This is a series with no clear favorite. noRex has been on a mission to get back to the Pro level all season, but Powerhouse HC is a team of rather unknown players that have polished their skill and taken down team after team. Both have played very balanced seasons with good routine levels. Game 7 would not be a surprise - in fact very expected.  Prediction: Powerhouse HC wins 4-3   Players to watch Like always there are many players appropriate to be highlighted but you can only pick some of them. Due to the low scoring nature of the playoffs, goaltending is one of the crucial elements in these series to determine which team wins. Therefore I highlighted all the semifinalist goalies. Some of them are higher in wins stats and some have better SV% or GAA or SO stats than others. All those components of the goaltending game will have an effect on how these series turn out in the end. Similarily, due to scoring being so tough, the skaters and defenders I have included here must succeed in scoring. In small margin games and series, every small detail goes a long way towards securing your team the win.   @Pursuitti Reality Check HC GP 28 35+54=78 Regular Season / GP 17 9+29=38 Playoffs @GERxVillain noRex Gaming GP 28 14+27=41 +38 Regular season / GP 16 5+17=22 +30 Playoffs @IDangledYouOut noRex Gaming GP 28 26+24=50 Regular Season / GP 16 17+21=38 Playoffs @Jarvinder Lulea Hockey GP 28 33+31=64 Regular Season / GP 19 19+12=31 Playoffs @Paddyy1903 noRex Gaming GP 28 6+20=26 +39 Regular Season / GP 16 1+13=14 +30 Playoffs  @Tsikago (Jiibada_) Powerhouse HC GP 28 20+33=53 Regular Season / GP 17 10+18=28 Playoffs @Keuschemisch noRex Gaming GP 28 14+32=46 Regular Season / GP 16 14+24=38 Playoffs @Fightlocke3 noRex Gaming GP 28 W 21 L 1 OL 6 SV% 83,71 GAA 1,29 SO 8 Regular Season / GP 16 W 12 L 4 OL 0 SV% 83,67 GAA 1 SO 6 Playoffs @Tizjeflen Lulea Hockey GP 28 W 20 L 6 OL 2 SV% 78,87 GAA 2 SO 3 Regular Season / GP 19 W 12 L 6 OL 1 SV% 76,67 GAA 1,84 SO 2 Playoffs  @Xx_Zetterberg40 (zetteri-) Powerhouse HC GP 26 W 20 L 6 OL 0 SV% 82,51 GAA 1,50 SO 6 Regular Season / GP 15 W 10 L 4 OL 1 SV% 81,46 GAA 1,87 SO 2 Playoffs @Kauppias4 Reality Check HC GP 16 W 14 L 1 OL 1 SV% 88 GAA 1,31 SO 5 Regular Season / GP 17 W 12 L 4 OL 1 SV% 78,40 GAA 1,59 SO 5 Playoffs  

NHLGamers, As another ECL season enters it’s late stages, it’s time for our most extensive regional league to come into play for a second season. Teams from France, Latvia and Spain among others find their home in the Western European Championship League, with Latvian Silver Sword Griffins being the current champions after their sublime display over arguably favorites Grenoble BDL. Our goal is that the WECL keeps welcoming new countries and clubs in and we expect to ease the entry of new teams by offering a promotion and relegation system for Season 2, meaning new teams in won’t have to face the recent champions so quickly and can work their way up just like in the ECL. We’re missing our friends from UK, Italy, Portugal and more teams from not so well represented countries, so it’s our wish to encourage these great teams to come and compete in a league with a wide range of skill level like the WECL. Remember that your team shouldn’t compete in the WECL if it’s German, Russian, Czech, Slovakian, Finnish or Swedish as these leagues already exist within NHLGamer, but WECL teams can add up to 3 players from these countries, while the skill cap allows for 1 ECL 12 – Elite player to be signed on the top division, but no ECL 12 Pro or Elite foreign players in Division 2. Local players are exempt from any skill cap limitation. The entire WECL Season 2 rulebook can be found in the league forum here! - Please scroll down for the most recent version. Division 1 tickets earned based on play in season 1, which can be redeemed in either season 2 or 3 of the WECL: Spartiates X MCES, Latvian Warriors, Silver Sword Griffins, Hoko Gang, Dynamo Dragons, Remparts de Tours, Latvian Esports, Remparts de Tours 2, Epinal HC Esport, Granada Grizzlies, Sesku Patversme, Vipers Montpellier. Depending on the number of spots that come free, the following teams in order will be placed in the top division despite not having earned a ticket: Pirates Esports, Boxers Bordeaux, Annecy Hockey eSport, French Rookies, MVP Players, Occitania HC, Polish Patriots. SIGN UP FOR THE WECL HERE! Season schedule The tournament will start on August 2nd and the finals are expected to end on September 26th just in time for NHL 22 to hit the shelves. Teams from the following countries are eligible for the WECL and their players don’t count against the foreign player cap: Albania Andorra Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Denmark Estonia France Georgia Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Kazakhstan Kosovo Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania San Marino Serbia Slovenia Spain Turkey Ukraine UK Vatican City Teams from the following countries are already eligible for another regional league and cannot sign teams up, players will also count against the foreign player cap: Czech Republic Slovakia Germany Austria Switzerland Russia Finland Sweden Players from these countries are counted against a limit of 3 foreign players on the roster. English is considered the only official language of the WECL and all communications sent out regarding the Championship, or exchanged with the LA will be in this language. Users are free, however, to use English, French or Spanish in the league’s own sub-forum. Skill cap Division 1 of the Season 2 WECL allows for a total of three (3) foreign players on a teams roster, but only one (1) player with ECL Elite experience in ECL 12 due to the skill cap limitation. Division 2 of the Season 2 WECL allows for a total of three (3) foreign players on a teams roster, but no players with ECL Elite or ECL Pro experience from ECL 12 due to the skill cap limitation. All local players are exempt from the skill cap limitation. Exceptions Teams can be granted an exceptional status for example if half of their roster is from a foreign country by nature and it is clear that the team has competed in the same formation for an extended period of time. For example a team that is half French and half Swiss could apply for such an exception if they can prove that they have stuck with the formation in question for a longer time. An exception can be handed out in such situation if explained properly to the LA beforehand. Additionally, teams from regions not covered can also contact the LA for an exception (IE, teams from North Africa). We will not be shy about granting exceptions to teams unable to compete in other regional leagues, so please reach out to our support if you might have any questions. As stated in the beginning, please familiarize yourself with our rulebook as the above fragments are only a tiny part of the entire ruleset. Hoping for an enjoyable tournament for everyone involved, I invite you to participate in the inaugural season of the WECL! Many thanks and see you on the ice!