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The ECL '24: Spring - Core regular season has concluded and we are entering the most exciting time of the year. In this article, we’ll go through all the matchups in round 1, see what the teams have accomplished so far and then get into the predictions of each series. ECL '24: Spring - Core Playoffs Round 1 schedule: Tuesday 21.5 Thursday 23.5 Sunday 26.5 Prowlers (1) vs Free from Rodents (32) 1st seed vs 32nd seed matchup. It would be bold to say an upset could happen here, right? The Prowlers have been a quality squad and definitely deserve their seed. As is often the case with top teams, they had the regular season’s top scorer, @RHannu, with an impressive 20GP 43G+23A=63P, and goalie @Tizjeflen with the 2nd best save percentage at 89.29%. On the opposing team, Free from Rodents, there are no players dominating individual stats with flashy numbers, but they clearly have team spirit and defensive structure in their playstyle. Evidence of this is their penalty kill, one of the best in Core, at 93.94%. The Prowlers definitely need to sort that out, but Free from Rodents’ biggest problem might be their ability to score. Among the teams that qualified for the playoffs, they were the lowest-scoring team with 45 goals (compared to the Prowlers’ 78 GF). Since these teams were in the same group, let’s look at how the points were shared: 4-2 in favor of Free from Rodents. It will be interesting to see what happens in this Swedish matchup! Prediction: Prowlers 4-3 Armeijan Kuri (2) vs Hunters (31) Hunters started their season struggling with a 6-game losing streak but managed to battle their way into the playoffs. Armeijan Kuri maintained a stable performance all season long, which was enough for a pretty safe top seed in their group. When they lost, it was by a maximum of 2 goals. The most interesting stat about Armeijan Kuri is their faceoff wins, leading Core with 57.06%. Hunters can expect a lot of puck possession and maybe many set plays from faceoffs by their opponent if they can't handle that. Individual talent is pretty even between these teams, with Armeijan Kuri’s top scorer @MutainenMalik(18GP 23G+31A=54P) and Hunters’ @MyLittleTomi(20GP 29G+22A=51P). Prediction: Armeijan Kuri 4-2 Capetown Kings (3) vs Spartans eSport (30) These are two teams that are pretty recognizable from competing actively in recent seasons! A key point for this series is the best power play of the Core regular season: Capetown Kings with 32.65%. Spartans definitely can’t let them score on every third PP if they want to cause trouble. A big thanks for the Kings' efficient power play goes to @sambleri, who was not far from the division’s top scorer title, ranking 4th with 18GP 27G+31A=58P. Spartans didn’t have anyone close to that, so it will be interesting to see if anyone steps up to put the puck where they want it to be. Probably not an easy task when the opponent has @Acedi- between the pipes, who has been solid as a rock with the best GAA of the regular season at 1.5. Prediction: Capetown Kings 4-1 PANIC ON ICE (4) vs Huskies eSports (29) Our last pair of group winner vs 8th seed. Again, there's something too significant not to mention first: power plays and penalty kills. PANIC's crazy 91.43% PK vs Huskies' 7.14% PP. I know Huskies in the cold are like fish in water, but hey, looking at those numbers, I would expect nothing but North Pole level cold. The obvious choice for the most interesting player of this series is the top-scoring defenseman of the regular season, @Wpaanane, with 18GP 3G+31A=34P. Playing his second season in a row in Core after plenty of ECL Elite experience, he brings a lot of achievements from higher divisions. However, if the top guy has one bad game, how will the rest of the team react, and how would that affect their winning mentality? Regarding Huskies, the big question is the goalie situation. Three goalies have played an almost identical number of games with similar stats. So, who will play? This series is a Finnish team vs a German team, so with PANIC's home server advantage, there should be no surprises. Prediction: PANIC ON ICE 4-1 Darra Stars (5) vs Clowns On Ice (28) Another cross-server matchup, and in this series, I think it could play a bigger role than in others. These teams were also in the same group, so let’s look at their games: Darra Stars lead 5-1 in points with a 7-4 goal differential. Stars' top scorer @Aika_Suklaata was 3rd in points with 58. Darra Stars were the only team to have a perfect last 10 games in the regular season with a 10-0-0 record. Their top 3 scorers had more points than Clowns’ top scorer. I believe the server disadvantage for this Central server team is too big a mountain to climb. Prediction: Darra Stars 4-0 Wida (6) vs Knogmackers HC (27) In order for Knogmackers HC to solve Wida, they have to figure out the great defense and goaltending duo in @Mise13 (88.00%, 1.80 GAA, 1 shutout) and @P3ppu116 (86.44%, 1.60 GAA, 3 shutouts). Wida is going to have a hard time choosing who to put between the pipes! Players to watch: @nikitikitin 20GP 29G+30A=50 P @Molander13 20GP 23G+30A=53 P Prediction: 4-1 Lutunilkat (7) vs Wildcats Esport I (26) A team with maybe the most entertaining streams of ECL vs a classic French organization. And another cross-server series. I always consider that worth mentioning because, for example, if we take one random matchup vs another Finnish team from Wildcats: home game 2-3W, away game 0-8L. This shows that maintaining consistent effort between servers is one of the hardest things to do in this video game. When playing best of 7, this usually shows up even more. Lutunilkat’s top scorer @Pyssyh really lived up to his name and was top 5 in scoring for the regular season with 31G+27A=58P, while nobody from Wildcats was in the top 50. Wildcats' PP and PK are slightly better, but if Lutunilkat's captain stays out of the box, I don’t see that as a problem. Lutunilkat has produced consistently throughout their lineup, and Wildcats are having a tough time finding answers for that. Prediction: Lutunilkat 4-1 Saucer Hockey (8) vs Bare Knuckles Hockey (25) Saucer is bloodthirsty for these playoffs after last season’s disappointment. Their opponent, Bare Knuckles, is maybe the most physical team in Core this season with over 600 hits. Probably because of that playstyle, they had the most penalty minutes in their group, so they have to be careful. Top scorers @taikatomi and @Miggohell had almost the same amount of points, both scoring a little over 40 points. Prediction: Saucer Hockey 4-3 Koppibuutti (9) vs Taskubilis (24) Players to watch: @Adelyn10 87.61%, 1.91GAA, 5 shutouts @Jalitmane10 20GP 14G+20A=34P Prediction: Koppibuutti 4-0 Silver Sword Griffins (10) vs IceVikings (23) Silver Sword Griffins’ hearts were broken last Core season after they were the 1st seed in the playoffs but got swept in Round 2. So, I believe they are very bloodthirsty and motivated to show what they can do. SSG has a solid PK at 87.18% against IceVikings' 10.42% PP, which could mean SSG will play with high-risk, high-reward stick defense and hits because they trust they can shut down the opponent's ineffective power play. Players to watch are IceVikings' @bnkoXD (22GP 23G+16A=39P) and SSG's @martinssilins (20GP 23G+16A=39P). Prediction: Silver Sword Griffins 4-3 NAM3LESS (11) vs Pulp Odyssey (22) A matchup between two Finnish teams. On paper, Nam3less would be the clear favorite to win, but looking at the top 12 seeded teams, they have the worst power play at 11.63% against Pulp Odyssey’s solid PK at 89.74%, which raises some questions. Prediction: NAM3LESS 4-2 Calippo HC (12) vs EV Duisburg (21) A series of goalies. Player to watch in this series from Calippo: @SweMelle5041 with the best save% in the regular season (90.3%). From Duisburg: @MarvinJVfL1848 with the 4th best save% (88.47%). Prediction: Calippo 4-2 Koskenlaskijat (13) vs Nürnberg Nidhoggr (20) Out of all the series, this one might have the closest goal differential with Koskenlaskijat 67GF 53GA and Nürnberg 56GF 58GA. Top scorers and also picks for players to watch are @Duracellii (20GP 29G+16A=45P) and @ITA-Pizzabaecker (18GP 16G+14A=30P). Prediction: Koskenlaskijat 4-3 KohKae Esports (14) vs TRAINING GROUND (19) A high-shooting Czech team with over 400 shots taken in the regular season and an impressive 91.89% PK (now against KohKae’s 17.39% PP) are looking to have a great battle even with the server disadvantage. I feel like Training Ground has the typical Czech & Slovakian team-first mentality, especially in their own end. Expecting them to play high-risk in this series because of their great PK and a lot of shooting. But it could be that KohKae's greater ECL experience as a team could turn this series for them. Players to watch: @Joona41 (22GP 19G+32A=51P) 51P) and @MikyGBRo (22GP 25G+28A=53P). Prediction: TRAINING GROUND 4-3 Update: At the time of releasing the article, it turns out KohKae swept the series 4-0! Crazy Capricorns (15) vs Moscow Capitals (18) Players to watch: @Schuster060796 (20GP 22G+24A=46P) @AkimkaRUS (22GP 7G+27A=34P) Prediction: Crazy Capricorns 4-2 HC Lugano Academy (16) vs Aake Kallialan Laituri (18) Players to watch: @Tykylevits(20GP 16G+39A=55P) @I-THE_EAGLE-I (18GP 17G+27A=44P) Prediction: Aake Kallialan Laituri 4-3 Who do you think will win each series? Are there any key points or factors that we may have not covered? Let us know in the comments!

MATCHUP 1 Valokuitunen Esports (1) vs (8) The Black Jacks Regular Season Results: 3-2 The Black Jacks W 3-2 Valokuitunen Esports OTW Valokuitunen: Another dominant regular season from the defending champions (formerly known as hREDS) as they clinched the top seed in their finale against Straikers. The group has been truly elite in all phases of the game so far this season. They finished as the top team in the Division in goals for per game, goals against per game and shot attempts. They also saw each of their three forwards finish Top 10 in points. This includes Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen and Roope @pikkuroger Bergström, who shared the points title this season with 68. Speaking of @pikkuroger, he has filled the void left by Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen admirably this season after transferring from Straikers, posting a career-best season that will likely see him get consideration for both Forward of the Season and Transfer of The Season. I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention the stellar season that Sebastian @FINSeRe Remes has had in net for the group, posting an 88.24% save percentage, 1.4 GAA and 10 shutouts while starting all 30 games this season. His save percentage increased by nearly 8 percentage points from last season (80.25%). This could very well be considered one of the most impressive regular season campaigns that we've seen in the Elite Division, but this team cares about winning championships more than seedings and flashy numbers. Now is when their true season starts. Stat of The Series: Valokuitunen Esports have yet to lose a game this season by more than one goal. The Black Jacks: Another season, another playoff appearance for The Black Jacks. It feels like this group always manages to find their way into the Top 8 despite the league getting deeper. This marks their fourth straight playoff appearance, as they have not missed the postseason since the ECL '22: Spring season. Though this team returned much of its lineup, they did have a major question mark down the middle after losing its captain and Center in Sven @Original-SnuS Julmi, who departed from the team after being with them since ECL 6 (2018). They filled his place in the lineup with another experienced Center in André @Foppatofflan Liljegren who has been solid for them this season with 35 points in 30 games. The biggest addition for this team however was Johan @McSavid Rundqvist; who after taking a break last season has proven to still be one of the top goalies in the game. The way that this team has been able to find success this season has been through its defensive play. The Black Jacks took massive strides in their defensive play this season, going from allowing 2.3 goals per game last season (which ranked 7th in Elite) to allowing just 2.07 this season (4th best in the league). This number was even lower before their last four games of the regular season, which saw them allow 3.75 per game during that stretch. If they can get back to the defensive play that we saw during the first 26 games, this series should be low-scoring and rightly contested. Stat of The Series: The Black Jacks' played in 17 games during the regular season that were decided by one goal; they had a 9-8 record in these games (this includes overtime games). Bonus Stat: The Black Jacks are 12-3 in home games this season (including OT games). This is important because The Black Jacks are known to play on the Central European server, and it appears they have been able to use that to their advantage in those games this season. Prediction: I truly do like this Black Jacks side. They are experienced, talented and are one of the best defensive teams in the entire ECL. Unfortunately, they are just running into an outright juggernaut in Valokuitunen Esports. I respect them enough to predict them to steal a game and feel like they have had about as much success against this group as any team in ECL, but it would probably be the biggest upset in league history if they were to pull off a series win. I just don't see it happening. Valokuitunen Esports in 5 MATCHUP 2 (2) Straikers vs (7) Unwanted Regular Season Results: 2-1 Unwanted W 5-2 Straikers W Straikers: For the second straight season, Straikers find themselves at the #2 seed after another stellar regular season. The group was balanced and showed their elite form in every way, as they finished Top 3 in the Division in goals for per game, goals against per game, shots, power play percentage and face-off percentage. They also finished 4th in penalty kill percentage. Much of this group's core remains the same from the past season, with the lone addition to their regular season lineup being Teemu @temppanen Karvonen, who scored a career-high 23 goals in his first season with the club. Someone else to look out for will be Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen. The veteran netminder put together another spectacular season with strikers, starting in 20 games and posting an 84.95% save percentage and a 1.55 GAA. Straikers are 14-5-1 in games in which he started in the regular season. As a matter of fact, the last time that @Hansulinho had a save percentage below 80% was in an ECL regular season was in ECL 4 when he played for Laser HT. That was in 2017. if that's not dominance, I don't know what is. Overall, this Straikers team has had plenty of regular season success over the year and even some playoff success, but the reality is that this team is starved for a title. Ever since combining the cores of FILADELPHIA and HAVU before NHL 23, this group has made it to the finals twice, but fell short both times to Tunnel Vision. Last season they were knocked out a round earlier in the semifinals after being swept against hREDS (now Valokuitunen Esports). The last time anyone in their lineup won an ECL Championship was in ECL 11 when FILADELPHIA did it in early 2021. It's been far too long since this group has held gold and they're going to come in with a chip on the shoulder. They'll have a tough path no doubt, but they were the league hottest team down the stretch with an 8-2 record in their final 10 regular season games. This is one of the last teams you'd want to see in a playoff bracket. Stat of the Series: Straikers played in just one overtime game all season, which was 2-1 loss against Purification on April 18. They have an overall record of 8-4 in one goal games this season (including OT games). Unwanted: Though I'm sure Unwanted are happy to be back in the playoffs for a second straight season, they have to feel like they left some meat on the bone during the later stages of the regular season. The wolves wound up as the 7th seed after finishing the season with a 4-5-1 record in its last 10 games. This includes a 7-1 loss to the now-relegated Gotham Knights and a 4-3 loss against Purification in their last game of the season, a game in which they held both a 2-0 and a 3-1 lead in the second half of the game. If Unwanted wins just one of those two games, they would've finished in 5th. if they had won both? They would've been 3rd. Despite the disappointing end though, Unwanted still had a lot to be happy with this season. A nine game win streak from April 24 to May 5 is what pushed this team into the Top 8, as they collected a whopping 25 points in the standings during that time. That streak makes up for 49% of their points all season. Not only this, but Unwanted are the only team in the entire league that can say that they swept Valokuitunen Esports, as they won both games against them in the regular season (4-3 W and 5-4 OTW on April 29). Where this team can be most dangerous is in the offensive zone and that shows in their 2.73 goals for per game, which ranks 4th in the Elite Division. They've seen multiple players step up, as four of their five skaters finished this season with 30+ points. Eetu @Launonexx Launonen was quietly one of the division's top playmakers this season with 33 assists (3rd for all skaters), while Steffen @Suth98_ Sutherland was one of the division's best finishers, finishing tied for 5th in the league goals with 27. Some else to keep a close eye on is Adam @karlssonadam_ Karlsson. In his rookie campaign, @karlssonadam_ had an 85.57% save percentage while making the third most saves of any goalie in the Elite division this season with 350. He also had more desperation saves than any other goalie in Elite with 28. Look out for him in this series. Stat of the Series: Despite finishing with the second lowest shot total (354) and shots per game (11.8) in the Elite Division, Unwanted had the highest shot percentage in the league at 23.16%. They were the only team in Elite to finish over the 20% mark. Prediction: These two team met in the Quarterfinals last season as the exact same seedings. 5 of the 6 games were decided by one goal. Four of these games went to overtime. Straikers would eventually prevail to win the series in thrilling fashion, coming back from two goals down with 15 seconds left in Game 6 to take the series later in overtime. Unwanted was a few plays away from potentially winning this series and they have every reason to feel confident. However, this team has been mired by inconsistencies all season and their recent form is reason for concern in my opinion. I think that we'll see many close games again where the goaltenders will shine and it'll come down to who is able to make plays when their team needs them most. Considering all of this, I'll give the advantage to a Straikers team that has a chip on their shoulder and are hot at the right time winning 8 of their last 10 games. Straikers in 6 MATCHUP 3 (3) Tunnel Vision vs (6) Bjorkloven Esport Regular Season Meetings: 4-3 Bjorkloven Esport W 3-2 Tunnel Vision OTW Tunnel Vision: After failing to win their third-straight Elite Championship last season, Tunnel Vision are back in the playoffs in hopes of recapturing their crown. However, their quest has not come as smoothly as we have seen it in past seasons. Despite still being amongst the best offensive teams in the division, Tunnel Vision's play in its own zone has taken an alarming step back. Don't believe me? Let's look at the numbers: Last season Tunnel Vision allowed just 1.57 goals per game during the regular season, which was the lowest in the league. This season, that number has jumped all the way up to 2.7 goals allowed per game, which is the third worst in the league. The only two teams that allowed more were GOONS - who will have to play in a relegation series to stay in the Elite division - and Gotham Knights who will be relegated down to the Pro Division after finishing last in the standings with just five wins. Not great company to be in. On the more positive side of things though, Tunnel Vision are still a team that can score with the best of them. The group averaged 3.03 goals for per game during the regular season, second-best in the league. Additionally, Tunnel Vision saw all five skaters in their main lineup end the season with 30+ points. They even have the league's leading goal scorer in Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen, who scored a ECL career-high 42 goals during the regular season. He also had the second most points of anyone in the division with 62, just six points shy of his career-high 68 points from last season. Someone that everyone will have to keep their eye on especially for this team will be Tomi @tomboo- Laitinen. The captain and star defender had the most time with the puck of any skater in the Elite Division, controlling the puck for 198:51 in his 30 games played. He also ranked 6th for all Elite division skaters in passing percentage (85.1%) and pass attempts (1052). He is the quarterback of this Tunnel Vision team offensively and specifically on the breakout. He should be busy again in these playoffs. This team has mastered the art of winning tight games and they've made the finals in each of the last four seasons, so you can never count them out. However, this Tunnel Vision team seems to have more holes in the armor than they did in those past seasons. You can blame it on some key pieces departing over the years or you can just chalk it up to a few off performances in the regular season. Either way, it doesn't matter. Tunnel Vision is going to be a title threat, there is no question about it. But they are going to have to find away to stifle opposing offenses better than they did in the regular season if they want to make it back to the top of the Elite division mountain. Stat of the Series: 11 of Tunnel Vision's 15 wins were by just one goal (include OT wins). That equates to 73.3% of their wins this season. For comparison, last season 13 of their 21 wins were by one goal (61.9%). They have a 4-3 record in overtime games. Bjorkloven: A team that many felt would be in the playoff conversation at the beginning of the season, Bjorkloven Esport made a statement by locking in the 6th seed in the Division and posting 52 standings points in the process. The part that is even more impressive? This team was in the Pro Division last season and made the jump to Elite through the qualifier before this season. This group also underwent a significant roster overhaul, as only two playoff starters from last season's team have played a game for the team this season. Not only this but multiple players in their lineup hadn't even played in the Elite division prior to this season. Before the start of this season, the most Elite experience on this team came from Miikka @koleslaav_ Kolehmainen, who had played 64 games across two seasons, Miika @zMikkeez Kauppila, who had played 62 games over three seasons, and Arttu @Thewix93 Harju with 34 games in his lone Elite season in ECL 9. Everyone else on this roster was a rookie other than Oskar @x-_-BoBi-_-x Hautala, who played in eight games with Reality Check in this division during the ECL '23: Spring season. @koleslaav_ (49pts) and @x-_-BoBi-_-x (46pts) were the team's two top point producers this season. Interestingly enough, no one on this team scored 20 goals this season, but five different skaters scored at least nine goals and their 2.33 goals for per game, ranked 9th in the division. What makes this team special is their ability to slow down opposing offenses, as Bjorkloven Esport allowed just 2 goals per game this season, which ranked third in the league. Juspe @Ricco Laakso has also been a big reason for this, flexing his ability as a rookie with a 83.85sv% and a 2.04 GAA, both in which ranked in the Top 10 in the division. This team is balanced, defensively strong and have a goaltender that has proven to have game-stealing ability. All of the qualities that make for a potential upset pick in the playoffs. State of the Series: Bjorkloven Esport tied with Renascor for the least penalized team in the Elite Division this season, only committing 60 penalty minutes. Bonus Stat: Bjorkloven Esport had an 8-10 record in one-goal games this season (including overtime games) Prediction: I'll be honest, I could see this being a popular upset pick. Bjorkloven are a strong squad that are good enough defensively to compete with Tunnel Vision's high-octane offense. However, I have concerns about Bjorkloven's lack of experience, as not a single player on their roster has played a playoff game at the Elite level (not including relegation series games). I know that it's a cliche thing to say, but it means something. There is something to be said about a team that has yet to play in the postseason at this level, going up against a team that has made the Finals each of the past four seasons and are two-time Elite Division champions. As for Tunnel Vision, I'd be lying if I said that they've been playing to their standard. I wouldn't go as far as to say that this team is vulnerable right now, but I would definitely say that they are susceptible. They've just looked off-kilter this season and have yet to find that next level in their game that we have seen from them in the past. However, I think they'll step up and get the job done in what should be a tightly contested series. If they don't, it could be a long offseason with a lot of soul-searching ahead of them. Tunnel Vision in 6 MATCHUP 4 (4) Tohtorit vs (5) EXEN Regular Season Series: 5-4 EXEN W 2-0 EXEN W Tohtorit: The last time we saw Tohtorit in Elite was in the Spring '23 season, where they went 11-15-4 and finished 13th in the league. They beat Deadly Phantoms in 5 games in their relegation series to stay up in Elite, but didn’t participate last season, taking a one season hiatus. This season Tohtorit came back, replacing the Mayhems brand and bringing back multiple players from that Tohtorit team from last year. Considering this, not many people picked this team to make the playoffs, but they did, and now they have a chance to add another chapter to what has been a storybook season for the club. They will feel as if they missed an opportunity to earn a better seeding, as they lost each of their last 4 games in regulation and wound up just two points behind Tunnel Vision for the #3 seed, but a Top 4 finish is still extremely impressive, especially from a team that many didn't even have making the playoffs at all. This team is the perfect example of a group that isn't elite at anything specifically, but they do a lot of different things well and rely on playing a balanced game in all three phases. Their 2.01 goals allowed per game was 5th best in the division and they also had the division's third-best power play at 31.43%. They also averaged 2.43 goals for per game, which ranked right around the middle of the division in 7th. Tohtorit started the same six player for all 30 games this season. Some impact players for the group include Jere @Harlowi- Paloranta, who racked up a team-high 52 points (ranks Top 10 amongst all Elite division skaters), Tuomas @Ojala16 Ojala who tied @Harlowi- for the team lead in assists with 31 (ranks Top 10 amongst all Elite division skaters), and Jere @profiilipakki Kangasniemi who led the team in goals with 26 (ranks Top 10 amongst all Elite division skaters). Another player that you can expect to be active in this series will be Timi @Kkarkass Kärkäs, who compiled 28 points this season with 25 assists. He also had the second-most time with the puck of any player in the Elite division this season with 187:48 of possession time, so expect to hear his name often in this series. Lastly, I wanted to mention Stan @Stammer70 Adamus and the stellar season that he has had, as he's backstopped his Tohtorit team all season with an 83.76 SV% and 2.10 GAA. These numbers are actually very similar to his Spring '23 season with this team and he's truly emerged as arguably one of the more underrated goalies in a division that is stacked with elite goaltending talent. Overall, this team does a lot of things well. The question is whether they can replicate their success in the postseason. Stat of the Series: Tohtorit went 6-8 against playoff teams in the regular season, including 1-7 against teams that finished in the Top 5 of the standings. None of these games went to overtime, and 6 of the 8 losses were by more than one goal. Bonus Stat: @Kkarkass played for JYP Jyväskyla last season and was one of their most impactful players, playing in all 30 games and putting up 30 points in his lone season with them. He was on Tohtorit during the two seasons prior to their hiatus. EXEN: It's hard to not feel like the team has to have a chip on their shoulder, right? You'd be hard-pressed to find another team in the ECL that have gone through as many ups and downs as this EXEN side has over the past three years. Formerly JYP Jyväskyla before rebranding to the EXEN name this season, this group has seen the following things happen since the Summer of 2020. ECL 10 - Earned #1 seed in the playoffs, were later upset by #8 seed Farjested BK in 5 games ECL 11 - Made the semifinals as #4 seed before losing to eventual champion FILADELPHIA ECL 12 - Went 10-17-3 in the regular season and were relegated to Pro Division after losing the relegation series in 5 games ECL '22: Winter - Went 23-5-2 in the regular season and won the Pro Division championship to earn promotion back into Elite ECL '22: Spring - Went 12-14-4 and finished 11th in Elite standings with 28pts, avoiding the relegation series zone by 1 point ECL '23: Winter - Made the semifinals as #5 seed before losing eventual champion to Tunnel Vision in 6 games ECL '23: Spring - Push #2 seed Tunnel Vision to 7 games in Quarterfinals, but lose in game 7. ECL '24: Winter - Earn #3 seed in playoffs, lose to #6 seed Vesa Pompa in 6 games See what I mean? Sure, many of the players from that time have come and gone since, but the history of this team still is there and it deserves a deep playoff run. Turning the focus now to this season, things have been up and down for this EXEN group. The expectation for this team was to make the playoffs, which they did, but it feels like they could've been a little higher in the standings than where they ended up (5th). EXEN ranks in the Top 5 in the league in goals for per game (2.63) and shots per game (15.5). They also sport the Elite division's best penalty kill at 91.87%. Similarly to Tohtorit, EXEN has played the same six players in all of their games this season. 4 of their 6 starters returned from last season's group, but EXEN's two additions have both proven to be great adds for their squad that they are hoping can take them to new heights in the postseason. Aaro @xAaro89x Aarvala returned to the group after spending last season with Heimo. He led EXEN with 55 points (which ranks Top 5 in the division), 24 goals and 31 assists (both rank Top 10 in the division) during the regular season. The addition of Aleksi @Mozjayh Kähkönen on defense as also proven to be a critical one. After helping hREDS win the league last year and helping Tunnel Vision win the title in the two seasons prior, @Mozjayh posted 25 points with 19 assists in his debut season with EXEN this season. He and Aapeli @Lxndstrom Landström have become one of the division's best defensive pairings this season and their impact has been immense. In terms of goaltending, Kasper @Kaz_zu Ramstedt has been stellar once again for this team with an 83.09sv% and a 2.30 GAA. The backend has proven to be the backbone of this team, so these three players will be major factors for EXEN in this series. EXEN has a ton of experience in this league and plenty of skill and chemistry to go with it. The perfect combination for a deep playoff run. Stat of the Series: @Lxndstrom(184:11) and @Mozjayh (171:52) rank 3rd and 5th amongst all Elite division skaters in time with the puck. These two are the straw that stirs the drink for EXEN's offense and much of the team's offensive success will likely involve them in some form. Bonus Stat: Though EXEN went 4-7 in their last 11 games of the regular season, two of those wins came against Tohtorit, who they swept in their regular season finale on May 16. Prediction: This series is so tough to call because these are two teams that do a lot of things well. They are both balanced and have players on both ends of the that can impact the game at any time. However, EXEN went 7-7 against playoff teams and five of those losses were by one goal (this includes overtime games). They also went 5-3 against teams that finished Top 5 in the league. Meanwhile Tohtorit, as impressive as they have been, have yet to prove that they can beat the teams of this caliber consistently, something that is extremely important in a playoff series. They also just lost twice to EXEN on Thursday. None of this is particularly inspiring for them, and when you combine with EXEN's experience, I just don't think that it's a favorable matchup for them. The one thing that I will say though is that this team has been used to being doubted. Just like I am doubting them right now, they have been doubted since the before the season started. Yet every time they have prove these doubted wrong. They are playing against an EXEN team that has disappointed in these Quarterfinals in the past, including just last season. I wouldn't be shocked in the slightest if I was wrong, but I think EXEN will just be a little too much for this tough Tohorit team to overcome. Prediction: EXEN in 5 Who do you think will win each series? Are there any key points or factors that I may have not covered? Let me know in the comments! FOLLOW THE ECL ELITE PLAYOFFS LIVE You can watch live coverage of EVERY GAME of the Elite Division playoffs on Twitch, YouTube and X. Week 1: Monday 20.5 - 19:45 CEST | #4 Tohtorit vs #5 EXEN & #1 Valokuitunen Esports vs #8 The Black Jacks | Games 1-2 Wednesday 22.5 - 19:15 CEST | #1 Valokuitunen Esports vs #8 The Black Jacks | Games 3-7 Thursday 23.5 - 20:45 CEST | #4 Tohtorit vs #5 EXEN | Games 3-7 Week 2: Monday 27.5 - 19:45 CEST | #3 Tunnel Vision vs #6 Björklöven Esport & #2 Straikers vs #7 Unwanted | Games 1-2 Tuesday 28.5 - 19:15 CEST | #3 Tunnel Vision vs #6 Björklöven Esport |Games 3-7* Wednesday 29.5 - 19:15 CEST | #2 Straikers vs #7 Unwanted | Games 3-7* *These dates may be reverse

As the regular season has come to an end it's time to look at how we did with our predictions and give you some tips on interesting playoff matchups to follow from the first round! Firstly, let's take a look at how we did with our predictions for the regular season, in the projections article for the ECL '24: Spring season we listed 16 potential cup contenders/dark horses and every single one of those teams made their way to the playoffs. As we predicted there were also many successful regular seasons from teams not included in the projections. For example, MoDo Hockey, Red Bull Munich eSports and Neloskenttä managed to secure spots within the top 10 seeds. ECL '24: Spring - Lite - Round 1 schedule: Sunday 19.5 Tuesday 21.5 Wednesday 22.5 The deadline for Round 1 is Saturday, May 25th. Should teams have any issues scheduling, please reach out to support immediately. Let's take a look at a few playoff matchups that are definitely worth keeping an eye on. (1) Nordic Stars VS Hirvikolari (32) In this matchup we will see two teams with vastly different regular seasons, the number one seed versus the worst seed in the playoffs. This series we measure the playoff level of Nordic Stars. Hirvikolari can play with zero pressure because Nordic Stars has been a team considered the biggest contender for the title since the start of the season. Prediction: @Pensasmies Nordic Stars 4-0 The Oldtimers (2) VS SSK Academy (31) With a regular season like this, The Oldtimers most likely are favorites in every series these playoffs ahead of the finals.@Werppi has been tearing this Lite division apart with 87 points (34+53), and we all know a team that can score always has that second guy not far behind in points, and this season was no exception with @japi_kuittaa. While scoring almost 4 goals a game in the regular season is fun and all, this SSK Academy team won’t budge that easily. They play good defense and will surely make Oldtimers work for those wins. SSK Academy is an interesting team with how they play this game, they don’t necessarily play the way most teams do. This can cause some confusion in the Oldtimers team, and SSK need to capitalize on their chances in this series if they want to have a chance. Taking the lead in this Swedish team is @Hellqvist23 who knows how to hold on to the puck, and isn’t afraid to show it. If his teammates can find that next gear this series, it might be an even series. Player to watch this series: @WerppiWerppi Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-0 Oldtimers Anonymous player: 4-1 Oldtimers Zenegeim (3) VS Hockeyholics (30) This could be an interesting series for plenty of reasons: HockeyHolics pack a powerful punch offensively and could cause Zenegeim problems if they’re not careful. Nothing is a given in the playoffs, especially with @ViSiOnZ97_ putting up an impressive amount of points (35+41) for a team that made the playoffs on the last day of the regular season. Zenegeim on the other hand made an impressive showing in the regular season, taking down teams left and right. @imosi and @rakkauspakkaus- both seem to have that necessary edge to their game, which can be seen while playing against them. Their defense, consisting of the new defense pairing @Juhaniz- and @Saviinainen, will be a tough thing to crack. With both of them on their A-game these playoffs, this team makes the Pro division, and I bet they go to the playoffs there too. Player to watch this series: @imosi Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-0 Zenegeim Anonymous player: 4-1 Zenegeim (5) BushWhackers VS Aspyre Dragons (28) This playoff pair will be interesting since Aspyre Dragons was the only team that managed to grab more than 3 points from BushWhackers in the regular season. It will be interesting to see if BushWhackers manage to keep their net clean in this series. Aspyre Dragons can be thought of as a team that is seeded way below their actual level. Prediction: @Pensasmies BushWhackers 4-2* *Note: the author plays for BushWhackers Nelos Kenttä (9) VS Hopfensmoothie HC (24) When the season began, Nelos Kenttä got off to a hot start playing a lot of games and gathering points. It was clear very really on that they were making the playoffs and now they need to polish their sticks and try and beat a central server team that lacks no experience. Nelos Kenttä assistant captain @Welhouu61 with a mere 30 points (11+19) surely doesn't want to end his season in the 1st round? A few more points here and they surely won't. A team with some interesting names on the roster, Hopfensmoothie HC will try to rely on former Swiss star @Original-SnuS to bring back that magic he produced a few seasons ago in the Elite division. With the difference in the quality of this roster, the rest need to take their game to the absolute top, if the Swiss team wants to have a shot at advancing to the second round. Player to watch this series: @Revitty-stiga Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-1 Nelos Kenttä Anonymous player: 4-2 Nelos Kenttä (14) Belissimo VS xBOTS (19) Both teams have extremely high potential but have had trouble staying consistent, in my opinion, the team who wins this series will go far with the confidence gained from this series. This series will be a showcase of lots of individual skill and the team who manages to play better as a team will go through to the next round. Prediction: @Pensasmies xBOTS 3-4 (15) Sack Brothers VS Pata Hellalla (18) This matchup will be a battle of two quite different playstyles, Sack Brothers with conservative defending and Pata Hellalla with a speedy playstyle that includes a lot of long slapshot passes. I believe that the team that has done their homework better will win the matchup, but this series will be a tight one and can go both ways. Prediction: @Pensasmies Sack Brothers 4-3 (16) HC Vadelma VS Technical Disaster (17) With both teams having nearly identical seeds, it's easy to say this will be a tight series. Nonetheless, a series where both teams can make it difficult for the other one is always intriguing. Technical Disaster losing their last two regular season games may have cost them a few spots regarding seeding - or was it a masterclass in disguise where they wanted to play this specific team? @wrlster should lead this Technical Disaster team these playoffs with some silky-smooth moves on the wing. He knows how to put the puck in the net and will cause trouble for a good HC Vadelma team. Helping him is @Tecena who knows a thing or two about this game. Watch out HC Vadelma, this guy can play. HC Vadelma has worked hard these past seasons, entering Lite after playing in Core for a few seasons with mixed results. Captain @Awesome_Zone_ did not have the best regular season and has some stepping up to do when it comes to this series and the playoffs. Can the rest of the team help him elevate his game to what we know he can do, and will the defense of HC Vadelma rely on a shaky end to the season of Technical Disaster? Player to watch this series: @Tecena Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-1 Technical Disaster Anonymous player: 4-0 HC Vadelma Who do you think will win each series? Let us know in the comments! Thank you to @hifk_FANI for contributing and covering half of the matchups covered in this article.

Once again the regular season comes to an end and the most exciting time of the year is upon us. I couldn't be more than happy with the teams that pushed through to the playoffs and once again proved this writer wrong. In this article, we’ll go through all the matchups in round 1, see what the teams have accomplished so far and then get into the predictions of each series. ECL Pro - Round 1 official scheduled dates*: Monday 27.5 Tuesday 28.5 Thursday 30.5 *Teams can agree to play games earlier, many series are expected to start early. Falun Coal Miners (1) vs Vizio (8) With the number one seed always comes big expectations. This year is no exception with Falun beating Deadly Phantoms and TIKI TALK for that number one seed and the “Presidents' trophy”, thus gaining home advantage for the entirety of the playoffs. With a record of 20-4-1-5 and 69 points, spearheading the Falun offense this season was @STRANDMANNEN11, relatively new to the scene and scoring 32 goals in his first season is impressive, to say the least. But with the bright playoffs lights, can he do it against a team that has played together for a long time, can @Artuzio and @Jetsu28 carry this team to round 2 after barely making the playoffs? Only time will tell. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-0 Falun @yrjoo: 2-4 Vizio Deadly Phantoms (1) vs Cheeky Grinders (8) Phantoms boast quite a long history of making the playoffs, everybody knows how frustrating it is to play against this team, right? Many of us Nordic players blame the Central European servers for that, but the Phantoms' style of play has once again proven effective: they won their group and proved that server choice does not matter as much as some think, edging out a few teams who could have taken that spot. For the Phantoms their excellent defensive play stood out this season, boasting 1.67 goals allowed per game, with the goalie @RPH_31 taking a stand (SV% 84.38 and 1.79 GAA). This will be a good test for a Cheeky Grinders team that plays well against teams who are higher in the standings - they did indeed steal some points this season from difficult opponents, which is why they are in the playoffs right now. Let’s see how they match against an incredibly experienced playoff team. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-2 DPH @yrjoo: 4-1 DPH TIKI TALK (2) vs Herlev Eagles (7) Someone could have maybe predicted this series at the start of the season, but maybe the other way? Herlev had a lot of ups and downs, and TIKI TALK had an impressive regular season. This should be an interesting series - both have lots of individual talent, @itspardytime, @NuariJamal, @vibholm10, and @Spearzz_, just to name a few. But as both teams look to advance to the next round, the team who can play the more compact defense will surely advance? Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 3-4 Herlev @yrjoo: 3-4 Herlev Finnish Roosters (2) vs Golden Sticks (7) The Finnish Roosters was definitely on my personal list of teams who deserved a mention in that “could’ve been” ECL Pro mid-season report that sadly never came to fruition. The team boasts a lot of players who have been around the scene for a while, and now they are entering the playoffs with momentum against a team that was assembled not long ago. This will be an interesting series to follow for a number of reasons, but the number one thing to look out for should definitely be the offense of Golden Sticks vs the defense of Finnish Roosters. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-0 Roosters @yrjoo: 4-2 Roosters. POGGERS (3) vs NOVA (6) It's been an interesting story for both teams this season, with POGGERS having a slightly disappointing Pro regular season after being relegated and NOVA building on last season, improving their record. NOVA can only hope to beat a strong POGGERS team, who have played for a long time together and they certainly know how to win hockey games. As always the creative center @JaKurrii is a hard player to contain, with 67 points (23+44), playing with @Ghettomasi who had a great season, scoring an impressive 37 goals. Can NOVA's defense and recently acquired @PyroNiko cause an upset? Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 2-4 Nova @yrjoo: 4-2 Poggers RYHTIC (3) vs Södertälje SK (6) Both teams have had their fair share of games played in the Pro division, and now we’ll see who has more ice in their veins. With a tough season, Södertälje is looking to prove to everyone and themselves that they are better than most in this division. With the help of a couple of really great players, @amadee21 can really step up in the playoffs - a player to watch for this series! RYHTIC can surprise a lot of teams with their style of play, taking down far more skilled teams with great defense and @yrjoo always steps up in the playoffs. @JussinSisko has to be a top 3 goalie in Pro this season, with absolute monster saves, and keeping RYHTIC alive in a lot of games. Can Södertälje beat the defense of RYHTIC? Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-1 Ryhtic @yrjoo: Plays for Ryhtic Otukset (4) vs Mustaa Kultaa (5) For the first round of these playoffs, this matchup has to be the one to watch. Both teams have exceptional talent in their roster, and know the game in and out. This will be a battle of Offense vs Offense - expect a lot of goals to be scored. Mustaa Kultaa couldn't quite make Elite, and didn’t really have the regular season everyone expected, but playoffs are always a different beast. Can the king of the Lite division @Allupekkaz step up and show everyone he belongs in the Pro division - or even higher? Shoutout goes to the best goalie in the regular season @LatveX boasting a save percentage of 90%! Who knew you could even do that in an NHL video game It seems Otukset have always had roller-coaster-type seasons. Their game varies from day to day, which can be a dangerous thing in the playoffs. Will we see an improved Otukset in this series? You can always rely on @Hazard-laser when the games get tough, but will it be enough? Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 2-4 Mustaa Kultaa @yrjoo: 3-4 Mustaa Kultaa Almost Famous (4) vs Supernatural (5) This series could go either way - both teams have the ability to beat the other. Supernatural showed us that they know how to take faceoffs, with an impressive 55,63% faceoff percentage in the regular season, which could give them the edge in this series with @TackleControl in the faceoff circle. Making an impressive run in the Lite playoffs last ECL, Almost Famous now immediately made the playoffs in Pro with a good record. They can build on this momentum in these playoffs and go on a similar run this year. @Ikavalko will surely be the center of attention of the Supernatural defense. if you enjoy tight games, this will be the series for you. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-2 Almost Famous @yrjoo: 2-4 Supernatural Who do you think will win each series? Are there any key points or factors that we may have not covered? Let us know in the comments! FOLLOW THE ECL PRO PLAYOFFS LIVE You can watch live coverage of the Pro Division playoffs on Twitch, YouTube and X. Coverage starts on Tuesday, May 28th.