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Hello SportsGamers! We're super excited to announce the SG World Cup 2025! The SG World Cup marks our first test of a global, national-team eHockey 6v6 format! The tournament will feature 16 national teams from Europe and North America. The action starts on May 6th and the event culminates with the finals just under two weeks later on May 18th. Which nations are represented? Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Latvia, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and USA. These 15 will be joined by team SG World, which features the best players from the rest of the world. How are players chosen? Players for each team will be chosen by the team captain. Team captains are voted on by a selected group of the best players from each nation. Example: for Finland's captain vote, all skaters that play in a starter role in any ECL Elite playoff team will have a vote in the captain selection - for most smaller nations, the vote will be held amongst a few players deemed "most qualified" for the position. How can I get in to represent my country? On January 18th the tournament's Discord server will become public. Before then, each nation will have a dedicated text channel, on which the captain selection will take place. After this, the captains will have months to scout test players for their team. We encourage discussion on these dedicated text channels for everyone in each nation's community to be heard and help team captains make informed decisions by April when the final rosters are revealed! Umm... What about the ping from Europe to North America? This is a very valid question. There is no way to guarantee a good connection across the pond, but as this is the first installment of the tournament and all games will be played online, we're giving all teams an equal amount of opportunities to succeed on their home server. Throughout the tournament, all games and playoff series will be decided by the aggregate score from two games - one home, one away for both teams. Is there a prize pool? This tournament is a first of its kind and runs primarily with the aim of testing out the new format. At the moment this tournament is free to play with the honour of your nation on the line. At this stage, there is no further prizing. For more details check out the full rulebook here: SG World Cup Rulebook The full tournament schedule can be found here: SG World Cup 2025 Schedule

Six weeks and 28 games later, eight teams have emerged as the best that the Elite division has to offer, and now just 12 wins separate them from the chance to lift a championship trophy at Assembly Winter in February. Some teams are hoping to add to their respective legacies, whole others are looking to start one of their own. That playoff journey starts with the Quarterfinals, so let's take a look at each of our four Elite matchups and break down what we can expect to see. Oh and before we start, remember that these are all just my personal opinions and analysis! You are allowed to disagree with them, just do it respectfully. None of this really means anything and it's all about just trying to come up with good content for the league that people can enjoy, so please don't take anything here personally or to heart. None of this is that serious! And if I end up being wrong on any of this, then congratulations on proving me wrong! I'll be happy to be one of the first people to admit that you did. Anyways, let's get into why you all are reading this, previewing our four quarterfinals series! (1) Parasite vs (8) GOONS Regular Season Series (December 17th): Parasite 9-3 W, Parasite 5-3 W Parasite: There's dominance, and then there's what Parasite did during the regular season. Many people had Parasite notched as the championship favorite heading into the season, but somehow they still managed to blow the preseason expectations completely out of the water. Not only did they win 27 of their 28 games, with 24 of those wins being in regulation, but they also finished the regular season as the highest-scoring team in Elite division history, putting up a mind-lowing 5.32 goals for per game. In case that wasn't enough, out of those 27 wins, only six of them were by less than three goals. That is ridiculous in every sense of the word (in a good way). Though it's tough to single out players on a team that has been so complete, Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen has been an unstoppable force this season, notching an ECL-record 65 goals during the regular season to go along with 39 assists for 104 total points. He wasn't the only one to put up one of the best regular seasons in ECL history however, as Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen posted a career-high for points (96), goals (38), and assists (58) (ECL competition only). Alongside them, Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila has also had a season to remember. Not only does he lead all defensemen with 64 points, he also ranks sixth out of all skaters in the Division. Outside of his three forward teammates, only TWO PLAYERS in the division racked up more points than him. That's genuinely absurd. The goalie tandem of Sebastian @FINSeRe Remes and Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen split time evenly during the regular season at 14 games a piece, with FinSeRe posting an 85.4 SV% and UhNikke earning an 80.82 SV% and three shutouts. To summarize all of this, this team isn't good, they're great. It's no surprise to see them as the #1 seed and they are the hands-down favorites to win it all heading into the playoffs. Whoever matches up against this team will certainly have their hands full. GOONS: Regardless of how their playoff run goes, this season has to be viewed as a pretty successful one for GOONS. Don't believe me? Just think about where this team found itself just a few months ago. In the Spring season, not only did GOONS finish 13th in the standings and forced into a relegation series, but they were swept in said relegation series by Mustaa Kultaa and were out of the Elite Division entirely. Luckily for them, they were thrown a lifeline with the division having two spots open up and earned their way back into Elite through the ECL Qualifier in early November. Considering this with the fact that they had 5 roster players returning, many thought that they would end up around no man's land and in the middle of the table, but a hot run of form in the middle of the season that saw them win 11 of 12 games was enough for them to lock up a playoff spot despite a tough final week of the regular season. This team brings the same identity as many GOONS teams of the past, which is a physical game that tries to throw around bumps and crushing hits every chance they can. GOONS led the league in hits with 824, making this the sixth straight season that they would lead the league in hits (the last time they didn't was in ECL '22: Winter, where they finished second). They also feature a balanced scoring attack, with four skaters notching double-digit goals this season. Despite all of the good, there are some concerns that I think are fair to have of this GOONS team. The first concern that I have is their performance against fellow playoff teams, as they went 3-11 in those games and two of those wins came against the same team, Mythix. They also have not proven to be particularly strong on special teams, as they had the division's worst power play at 9% and ranked bottom five on the penalty kill at 70.9%. That's not ideal in a series where you are facing off against the #1 power play and #2 penalty kill team in the division. They also are one of two teams in the playoff bracket that finished with a negative goal differential at -7. GOONS are a team that have talent throughout the lineup and they play a unique style that teams have to prepare differently for, however, if they want to have a chance at pulling off the upset, all of these things are going to have to get cleaned up. Prediction I'll be honest, I'll be surprised if this game goes more than five games. It's not a slight against GOONS, because I do think that they are a capable squad, but we have to look at the facts in front of us. It's a matchup of arguably the most dominant regular season team in division history vs a team that struggled to beat fellow playoff competition and has notable weaknesses where their opponents' strengths lie. Combine that with the fact that Parasite heavily out-attacked GOONS in the regular season series, and it doesn't result in much confidence that we'll be seeing some sort of upset in this series. Now to be clear, we've seen crazy things happen in this league, so if GOONS can play a perfect four games, who knows. They also played Parasite in their last series of the regular season, so the lessons that they learned in that series should be very fresh in their minds. I just don't think that will be enough however. If GOONS can prove me wrong, then I'll be one of the first to admit that and congratulate them on the biggest upset in ECL history. Parasite in 4 (2) Tohtorit vs (7) EXEN Regular Season Series (December 8th): Tohtorit 4-3 W, Tohtorit 2-1 W Tohtorit: Well, if there was any doubt about where Tohtorit stood in the hierarchy of the Elite division, they made it known that they aren't just in the conversation for one of the division's best teams, but that they're also here to stay. As one of the few teams that returned its entire roster from last season and didn't make a single change to it, Tohtorit felt like a team that would do one of two things, fall back to the place where many thought they would be before the Spring '24 season started, or assert itself as a championship threat and build on their campaign from last season, and they did exactly the latter. Interestingly enough, a lot of their stats from the regular season are pretty similar to what they did last season. They finished with the same amount of regulation wins with 14 and had 56 points in the standings, two more than they did in the Spring. They were also pretty much the same team as last season defensively, as they gave up nearly the same amount of goals, going from 2.1 to 2.04, and saw their penalty kill also come out nearly identical from last season, going from 61.76% to 62.5% Someone specifically to look out for in this series will be defenseman Timi @Kkarkass Kärkäs, as he led the division this season in time with the puck, logging 207:15 of possession time during the regular season. He was the only player in Elite to have the puck on his stick for over 200 minutes and the next player closest to him possessed the puck for 33:38 less. While they did improve offensively going from 2.43 goals for per game to 2.79, the one area where they saw a significant downturn was on the power play oddly enough, as Tohtorit went from having the division's fourth-best power play last season at 31.43% to having the division's worst power play this season at 12.5%. Negatives aside though, Tohtorit pretty much produced as they did last season while proving that they belong in the tier of championship contenders (they went 4-2 against their fellow Top 4 teams). These playoffs for Tohtorit will be showing that they have taken a step forward from last season, and what better way to do that than knocking out the team that swept you in the Quarterfinals last season? EXEN: If there is one word that I could use to describe EXEN's regular season, it would be turbulent. This team was supposed to be a bonafide lock to make the playoffs and finish as a Top 4 seed, yet it took them winning 9 of their last 10 games to clinch one of the last remaining playoff spots during the last days of the regular season, and only two of those wins were against a fellow playoff team in GOONS. The regular season was an unmitigated disappointment for this team that only could've been worse if they had missed the playoffs entirely, which considering that they only had a four-point cushion over Polski Boys who were the first team outside of the bracket, is something that wasn't far off from becoming a reality. Nevertheless, none of that matters anymore for EXEN. The regular season is now behind them and the "real season" - as some may call it - has now begun with the postseason. EXEN made it to that season and that's all that ultimately matters. Looking at this team, their defense and goaltending this season was actually quite impressive considering where they ended up in the standings. They only allowed 2.25 goals per game, which ranked 4th in the division. They also sported the league's fourth-best power play at 80.49%. Where things went wrong for this team was its lack of goal-scoring, which is honestly really surprising to see considering how much offensive talent they have on this roster. EXEN averaged just 2.32 goals for per game, which tied for 5th lowest in the league. For reference, the average for Elite this season was 2.97, which is a division record. At one point EXEN was dead-last and averaging less than 2 goals per game, but saw that number spike with their late run of form to the end of regular season, as they averaged 3.3 goals for per game during that final 10-game stretch. EXEN did lose seven of their 13 total lost games (regulation and OT) by one goal, so if this goal-scoring can keep up, it could be the difference in their turnaround, however, their struggle against other playoff teams this season is a cause for concern, even if it was early in the season. Is the version of EXEN that we saw during the last week and a half of the season the real EXEN? Or is it the EXEN who struggled with top-end teams earlier on in the season? This series will tell us all that we need to know in answering that question. Prediction If I had a nickel for every time that Tohtorit and EXEN met in the Quarterfinals, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. To me, this series is definitely one of the most intriguing. While last season, this series was a story between seeds #4 and #5, where the teams had battled for playoff positioning throughout the season, this season's story is the #2 vs #7 matchup where one team was one of the most consistent teams in the division and had locked up a playoff spot before any other team, while the other had considerable expectations and had to scratch and claw their way to even get into the playoffs at all. Overall, this series will be close despite their contrasting regular season campaigns. You can doubt EXEN if you want to, and honestly I can understand why with how they've looked at times this season, but the talent on this roster is just simply undeniable, and I feel confident that this will be a competitive series. The biggest question will be whether or not Tohtorit can live up to the moment in a best-of-seven series in the Elite division. This team has won a championship before at the Pro level, and multiple players on this roster were on that team, but this division, against this EXEN team, is so much different than that. Tohtorit will need to show that it's better than it was this time seven months ago. If it can, they could very well find their way into the semifinals. EXEN in 7 (3) Mustaa Kultaa vs (6) The Black Jacks Regular Season Series (December 16th): The Black Jacks 6-1 W, Mustaa Kultaa 2-1 W Mustaa Kultaa: In one of the more impressive Elite debut seasons that we have seen in recent memory, Mustaa Kultaa was a team that many felt should make it into the playoffs with the multiple big transfers that they added over the offseason. Well, not only did they make it into the eight-team bracket, but they made a statement early in the season that they were a force to be reckoned with, starting the Winter campaign with a 16-1-2 record that pretty much locked their place in the playoffs and a Top 4 seed by midseason. This Mustaa Kultaa team is also one of the most effective scoring teams that we have seen in some time, as their 3.36 goals for per game ranked second in the division this season, and actually ranks in the Top 10 all-time in the Elite. Aaro @xAaro89x Aarvala has emerged as one of the league's top goal-getters once again this season, finishing with 40 goals, which ranked him second among all skaters. This group also features a trio of rookies who could very well all end up being candidates for Rookie of the Season in forward and team captain Alex @Allupekkaz Buntsel (26 goals, 29 assists for 55 points), defenseman J-J @NuariJamal Raatikainen (29 assists for 31 points and 148 interceptions) and goaltender Veeti @LatveX Laitinen (81.5 SV% and 2.36 GAA while starting all 28 games). I've been on record saying how much I respect this Mustaa Kultaa team. I think that they have the makings of being a truly special team that can play for championships in the future if they continue the path that they are currently on. They score at a ridiculous rate, they play solid defense that ranked in the Top 5 in the Division this season, and they have a goaltender that on multiple occasions showed that he can step up when the attack is on from the opposition. That typically is a good combination for success, especially in the playoffs. Though they did lose their form a bit towards the end of the season, going 3-6-1 in their last 10 games, their impressive play throughout the season sees them as a legitimate title threat. The biggest question will be whether or not this team's regular season success will translate in its first Elite playoff run against a team that is very familiar with this situation. The Black Jacks: The playoffs have become a familiar sight for The Black Jacks, with this being the team's third-straight Quarterfinals appearance. They kept things rather close in their first two Quarterfinals appearances, being the #8 seed both times and pushing the #1 seed of Tunnel Vision to six games and Valokuitunen Esports (now Parasite) to seven. Will the third time be the charm for TBJ? Well, I think that this is certainly their best chance at it and the most even matchup of the three. The biggest talking point for The Black Jacks this season has to be their improved offense. Even though their offense has seen a significant uptick around the league this season, TBJ is easily the most dangerous that we have seen them in terms of their scoring ability, as this season they finished fifth in goals for per game at 2.82. To compare, in Winter 24 they finished 11th with 2.2 and in Spring 24 they ranked as the third-worst team in the division at 2.03 goals per game. Meanwhile, they haven't had too big of a drop off in goals against, as they ranked 6th with 2.39 allowed per game, just barely pacing outside of the Top 5. For a team that has long been known to have solid play in their own end, this jump in production on the offensive side is massive, and could very well be a difference for them in the playoffs as well. Though they have a pretty well-balanced scoring attack, with each of their three starting forwards scoring 20 goals or more (TBJ was one of just four teams that did such), their primary point production came from the winger duo of Kevin @Keuschemisch Berg (54 points) and Tim @Timasy Hess (52 points). The next closest skater was Niklas @xXPsykoSkillsXx Schmitz who had 37 points, who ranked tied-3rd in points for defensemen. Speaking of PsykoSkills, not only was he a threat on the offensive end for TBJ this season, but he was also one of the league's most disruptive defensemen this season, leading the Elite division in interceptions with 225. He was also one of the league's best in takeaways during the regular season with 98. Overall, this is probably the most complete that this team has looked heading into the playoffs and they have significantly more playoff experience than their opponent this time around outside of a few players. We will see how much of a difference it makes. Prediction Personally, I think that this is the series that I am anticipating the most in the Quarterfinals. Not only is this series something completely new and fresh from any series that we've seen before, but it's also two teams who are looking to show that they are in the top tier of teams in this division, as whoever wins will secure its first-ever Elite semifinals birth. Mustaa Kultaa are the new kids on the block who have made a ton of noise in their first Elite season. They've dominated at times and look like a team that could very well be playing for a championship at Winter Assembly in February. Meanwhile, The Black Jacks have been at this for years, originally under the ZSC Esports branding and now as TBJ, and though they've been a team that has had incremental improvements over the last few seasons, a playoff victory is something that still alludes a team that has long been seen as a playoff-caliber team, but not a true championship contender. Both sides have the equal opportunity to completely shift the narrative about their respective side, but I do think that one team is significantly more desperate than the other. This series feels like The Black Jacks' best opportunity to prove that they can be more than a one-and-done. They are the more experienced team, they are playing significantly better than they have in past seasons offensively, and they just played this Mustaa Kultaa team during the final week of the season and split the season series. They also are playing a Mustaa Kultaa team that struggled at the end of the season, so it remains to be seen whether or not they corrected some of those struggles over the holiday break. I think the series is a toss-up that will go either way, so I won't be shocked if I'm wrong considering how good the other side is, but as the old saying goes, "fortune favors the brave", so give me the upset pick. The Black Jacks in 7 (4) Voittamaton vs (5) Mythix Regular Season Series (December 1st): Voittmaton 3-2 W, Mythix 2-1 W Voittamaton: Another season, another impressive Voittamaton campaign. Their regular season performances have sort of just become run-of-the-mill for these guys. They've proven to be a lock to make the Top 4 for years now, and despite heavy competition with the teams that placed 1-3, they were able to still secure one of those top spots in the standings. They tied for 3rd in goals for per game at 3.11 and tied for 2nd in goals against per game at 2.04. 8 of their 11 losses were by one goal and all 17 of their wins came in regulation games. They do it by playing the same game that this team has mastered for years. Possession-based hockey that can wear their opponent into a defensive mistake., combined with lockdown defense and steady goaltending behind them that can clean up anything that happens to get through. In terms of contributors, Erik @Eki Tammenpää has been one of the best in the league once again, notching a team-high 64 points, with 27 of those points being goals and 37 being assists, which ranked Top 10 in the division. His fellow winger Teemu @temppanen Karvonen wasn't far behind him with 27 goals of his own to go with 27 assists, giving him a 54-point season. He also had 11 game-winning goals this season which was tied for most in the league (Vattuyy of Parasite was the player tied with him). These two have been the dynamic duo that have produced a majority of Voitttamaton's scoring chances, so expect them to be present and active again in this playoff run. This team also has an impressive goalie duo of Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen (18 games played) and Oskari @Zande95 Grönroos (10 games played) who both posted a save percentage higher than 80%, so regardless of who lines up between the pipes, they'll show quality play. Overall, there isn't much more to say about this team that isn't already known. There could potentially be concerns about how they looked at times at the end of the season, as they finished their last 10 games at 5-5, and three of those losses were to non-playoff teams. In their defense, two of those five losses were also to Parasite, so it's hard to criticize them for dropping a pair of games to a team that has only lost one game all season. With the team's pedigree and the fact that they have never once been bounced earlier than the Semifinals, its understandable why many feel that they can be playing for a championship once again next month. Mythix: Earlier in the season, things did not look pretty for Mythix. From the start of the season to Dec. 5th, Mythix had a record of 7-10-1 and looked like they were going to need a miracle to make it into the playoffs, let alone a Top 5 seeding. Then on December 11th, everything for this team changed. They lost just one more game the rest of the season and were able to lock up a playoff spot during the last few days of the season, even somehow having a 7-point cushion over 9th by the time it was all said and done. This marks the second straight season that Mythix (formerly Bjorkloven Esport) have made it into the playoffs, which considering that this is just their second season of Elite competition is quite impressive. Last season however they fell to the eventual champions, Tunnel Vision, in five games, so they will hope to lean on that experience in combination with their hot run of form that they had to end the season. One of the biggest positives for this team is that they come in as arguably the hottest team in the league, sporting a 9-1 record in their last 10 games and six of those wins were against fellow playoff teams in Tohtorit, Mustaa Kultaa and The Black Jacks. They also have a pair of 40-point getters in Miikka @koleslaav_ Kolehmainen (30 goals and 13 assists for 43 points) and Oskar @x-_-BoBi-_-x Hautala (13 goals and 29 assists for 42 points). They also have been a significantly better team when Arttu @Thewix93 Harju has been in the lineup, as Mythix is 11-1 in games he has played this season (10 games at defense and 2 at center). He is also the only player on their roster with a positive plus/minus, sporting a +9. Additionally, they are one of the division's best groups at special teams, as they rank as the league's 2nd-best power play (34.3%) and its 5th-best penalty kill (78.95%). Outside of those numbers though, many of their statistics are overwhelming. They are the one of just two teams in the playoff field with a negative goal differential at a -4 during the regular season and they shot the puck as little as any team in the division, ranking second-to-last in shot per game at 12.4 shots per game. They also ranked second-to-last in face-off percentage (46.04%) and will be going up against the team that was the best in the league at face-offs in Voittamaton (54.96%). Combining these factors with Voittamaton's preferred possession-dominant style of play, Mythix will need to correct a few of these factors if they want to find their way into the semifinals. Prediction I'm going to be honest, I like this Mythix team and can see the upset appeal with the way these two teams trended during the final week of the season. However, I feel like you have to look at each side's full body of work as well, and if I'm being honest with myself, I just don't feel confident that this Voittamaton is a good matchup for Mythix. Their weakest points directly match up against Voittamaton's biggest strengths, and with a team in Voittamaton that has so much experience and overall talent, I just have a hard time imagining that this won't be an issue for Mythix in this series. Now in their defense, they did beat five of the seven playoff teams at least once this season, with Parasite and GOONS being the only teams that they didn't at least split with that are in the bracket, however, unless Mythix can find a way to create more offense and mitigate Voittamaton's ability to control the style of the game, it's going to be hard for them to find their way to four wins. That doesn't mean it can't happen, but it will certainly be difficult. Voittamaton: in 5 Quarterfinals Broadcast Schedule Want to watch it all unfold for yourself? Then make sure to tune into our live coverage of EVERY GAME of the Elite Division playoffs on Twitch, YouTube and X. Monday, January 6th, 2025 Matchup 1: Tohtorit (#2) vs EXEN (#7) | Games 1-2 | 20:00 CET Matchup 2: Parasite (#1) vs GOONS (#8) | Games 1-2 | ~21:20 CET Wednesday, January 8th, 2025 Matchup 3: Mustaa Kultaa (#3) vs The Black Jacks (#6) | Games 1-2 | 20:00 CET Matchup 4: Voittamattomat (#4) vs Mythix (#5) | Games 1-2 | ~21:20 CET Thursday, January 9th, 2025 Matchup: Voittamattomat (#4) vs Mythix (#5) | Games 3-7 | ⚠️ 19:30 CET Monday, January 13th, 2025 Matchup: Tohtorit (#2) vs EXEN (#7) | Games 3-7 | ⚠️ 19:30 CET Wednesday, January 15th, 2025 Matchup: Mustaa Kultaa (#3) vs The Black Jacks (#6) | Games 3-7 | ⚠️ 19:30 CET Thursday, January 16th, 2025 Matchup: Parasite (#1) vs GOONS (#8) | Games 3-7 | ⚠️ 19:30 CET Action kicks off today, Monday, January 6th with the matchups between EXEN and Tohtorit, and GOONS and Parasite. Before puck drop, join @Tougie24 at 18:50 CET for the SportsGamer Wraparound as he wraps things up leading into the post-season! So who do you think will punch their ticket into the semifinals? Let us know your thoughts and predictions in the comments?

It's time for the Pro playoffs. Here we'll be taking a short look at each matchup and how their regular season went. The first round will be featured on the SportsGamer broadcast on Tuesday, January 7th, where we'll have Gotham Knights and RYHTIC finishing their series (games 3-7). Pro Division Playoff schedule (BO7) Round of 16: January 6th – 9th Quarterfinals: January 13th – 16th Semifinals: January 20th – 23rd Finals: January 29th – 30th (1) DILAC (19-3-2-6) - (8) Herlev Eagles (11-4-5-10) DILAC managed to top Group 1 after a strong finish to the season. They seem to have found a very good balance within the team with each and every player contributing and the statistics are showing that. Their offense was led @punt1la98 with 39 goals. Another key for their success was their ability to turn tight games in their favor: Out of the 15 games decided by one goal they won 10. Herlev Eagles made their season interesting with a losing streak at the halfway of the season but just managed to get the wins needed to get to the playoffs. They picked up @MartindalexC mid season and he's been a crucial part of their offense and they will need him to produce in this series. DILAC definitely has the edge defensively in this series so Herlev defense and goaltending have to be on top of their game. Predictions: @hifk_FANI 4-0 DILAC @Vamoux 4-2 DILAC @Pekedipeks 4-1 DILAC @Pensasmies 4-1 DILAC (1) NOSTREETSPORTS (23-4-1-2) - (8) SSK ESPORTS (12-3-3-12) NOSTREETSPORTS as the number 1 seed going into the playoffs was not something we had in our cards but after dominating their group here we are. @Toivone_ led the whole league in points and @Tumuttaja (xxHise) scored 50 goals to top the league. There are though some big question marks around this team and the lineup going into the playoffs. With @Bot_hene starting his military service @Tappu will be taking the center spot and @Gaabrielii will play his first games of the season in defense. This means an even bigger role for the league leading defenseman @Azzez_88 (8+51=59). Whether they can overcome these changes will be seen but it will be a tough challenge. Against them will be stepping up the best defensive team in the league in SSK Esports. Their offense is lead by @Rubituss and @zuppe_29 who both bring lot of experience to the table. SSKs keys for the series will be to limit the scoring chances of NOSTREETSPORTS, attacking effectively and capitalizing on the mistakes that the roster changes of their opponent will eventually bring. Predictions: @hifk_FANI 4-1 NOSTREETSPORTS @Vamoux 4-2 NOSTREETSPORTS @Pekedipeks 4-3 SSK ESPORTS @Pensasmies 4-2 NOSTREETSPORTS (2) Zenegeim (21-0-2-7) - (7) Ismon Valinta (10-6-5-9) Zenegeim core group of players have been together for a quite a while now and they played a great regular season. They got a balanced offensive output from all their players and got solid defense and goaltending. @rakkauspakkaus- was leading the way with 68 points and @MCH_98 continued his impressive scoring numbers as defenseman. And we all know never to bet against @imosi as he scored 41 goals leading the team. Their goalies split the games this season but I'm expecting @jubex0r to get the starting role heading into playoffs. Ismon Valinta was one of the teams I was hoping a bit more from in the regular season. They were tied for the most overtime games with 11 and won 6 out of those. Playing quite low scoring hockey their leading scorer was @Jusu121 with 52 points. Their lineup shuffled quite a bit during the season and if their best players are available they could make a surprise run in the playoffs. Predictions: @hifk_FANI 4-0 Zenegeim @Vamoux 4-2 Zenegeim @Pekedipeks 4-2 Zenegeim @Pensasmies 4-3 Zenegeim (2) POGGERS (17-2-4-7) - (7) The Oldtimers (14-2-0-14) Poggers played very high scoring hockey finishing the season second in goals but also letting in the most goals out of any playoff teams, and by a large margin. @JaKurrii (47+47=94) and @Migo_boona (34+48=82) were their top scorers and @Terodee (LaurinHaavi) supported from defense with 51 points. There should be no question that this team will be able to adjust to the playoff style hockey with their experience. With the adjustment they'll be hoping also to bring the goalie numbers up a bit. The Oldtimers were leading their group at the start but slowed down towards the end of the season having won only 4 out of their last 12 games. Lot of their offense has gone through @Werppi with @japi_kuittaa being the main goal scorer. They've been strong defensively, tied for league best GAA, but they will need to step up for this new challenge. @TiSuLiNo had a good regular season in goal and will need to have a very strong series if they want to compete against POGGERS. Predictions: @hifk_FANI 4-0 Poggers @Vamoux 4-0 Poggers @Pekedipeks 4-1 Poggers @Pensasmies 4-1 Poggers (3) Gotham Knights (15-5-2-8) - (6) RYHTIC (13-4-4-9) It is somewhat surprising to see these team facing off already on the first round and it will be a very disappointing season for the team coming out on the losing side of this matchup. Gotham Knights were looking to secure group victory but lost their last 6 games and slipped to third place. They did play against some of the top teams in their group but the opponent isn't getting any easier now. If their record 3-5-2 from last 10 games tells anything from their form they'll be in for a tough matchup. @Rimpe (40+29=69) will be their main guy to look out for in offense and he led the team in shots by a very large margin. @Kussan82 had a strong season in goal and he's hoping to bring that form into his first Pro playoff games. RYHTIC was one game away from making it into Elite before the season and now find themselves placing sixth in Group 2 and having a tough bracket. @Limbe65 had a strong season for them scoring 40 goals and he needs to get support from his offensive partners. They will also need a strong showing from their goalie in @JussinSisko and he's proven to able to do that. Tune in to this series and its decisive moments on Tuesday, January 7th on the SportsGamer broadcast. Predictions: @hifk_FANI 4-2 Gotham Knights @Vamoux 3-4 RYHTIC @Pekedipeks 4-2 Gotham Knights @Pensasmies 4-1 Gotham Knights (3) HC Lugano eSports (15-4-4-7) - (6) NOVA (15-4-0-11) For a long time it looked like HC Lugano eSports would be battling for the last playoff spots but their amazing end to the season lifted them all the way to third in Group 2. A lot of that is thanks to @xEispiratx who could arguably be the best goalie of the regular season. @jasomnajlepsi led the team with 40 goals with @CMB-wf- doing lot of the playmaking. The biggest question for this team is their defense. @Yasu39x played most of the season but he has had three different defensive partners throughout the season. He hasn't been the strongest with the puck and that is something that NOVA could be trying to take advantage of. NOVA is to no ones surprise led by @KingOfApes_ who finished second in defenseman scoring and does most of the playmaking in the team with @Nester4343 being their main offensive guy to finish those chances. They'll be wanting to play with lot of pressure and if they manage that it could turn the series in their favor. Predictions: @hifk_FANI 4-1 NOVA @Vamoux 4-3 HC Lugano eSports @Pekedipeks 4-1 NOVA @Pensasmies 4-2 NOVA (4) Otukset (15-4-2-9) - (5) Bjorkloven Esport (13-5-5-7) Otukset find themselves exactly where most people expected to find them. Playoff success has avoided them in the past and they'll be looking to turn that around. They had all around a solid season with every player performing well. @Roisto999 had a terrific season in goal with 82.5%, 2.27GAA and 5 shutouts. They also got great goalscoring numbers from all over the ice and that will be a key if they want to have a long playoff run. Bjorkloven Esport went into the season with high hopes but the reality of Pro division brought them down a little bit. @Alpha borje is a key player in their offense and he posted 40 goals and 73 points in the regular season. It looks like they haven't been able to find that last piece to the puzzle and that could hurt them down the way. They're though a team full of young and skilled players and if everything goes right they could find themselves far in the playoffs. Predictions: @hifk_FANI 4-3 Bjorkloven Esport @Vamoux 4-2 Otukset @Pekedipeks 4-3 Otukset @Pensasmies 4-2 Bjorkloven Esport (4) Aspyre (16-3-0-11) - (5) Blackbirds (13-5-5-7) Aspyre could be considered another surprise of the season and they were one of the best offensive teams in the league. @Tihizu (41+49=90) is the heart and soul of the team and the game mostly runs through him. His time with puck, 191.5 minutes, tops the league, and rest of the team being around 90 minutes tells you who to watch out for. @IJepuxI and @Jomppe78 gave strong support with 78 and 75 points. If they can take this offensive form to the playoffs they could be a dark horse to look out for. Blackbirds played lot of tight games during the regular season and managed to turn enough of them in their favor. @aomyo6195 scored 41 goals which was half of the teams goals. They will need to find some secondary goalscoring support if they want to take the next step. @Jeerik17 in goal is able to steal a game for them but they'll need strong defense to support him along with stronger special teams. This is definitely a team to look out for in the future but whether they're up to the task now, will be seen. Predictions: @hifk_FANI 4-0 Aspyre @Vamoux 4-3 Aspyre @Pekedipeks Plays for Aspyre @Pensasmies 4-3 Aspyre Follow the Playoff streams: Please post dates, times and links for streams in the comments of this news story and social media, to help everyone find your team streams. You can watch SportsGamer's live coverage of the first round matchup between RYHTIC and Gotham Knights on Twitch, YouTube, and X on Tuesday, January 7th. Who do you think will win each series? Let us know in the comments!

Lite Playoffs: The Road to Glory Begins After an intense group stage filled with thrilling performances and unexpected upsets, the Lite Playoffs are set to begin. Throughout the regular season, several teams established themselves as dominant forces, while others fought their way into the postseason with grit and determination. Project X stood out as the most dominant team, finishing with an impressive 60 points and a league-best 4.54 goals per game. Puck Over Glass, Kikkakirja, and Sunne IK Esport also had strong campaigns, showcasing high-powered offenses and disciplined defensive structures. Individually, JusaSoLow 84 points, Toukokuu) led the scoring race, closely followed by ViSiOnZ97_(80 points, Hockeyholics) and Teemu_Underdawg (79 points, Toukokuu). Among goaltenders, Masamone30 (87.21% SV%) and Lidman1 (86.76% SV%) emerged as key players for their teams.   Lite Division Playoff schedule (BO7) Round of 32: January 5th – 9th Round of 16: January 12th – 16th Quarterfinals: January 19th – 23rd Semifinals: January 26th – 30th Finals: February 4nd – February 5th       Project X (1) vs. Coup de Grace (32)  Project X has been dominant all season, led by Jessel2002 (78 points) and Konsuk05 (76 points). Their defensive structure is strong, backed by goalie niebulaa (82.76% SV%). Coup de Grace lacks the firepower to keep up, with Matth3ws34 being their lone bright spot. Expect a comfortable sweep. Predictions: AI: Project X wins 4–0 @Pekedipeks: Project X wins 4–0    Puck Over Glass (2) vs. German Ice Gladiators (31)  Puck Over Glass' offense, led by Hydeee_24(77 points), will likely dominate the series. Pirtsa-, their goalie, provides solid netminding with an 81.13% save percentage. German Ice Gladiators have struggled defensively, despite the efforts of Trollstivegen28, making it hard for them to extend the series. Predictions: AI: Puck Over Glass wins 4–1 @Pekedipeks: Puck Over Glass wins 4–1   Kikkakirja (3) vs. Saucer Hockey (30)  Kikkakirja's offensive juggernaut j1mppa_(52 goals) will be a nightmare for Saucer Hockey. Their goalie, pelkonen-, has been stable in net with an 80.77% save percentage. Mazu_Pizu will be Saucer Hockey’s main threat, but Kikkakirja should win comfortably. Predictions: AI: Kikkakirja wins 4–1 @Pekedipeks: Kikkakirja wins 4–0   Sunne IK Esport (4) vs. Technical Disaster (29)  Sunne's offense is powered by forreberra (66 points), and their defense, led by benjamint737 in goal (2.83 GAA), provides stability. Technical Disaster’s wrlster is their main offensive force, but Sunne’s depth will prove decisive. Predictions: AI: Sunne IK Esport wins 4–2 @Pekedipeks: Sunne IK Esport wins 4–1   MoDo Hockey (5) vs. SCB eSports (28)  MoDo’s offensive leader Mathiasgamer_07 (65 points) and Aleksalt1122’s reliable goaltending (78.89% SV%) make them clear favorites. SCB eSports' Killerashrom1994 might steal a game, but MoDo should close out the series quickly. Predictions: AI: MoDo Hockey wins 4–1 @Pekedipeks: MoDo Hockey wins 4–1   Ruuti (6) vs. UnderRated (27)  Ruuti has one of the best defenses in the league, with Temettti boasting an 86.15% save percentage. anttiko10_2(61 points) leads their offensive attack. UnderRated’s ePsych0- (68 points) is a strong player, but Ruuti is too dominant. Predictions: AI: Ruuti wins 4–0 @Pekedipeks: Ruuti wins 4–1   Kertoimia Vastaan (7) vs. DEG eSports (26)  With a top powerplay (32.26%) and penalty kill (95.83%), Kertoimia Vastaan is a tough team to break. Masamone30 (87.21% SV%) gives them a strong backstop. DEG eSports' Daaiim0n(52 points) will make an impact, but Kertoimia’s system will win out. Predictions: AI: Kertoimia Vastaan wins 4–2 @Pekedipeks: Kertoimia Vastaan wins 4–1   Six Sticks Misfits (8) vs. VBO STARS (25)  The Six Sticks Misfits have a strong offense, driven by Lamsa (76 points), and a solid goalie in Ranta83 (82.16% SV%). VBO STARS' I-Bror-I will be key for their chances, but the Misfits will be too strong. Predictions: AI: Six Sticks Misfits wins 4–2 @Pekedipeks: Six Sticks Misfits wins 4–2   Toukokuu (9) vs. Kolikot Esports (24)  Toukokuu is led by JusaSoLow(84 points) and Teemu_Underdawg (79 points). Kolikot Esports will struggle to contain their offensive depth. Their goalie Jakkez98- will be tested, but he may not be able to stop Toukokuu’s attack. Predictions: AI: Toukokuu wins 4–2 @Pekedipeks: Toukokuu wins 4–2   SSK Prospects (10) vs. VitosVitja (23)  SSK Prospects' sveti- (59 points) and goalie Lidman1(86.76% SV%) make them a formidable team. VitosVitja’s JamboLow13 (66 points) will push the series, but SSK’s defensive edge will prove decisive. Predictions: AI: SSK Prospects wins 4–3 @Pekedipeks: SSK Prospects wins 4–0   Hopfensmoothie HC (11) vs. Including Me (22)  Hopfensmoothie HC’s original-SnuS (60 points) and goalie BUrban__ (84.09% SV%) will be key factors. Including Me lacks the defensive structure to contain Hopfensmoothie HC’s attack. Predictions: AI: Hopfensmoothie HC wins 4–1 @Pekedipeks: Hopfensmoothie HC wins 4–3    ACEsquad (12) vs. Seinajoki Noms (21)  ACEsquad’s Dehliiin(64 points) and goalie Agent-T_02 give them a slight edge. Seinajoki’s Simbee434(54 points) will make this series competitive, but ACEsquad should take it in seven. Predictions: AI: ACEsquad wins 4–3 @Pekedipeks: ACEsquad wins 4–2   Hockeyholics (13) vs. HC VADELMA (20)  Hockeyholics’ ViSiOnZ97_(80 points) and strong powerplay (42.86%) give them an edge. HC VADELMA will rely on juuhen25, but Hockeyholics should win a close series. Predictions: AI: Hockeyholics wins 4–3 @Pekedipeks: Hockeyholics wins 4–3   HC Pustertal eSports (14) vs. Eisbaeren Lauf Gaming (19)  HC Pustertal eSports won both meetings against the Eisbaeren team in the regular season with the scores of 7-1 and 3-2, which may this series look like a cakewalk. Eisbaeren Lauf Gaming had a really tough middle point of the season, losing 7 games in a row and looking like they might even miss out on the playoffs. Something clicked though, and the team managed to string together an 8 game winning stream to end the season and finish 5th in group 2, with five points behind Pustertal who is also sporting a 7 game-winning streak. At least one of these winning streaks is about to come to an end. We expect HC Pustertal to barely edge them out, but this series could go the full seven games. Predictions: AI: HC Pustertal eSports wins 4–3 @Pekedipeks: HC Pustertal eSports wins 4–3   Macho HC (15) vs. Setelikerho (18)  Macho HC’s Strandis96 (67 points) and goalie Jerexu will be key. Setelikerho’s tbnantti(73 points) will keep it close, but Macho HC’s physicality will give them the edge. Predictions: AI: Macho HC wins 4–3 @Pekedipeks: Setelikerho wins 4–3   Farmalaget (16) vs. Wida (17)  Wida’s nikitikitin (71 points) and goalie Mise13 (85.96% SV%) will be the difference-makers. Farmalaget lacks the depth to keep up. Predictions: AI: Wida wins 4–2 @Pekedipeks: Farmalaget wins 4-3   Follow the Playoff streams: Please post dates, times and links for streams in the comments of this news story and social media, to help everyone find your team streams.   Who do you think will win each series? Let us know in the comments!