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Around three weeks ago LA received a report that @Keuschemisch was adding additional points to game reports that were not present in-game. After investigation, here are the findings: In order to carry out the investigation we cross-referenced SportsGamer match results with EA API metadata from seven tournaments stretching across two EA NHL titles. By comparing what we have on record vs. what EA says happened we can see if the stats line up. For instance, in the screenshot below we can see what it looks like when the stats between the two sources line up. All of the players listed have the same number of goals and assists on both the EA API, as well as what has been reported on the SportsGamer site after the games were finished. Generally speaking, people seem to be doing a pretty good job at maintaining the balance between accuracy and speed at which the reports are completed – so to the captains of the SportsGamer community, good work! That said, mistakes do happen and there are times when an extra assist gets added to one player that should have gone to someone else, however as shown in the screenshot below Keuschemisch is a major outlier. No other player across the seven tournaments worth of data is even close. To make matters worse, those 25 points came over the course of only four of those said seven tournaments. For completeness here is the list of players who have had points deducted by accident over those same seven tournaments. Furthermore, as seen in the overview below, a number of Keuschmisch’s additional points come by way of assists being granted when the EA API does not note one being recorded. In order for this to occur when reporting, the individual must edit the EA readout at the bottom of the page before then going back up to the dropdown box to select their name as one of the assisters on a goal. This means that it changes from a potential ‘misclick’ to a two-step process as seen below. Finally, when a game report is completed, it saves the username of the individual who did it, and in these games Keuschemisch was the user who completed the game reports. Therefore, we believe with the evidence listed above that the increase in stats seen on Keuschemisch is not by chance or an error and is in fact a conscious effort to boost their point totals artificially. Keuschemisch claims that the reason for this stats increase is a box score glitch. It is worth noting, that we have also seen video evidence of games where the alleged assists have taken place and been able to confirm that the player in question was nowhere near to getting an assist. Due to the scale of the stats manipulation across multiple tournaments and EA NHL titles, we have decided to suspend Keuschemisch from all SportsGamer tournaments from today’s date (10/01/2025) up to and including 28/02/2026, furthermore, Keuschemisch will receive a captaincy suspension that will run from today’s date (10/01/2025) up to and including 10/01/2030. Finally, for full disclosure, LA received the original report regarding this on the 20th of December 2024. To facilitate this investigation we had to create from scratch a tool to ingest and transform the data from EA’s API into a viewable account of all games from any tournament played on the SportsGamer platform, which we will now be using going forward to proactively scan for players manipulating statistics in a competitive environment. (Update: It should also be noted that from this investigation and the evidence gathered, LA is confident in saying that captains @Toneee9, and @Timasy were not aware of the stats manipulation that was going on, and as such should not face any public (or private) backlash.) League Administration

The Playoff Battle Heats Up in Lite With an exhilarating first round completed, the ECL '25 Winter Lite Playoffs have already delivered thrilling action and unexpected upsets. While many of the top seeds successfully advanced, several lower-ranked teams defied the odds and shook up the bracket. One of the biggest surprises came from Kolikot Esports (24th seed), who stunned Toukokuu (9th seed) with a commanding 4-1 series victory, showcasing a well-structured defensive system and standout goaltending from Jakkez98- @Jakkez98- (88.68% SV%). Meanwhile, Including Me (22nd seed) pulled off a strong performance, winning against Hopfensmoothie HC (11th seed) 4-2, thanks to offensive production from Miklu19 @Miklu19 (19 points, 15 assists). While top-seeded teams like Project X, Puck Over Glass, Kikkakirja, and Sunne IK Esport handled their series as expected, the competition is only getting fiercer. Mathiasgamer_07 @Mathiasgamer_07 (19 points, MoDo Hockey) has established himself as one of the most dominant forwards in the playoffs so far, while Masamone30 @Masamone30 (94.37% SV%, Kertoimia Vastaan) and salle42 @Sallee42 (91.3% SV%, Farmalaget) have been game-changers in goal. Another mentionworthy performance came from Farmalaget (16th seed), who eliminated Wida (17th seed) 4-1, powered by salle42’s @Sallee42 stellar 91.3% save percentage. With only 16 teams remaining, Round 2 promises even more intensity, as underdogs look to continue their Cinderella-runs while top contenders fight to maintain their dominance. Let’s dive into the Round 2 matchups and break down which teams have the edge as they battle for a spot in the Quarterfinals (January 19th – 22nd).     Round of 16 Matchups and Predictions  Project X (1) vs.Kolikot Esports (24)  Project X continued their dominant form in Round 1, sweeping Coup de Grace (4–0). Jessel2002 @JesseL2002 (17 points in 4 games) and Konsuk05 @Konsuk05 (18 points in 4 games) were unstoppable. Goalie niebulaa @Niebula will have to stay sharp against Kolikot’s Jakkez98- @Jakkez98- (88.68% SV%), one of the best goalies in the playoffs. Kolikot pulled off a shocking upset against Toukokuu, but stopping Project X’s high-scoring attack will be a tall order. Prediction: Project X wins 4–1  Puck Over Glass (2) vs. Including Me (22)  Puck Over Glass is led by Hydee_24 @Hydeee_24 (14 points in 5 games) and Keittola782 @keittola (13 points). Pirtsa- @Pirtsa89 (84.21% SV%) has been solid in goal. Including Me, however, has one of the best playmakers in the playoffs, Miklu19 @Miklu19 (4G, 15A in 6 games). If Including Me can capitalize on their chances, they might steal a couple of games, but Puck Over Glass remains the favorite. Prediction: Puck Over Glass wins 4–2 Kikkakirja (3) vs. Seinajoki Noms (21)  Kikkakirja swept Saucer Hockey (4–0) and remains one of the strongest teams. J1mppa_ @j1mppa_ (12 points in 4 games) and PyroNiko__ @PyroNiko (10 points) will be key to their attack. Seinajoki Noms advanced after a hard-fought series against ACEsquad (4–2), led by Kujumi @Kujumi (14 goals in 6 games). Their goalie, mralisalo @mralisalo, has struggled with a 78.49% save percentage, which could be their downfall. Prediction: Kikkakirja wins 4–2 Sunne IK Esport (4) vs. HC VADELMA (20)  This will be a closely contested series. Sunne IK Esport’s forreberra @forreberra (8 points in 5 games) and benjamint737 @benjamint737 (87.14% SV%) will be key players. HC VADELMA, however, eliminated Hockeyholics 4–1, thanks to juuhen25 @hene kettu (14 points) and Awesome_Zone_ @Awesome_Zone_ (13 points). If HC VADELMA’s Fidelww @Fidelvv (94.29% SV% in 2 games) continues his elite goaltending, an upset could be on the table. Prediction: Sunne IK Esport wins 4–3 MoDo Hockey (5) vs. Setelikerho (18)  MoDo’s Mathiasgamer_07 @Mathiasgamer_07 (19 points in 6 games) leads the playoff scoring race. Aleksalt1122 @Aleksalt1122 (82.3% SV%) has been solid in net. Setelikerho’s tbnantti @tbnantti (16 points) and Kozeec @Kozeec (18 points) have been offensive powerhouses. Jugi9 @Jugi9 (84.81% SV%) will need to steal a game or two. MoDo’s depth should carry them through, but Setelikerho won’t go down easily. Prediction: MoDo Hockey wins 4–2 Ruuti (6) vs. Farmalaget (16) Ruuti is led by Mikse94 @Mikse94(17 points) and anttiko10_2 @anttiko10 (12 points). However, their goalie Temettti @Temetti71 (81.2% SV%) will need to improve. Farmalaget, meanwhile, is coming off an impressive upset win over Wida (4–1). salle42 @Sallee42 (91.3% SV%) has been one of the best goalies in the playoffs. This will be a defensive battle, but Ruuti’s superior offense should carry them in Game 7. Prediction: Ruuti wins 4–3 Kertoimia Vastaan (7) vs. HC Pustertal eSports (14)  Kertoimia Vastaan is built on elite defense and special teams, with Masamone30 @Masamone30 (94.37% SV%) being the best goalie in the playoffs so far. HC Pustertal’s PetmanGOAT @Ollizhki (15 points in 4 games) has been one of the best playmakers, and Kibk_RuZaKuZa @Kibk_RuZaKuZa (87.5% SV%) has been rock solid. Kertoimia’s structured play and goaltending edge should be the deciding factor. Prediction: Kertoimia Vastaan wins 4–2 Six Sticks Misfits (8) vs. SSK Prospects (10)  Six Sticks Misfits have been one of the most balanced teams, with Henkkaheinone @Henkkaheinone (14 points in 5 games) and ROUHEEE @ROUHEEE (14 points) leading the way. Ranta83 @RaNtA (87.8% SV%) has been excellent in net. SSK Prospects, however, has a shutdown goaltender in Lidman1 @lidman1 (91.07% SV%). This could go the full seven games, but the Misfits’ superior offense should give them the win. Prediction: Six Sticks Misfits 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!

What a first round we had! It was full of surprises with only one out of the top 6 seeds continuing to the second round. This definitely shuffles the pack around quite a bit so let's take a look at what the quarterfinals bring to us. We welcome you all to join the featured broadcast on Tuesday the 14th of January as we'll be covering Otukset vs Herlev Eagles. Pro Division Playoff schedule (BO7) Round of 16: January 6th – 9th Quarterfinals: January 13th – 16th Semifinals: January 20th – 23rd Finals: January 29th – 30th (4) POGGERS - (16) SSK ESPORTS (12-3-3-12) POGGERS Round 1: 4-1 vs The Oldtimers Poggers showed their experience in the first round and went through without much trouble. It was a good performance from the whole team with each of the attackers contributing offensively and @Terodee (LaurinHaavi) 3+6=9 providing strong support from the blue line. After allowing 3.47 GAA in the regular season it went down to just 1.8 GAA with @Samilandia upping his save percentage to 85.94%. SSK ESPORTS Round 1: 4-2 vs NOSTREETSPORTS After somewhat of a controversial series SSK managed to take advantage of their opponent's roster struggle. They continued their strong defensive play with two shutouts and were in control of the play for most of the series. They did allow two late-minute goals in two of the games which is something that they can't let happen going into this series. @zuppe_29 (8+7=15) is tied for the lead in points after round one and he will need to continue to lead their offense. Poggers are known as a team who are here to enjoy their time and have fun. When you add their skill level and experience into that it often turns tight games in their favor. They also showed their ability to adjust to playoff hockey. SSK will face yet another team that has high scoring power but now they won't have additional factors helping them. They will need to stay out of the box against the league's best powerplay and use their counter-attacking chances efficiently. Predictions: @Vamoux 4-2 Poggers @Pekedipeks 4-1 Poggers @hifk_FANI 4-0 Poggers @IJepuxI 4-2 Poggers (7) Otukset - (15) Herlev Eagles Otukset Round 1: 4-1 vs Bjorkloven Esport After a tough first game, Otukset found their groove winning four games straight allowing only 3 goals. @Roisto999 was their star of the round posting 86.96%, 1.8 GAA, and 2 shutouts. If their 5-0 victory in game 5 was a statement of what's to come they will be a tough team to beat. Leading the way offensively for them was @Miguli36 with 4 goals and 7 assists. Herlev Eagles Round 1: 4-3 vs DILAC Herlev Eagles was responsible for one of the biggest upsets in round 1. They managed to shut down DILAC in game 7 after a thrilling series which included 3 overtime games. Heading into the series a lot of expectations were set on @MartindalexC and he delivered leading the team with 7 goals and 7 assists. @Dreamickie also had a strong series posting 14 points as well. Both of these teams have been in the pro division for a long time but playoff success has avoided them. Now one of them will make their way to the top 4. They both have the offensive power needed but I will be looking at the goalie play in this series. @Roisto999 has seen it all on the highest levels and has been strong all season long. For Herlev, the situation is more open with @jubens_ getting the responsibility in round 1. He played well but @Provokacija has been their main guy throughout the season and was clearly stronger during the regular season. Predictions: @Vamoux 4-2 Otukset @Pekedipeks 4-3 Otukset @hifk_FANI 4-1 Otukset @IJepuxI 4-3 Herlev Eagles (10) Blackbirds - (13) Ismon Valinta Blackbirds Round 1: 4-0 vs Aspyre Blackbirds stormed through Aspyre and were the only team to sweep their series in round 1. Lead by @sopuli04 and @aomyo6195 (7+8=15 each) their offense was on a whole another level almost doubling their regular season numbers. They were able to generate a lot of scoring chances and used them very well with shooting percentage nearing 30%. Ismon Valinta Round 1: 4-1 vs Zenegeim Ismon Valinta played a tight and low-scoring series against Zenegeim before blowing them out 9-0 in game 5. @Hulkkol posted an impressive 87.88% with one shutout and gave them the support to win the tight games in the series. @xrikardo55 (7+8=15) was their highest scorer but 9 of those points came in the blowout win which leaves the question open whether they can find more offense in the following rounds. Either of these teams making it to the top 4 could be considered a slight surprise. Blackbirds have proven their doubters wrong again and again, and are making a great run on their first pro season. Ismon Valinta has one of the most experienced defense partners in the league and has made a successful switch from forward to defense for the playoffs. Ismon Valinta is the stronger side defensively and their hot goaltending gives them a slight edge heading into the series but I could see it going either way. Prediction: @Vamoux 4-3 Blackbirds @Pekedipeks 4-3 Ismon Valinta @hifk_FANI 4-0 Blackbirds @IJepuxI 4-3 Ismon Valinta (11) NOVA - (12) RYHTIC NOVA Round 1: 4-2 vs HC Lugano eSports NOVA had their season on the line after losing the first two games of their series in overtime. On the deciding matchday, something changed and they were dominating winning the last 4 games with a 14-1 goal difference. @Baranizer (90%, 1.17 GAA, 3 SO) was the best goalie of round one and was their most important player through the series. @Nester4343 continued to lead their offense with 3+11=14 points but the whole team was contributing with the lowest scorer having 7 points. RYHTIC Round 1: 4-3 vs Gotham Knights RYHTIC arguably got one of the toughest matchups for round 1 and came out victorious after the game 7 "bouncefest". Statistically, they might not have been the better team but the team used their chances and were solid defensively. Goaltender @JussinSisko had a great series with 84.38% and one shutout. @Limbe65 (6+2=8) scored some important goals including two game-winners and their powerplay was on point with 6 goals scored on 11 chances. RYHTIC has been in this position for multiple seasons in a row now and has been performing well. They're hoping that this could finally be the season they can take the step that would take them to Elite after being so close so many times. Their opponent NOVA found their form at the correct time but RYHTIC will still be heading into the series as favorites. If NOVA can keep playing the way they played the last four games of the first round, anything can happen. A lot will depend on whether @Baranizer can keep up his red-hot form. Prediction: @Vamoux 4-2 RYHTIC @Pekedipeks 4-3 RYHTIC @hifk_FANI 4-1 RYHTIC @IJepuxI 4-3 RYHTIC 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 quarterfinal matchup between Otukset and Herlev Eagles on Twitch, YouTube, and X on Tuesday, January 14th. Exact time is still TBC. Who do you think will win each series? Let us know in the comments!

The Playoff Battle Heats Up With an exciting first round now in the books, the ECL '25: Winter - Core Playoffs are proving to be as unpredictable as they are intense. While the top-seeded teams largely lived up to expectations, we also witnessed some major upsets that shook up the bracket. One of the biggest surprises came from Salaseura (23rd seed), who stunned Sopranos (10th seed) with a 4-1 series victory, showing incredible resilience and strong defensive play. HC Last Resort (21st seed) also made headlines by sweeping ARMEIJAN KURI (12th seed) 4-0, powered by outstanding goaltending from Vxxlle- @Vxxlle-_-, who posted an incredible 95.4% save percentage, proving to be a true game-changer in the series. Karmadillos (20th seed) pulled off another shocker, eliminating Koppibuutti (13th seed) in a thrilling 4-3 series, thanks to clutch performances from Stimperi @stimperi and Julmuri89 @Julmuri89. While top-seeded teams like Silver Sword Griffins, Dynamo HC, Maitojuna, and Lutunilkat handled their matchups as expected, the road ahead is getting tougher. lutuniemi @lutuniemi (25 points) from Lutunilkat and MaroulCZE @MaroulCZE (21 points) from KOST Wolves were among the standout forwards, while ksilentt @Kirill Anikeev (88.52% SV%) and Smiiga @sMiiga (88.46% SV%) have provided elite goaltending performances. Meanwhile, IrJe2023 @Irje2023 (91.84% SV%) from Pulp Odyssey emerged as a key defensive piece, leading his team to an unexpected sweep over Nordic Nosebleed. With only sixteen teams left, Round 2 promises even tighter matchups, with underdogs looking to continue their Cinderella-runs and top contenders hoping to stay dominant. Let's break down the Round 2 matchups and see who has the edge in the battle for a spot in the Quarterfinals.     Silver Sword Griffins (1) ) vs. Salaseura (23)  The Silver Sword Griffins faced an unexpectedly tough challenge in Round 1 against EV Duisburg but ultimately advanced with a 4-2 series win. Their offense, led by LATMinx @ProMinx24 (17 points) and Martinssilins @martinssilins (13 points), remains a serious threat. However, goaltender Gacorigavecit17 @gacorigavecit17 will need to keep his form after posting an 83.75% save percentage in Round 1. Salaseura, on the other hand, pulled off an upset against Sopranos, winning their series 4-1 thanks to a balanced team effort. Old_33 @old_33 (17 points) was their offensive leader, while Aivokuollut @Aivokuollut__ (87.32% SV%) was among the best goalies in the first round. If they can maintain their defensive structure, they have a shot at making this series competitive. Prediction: Silver Sword Griffins advance (4-2)   Dynamo HC (2) vs. HC Last Resort (21)  Dynamo HC survived a tough battle against MIESKISSAT, eventually winning 4-3. Their star duo, Dcon2silly  @Dan (20 points) and Harten7 @Harten7 (20 points), were pivotal in the series. However, goaltender Calxm86 @Calxm41 (84.3% SV%) will need to tighten up after a shaky performance in Round 1. HC Last Resort pulled off one of the biggest surprises, sweeping ARMEIJAN KURI 4-0 thanks to elite goaltending from Vxxlle-_ @Vxxlle-_- (95.4% SV%), the top goalie in the playoffs so far. Their defense was nearly impenetrable, and if Tolliikkii @Tolliikkii and company can generate just enough offense, they could make life difficult for Dynamo. Prediction: Dynamo HC advances (4-3)   Maitojuna (3) vs Karmadillos (20)  Maitojuna had a comfortable 4-1 victory over Reckless Panthers, showcasing their offensive depth. Minaolenmakke @MinaolenMakke (20 points) and Annttone @Annttone (15 points) have been among the top scorers, while FeikkiNambo @priima-namu (82.95% SV%) has been steady in net. Karmadillos pulled off a thrilling 4-3 win over Koppibuutti, relying on Julmuri89 @Julmuri89(17 points) and Stimperi @stimperi (11 points) for offense. Their goaltending duo, VilppiSami @ChildishGerm8 (87.5% SV%) and HOOVER-THE-BRAVE @Rum4Drunk , played key roles in their success. However, against a high-powered Maitojuna team, they will need their best defensive performance yet. Prediction: Maitojuna advances (4-2)   Lutunilkat (4) vs Pulp Odyssey (19)  Lutunilkat dominated RAIDERS HC with a 4-0 sweep, driven by Lutuniemi @lutuniemi (25 points) and Mikkihiiri-- @mikkihiiri-- (21 points), who were the top two scorers in Round 1. Their offense looks unstoppable, and Hiatala_  @Janne Hietala (81.82% SV%) will need to be solid against a defensive-minded Pulp Odyssey team. Pulp Odyssey stunned Nordic Nosebleed with a 4-0 sweep, thanks to IrJe2023 @Irje2023 (91.84% SV%), the second-best goalie in the playoffs so far. Their ability to shut down high-scoring teams will be tested against Lutunilkat, but if they can slow the pace and rely on Risbe85 @temguila85 for scoring, they might push this series deep. Prediction: Lutunilkat advances (4-1)   Tikitaka (5) vs.KELAGOLDCARD HC (16) Tikitaka comfortably defeated BACKCHECK BOYS 4-1, with TansKungen @tanskuuzz (15 points) and R2-ATTE- @R2-ATTE- (16 points) leading the way. Their structured offensive approach and strong goaltending from HakkisBro @HakkisMakkis (84.93% SV%) make them one of the more well-rounded teams left. KELAGOLDCARD HC edged out Prowlers 4-2, with Romurallimies @Romurallimies (12 points) and Ilaril98 @Ilaril98 (13 points) playing key roles. Their goalie, K3mpny @K3mpny (86.73% SV%), will need to be at his best to stop Tikitaka’s offensive flow. If they can find a way to counter Tikitaka’s balanced play, this could be an interesting series. Prediction: Tikitaka advances (4-2)    PANIC ON ICE (6) vs.Rusty X (15)  PANIC ON ICE swept The Solution 4-0, with Wpaananen @Wpaanane (14 points) and Moikka11 @moikka11 (11 points) leading the charge. Their offensive speed and chemistry make them a serious threat. Smiiga @sMiiga (88.46% SV%) has been a standout goaltender, giving them confidence on the back end. Rusty X also had a dominant 4-0 series against NAM3LESS, thanks to Kasterly_ @-Tarr- and strong goaltending from Ksilentt @Kirill Anikeev (88.52% SV%). However, their defensive style will be put to the test against PANIC ON ICE’s high-powered attack. If they can slow the game down and frustrate their opponents, they could force a long series. Prediction: PANIC ON ICE advances (4-2)   Hiljainen Pikkukaupunki (7) vs.Turun Gasellit (11)  Hiljainen Pikkukaupunki looked dominant in their 4-1 series win over HC Ohiveto, with TheKapoZ @thekapoz (13 points) and OUTO HYYPIO @O.B.L (13 points) leading the way. Larde64 @Larde (86.6% SV%) has been one of the best goalies in the playoffs and will be key in this matchup. Turun Gasellit survived a tough 4-3 series against SKYFALL, led by Pohjarzinho @pohjarzinho (18 points) and Johtaja_Lebi @johtaja_lebi (18 points). Their offense is clicking, but their defense, which allowed 24 goals in the first round, will need to tighten up against Hiljainen. Prediction: Hiljainen Pikkukaupunki advances (4-3)   KOST Wolves (8) vs.CapeTown Kings (9)  This is one of the closest matchups of Round 2. KOST Wolves defeated The Ghillie Gang 4-1, with MaroulCZE @MaroulCZE (21 points) and Pinci71 @Pinci71 (15 points) leading the charge. However, their goalie, Lazan31 @Lazan23 (74.36% SV%), had some struggles and will need to be better in this series. CapeTown Kings won their series 4-1 against Taskubilis, with Black1Eagle1 @Black1Eagle1 (13 points) stepping up. Moneygunx @Moneygunx (83.61% SV%) has been reliable in goal, which could give them a slight edge over KOST Wolves. Prediction: CapeTown Kings advance (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!