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After a brutal season of non-stop action, Europe's absolute top teams are ready for a showdown. These squads have clawed their way here through hell and back, with massive stakes beyond just hoisting the trophy. Four wins from immortality, but only one gets the crown. This finals banger deserves a rewind on their wild paths, a deep dive into the chaos ahead, plus our bold calls as always. Enough hype, let's roll into the preview and unpack how they got here.     Tohtorit Regular Season: 18-14-1-7 (63pts) 2nd in Elite Division   Quarterfinal: 4-0 vs (7) KUUSAMO.gg 5-2 W, 3-4OTW, 3-2OTW, 2-0 W   Semifinal: 4-2 vs (4) GOONS 1-5 L, 2-1 OTW, 0-1 W, 7-1 W, 0-3 W   Season Summary Tohtorit has been a dominant team for the entire regular season, right there with HAVU Gaming. They were one of the top teams this season, and with HAVU out, Tohtorit takes their spot as the favourites to win. As for the regular season, they took it upon themselves to be the best defensive team in the league. Now they're in the finals and putting their defense to the test against a team that has fought their way through hell to be here. Tohtorit's season is coming down to a best-of-seven series; now is the time to put their best foot forward and take home the trophy. In the quarterfinals, they put their defense to the test immediately against a skillful Kuusamo.gg team, with 7 goals conceded in four games, and a shutout, you could say they were successful. For any other team, yes, for Tohtorit, this was bang-average defense. With a sweep in the series, you always assume that the other team was dominated. For this series, the answer was yes and no, Kuusamo.gg challenged Tohtorit with two games going to overtime, but with great defense comes great results. For the semifinals, Tohtorit managed to take out Goons in another dominant performance; it just seems there is no stopping this Tohtorit team. Goons took a surprising game 1 win by the score of 5-2, showing the scene that this Tohtorit team isn't invincible. One of the best offensive teams in Elite, Goons took Tohtorit by surprise and had a real shot to advance, but Tohtorit adapted quickly and won four straight after that, Goons scored twice in those four games, which highlights just how unpredictable the playoffs can be. Now in the finals, Tohtorit will face vNexs, who faced off in the season opener, which Tohtorit managed to take full points, hopefully this finals series will be as tight of a series as that matchup, in which Tohtorit won both games by one goal. The playoffs are a different breed, and everybody who has ever played in the ECL playoffs at any level knows that it's just different. Now we get to see the best of the best faceoff in a thrilling battle for the ultimate prize. There is no higher prize in the ECL ladder than the Elite championship. If Tohtorit want to avoid a loss in this series, they need to take vNexs seriously. They're brimming with confidence and are ready to fire on all cylinders heading into this series. With their defense, Tohtorit have every tool in their toolbox to tear the Swedes apart as the Finns did in the Olympics. @Stammer70 is still the favourite to be the starter for Finland in the upcoming games, and now he's going to show just how good he is.   Player to Watch @Ojala16 His story has gone on for a while; he has found his best gear in the ECL this season, showing the entire ECL that he is one of the best talents in EU. Now in the finals, looking for his first championship, we'll get to see firsthand just how talented this winger really is.   Projected Starting Lineup LW - @Ojala16- (9gp, 8 goals, 10 assists, 2GWG, 70 Giveaways) C - @Patzlaf- (9gp, 11 goals, 49,5 faceoff %, 15 interceptions, 42,3 shooting %) RW - @Harlowi- - (9gp, 6 goals, 21pts, 27 shots, 0GWG) LD - @Kkarkass- (9gp, 4 assists, 2 goals, 6pts, 6 PIM, 20 hits) RD - @FlyerKungen- (9gp, 2 goals, 7 assists, 9pts, 34 hits, 0 PIM) G - @Stammer70- (9gp, 8 wins, 84,78 SV%, 3 shutouts)   vNexs   Regular Season: 15-4-3-8 (56pts) 6th in Elite Division   Quarterfinal: 4-3 vs (3) Mythix 1-0 L, 6-2 W, 8-1 W, 4-2 L, 2-1 W, 2-1 L, 4-2 W   Semifinal: 4-3 vs (1) HAVU 5-0 W, 1-0 L, 0-1 L, 1-2 W, 1-0 W, 2-1 OTL, 6-1 W   Season Summary vNexs, which was quite a refreshing sight to the ECL scene when they started their journey, have teams in all ECL divisions and try to implement a system in which they promote players from within, giving players familiar play styles within the organization and a gateway for people to gain easier entry to the different divisions. Their star-studded group of Swedes has had a great season so far. I mean, they're in the finals; that's a given, but considering many had them in their preseason projections missing the playoffs, you could say they're on a tear right now. They had no easy task in the quarterfinals; their first opponent was reigning FCL champions Mythix, who were the clear favourites in this series, but vNexs showed that this was not the case. They took down Mythix in seven games and showed they lack no confidence this season. The almost full Swedish team has shown that game sevens are their speciality this season, so Tohtorit look out for this. The quarterfinals served as their show; they managed to show teams that their offense is one of the best in Elite, and the duo of @AntonLxnd & @Alpha borje are not ones to shy away from showing off their great individual talent. Nobody expected vNexs to beat Mythix, let alone HAVU Gaming in the semifinals, but they came prepared, and HAVU came in with the assumption this was a walk on the beach? Lesson learned, don't underestimate your opponent. vNexs took this series in seven games, showing everyone once again that their talent is immense, they had done their homework and exposed the ECL veteran @Hansulinho in net, and really showing the true definition of the word "underdog".  Low scoring games, combined with a few high scoring wins they held HAVU to only 6 goals in 7 games, sounds strange when the series went to seven games, but HAVU won 2 games with the score 1-0 and got shutout in another 2 games, this isn't quite what everybody expected from the number one seed, this shows how dominant @FINSeRe can be when he wants to, still one of the most accomplished players in EU and gets disrespected by a big part of the community is outrageous. Being in the finals, vNexs has the opportunity to show that not even the best defense in ECL can stop them, the showdown of best offense vs best defense is always great to see. They lost twice to Tohtorit in the regular season and have everything to play for now. Tohtorit have been great at stopping the best of wingers, but @FlyerKungen & @Kkarkass will have their hands full with the Swedish trio in offense. If the Swedish giants can now keep their production high and rely on their great goaltending, they will just see themselves in a similar situation as before in the quarterfinals and semifinals, with a real shot at winning. If vNexs can keep these games high scoring, and keep Tohtorit on their toes and behind most games, they will be in the driver's seat this series, but if the games are low-scoring the roles will be reversed. Scoring first will be of utmost importance in this series. It's still shown with statistics that the team that scores first has the better chance to win in the end, and when it comes to eHockey, no exceptions.  Interview with RW @Alpha borje We caught up with @Alpha borje before the series, and he answered a few questions.   HF - "What has been the main reason for your success this season?" AB - "The main reason for our success is the teamwork and good communication & the grind all season, I would say." HF - "Who has been the leader within your team, and what has he done to stand out?" AB- "Our leaders has been @pappeen-, and @antoniomannen004 who have been in the scene a long time and know what it takes! They help us stay calm and focused throughout the whole games! And clear in the communication."   HF - "Your rise from the Pro division into the Elite finals is quite something. What advice could you give to the new players trying to reach the same milestones as you?" AB - "My advice would be to stay patient and keep working hard. Improvement takes time! And put in the grind! Listen to the feedback!   HF - "And lastly, what do you need to do to take home the championship trophy next week?" AB - "We need to stay focused and calm the whole games, be disciplined, create chances from their mistakes, and dare to play what we do best, and last but not least have a good vibe in the party chat!"   Player to Watch @dippen04 Has found his form with vNexs, one of the best goalscoring centers in the Elite division, will now faceoff against another great center in @Patzlaf. Now he has the chance to cement himself as a top 3 center in the highest division.   Projected Starting Lineup LW - @AntonLxnd - (14gp, 15 goals, 11 assists, 1GWG, 110 Giveaways) C - @dippen04 - (14gp, 16 goals, 12 assists 50,4 faceoff %, 32 takeaways, 35,6 shooting %, 6GWG) RW - @Alpha borje - (14gp, 7 goals, 19pts, 43 shots, 109 hits) LD - @pappeen- - (14gp, 19 assists, 0 goals, 19pts, 0 PIM, 38 hits) RD - @antoniomannen004 - (14gp, 0 goals, 9 assists, 9pts, 63 hits, 0 PIM, 6 shots) G - @FINSeRe - (14gp, 8 wins, 87,9 SV%, 2 shutouts, 1.36GAA)     Watch the Finals Watch the Finals live on twitch.tv/ReactioMedia, with commentary by our very own @Tougie24 Wednesday, February 18th, 20:45 CET - Games 1-2 Thursday, February 19th, 20:15 CET - Games 4-7

After a crazy season full of ups and downs, the ECL Pro division, Europe's second-tier eHockey division, is finally down to the last two teams standing. These teams have fought through thick and thin to get here, and there's a ton riding on this beyond just lifting the cup. Four wins away from advancing to the Elite division, but only one gets to take it all home. A finals this stacked deserves a quick look back at how each team made it, a real breakdown of what's coming, and our honest predictions for who walks away with the Pro title. Enough talking, let's get into it and see how they earned their spot in this thing.   UNIQUE 17-2-3-8 (58pts) Unique has had one hell of a comeback season in this season's ECL, after finishing 13th last season and ending up having to qualify for the Pro division. They eventually did it without breaking a sweat, and now sit one series win away from the Elite division, crazy isn't it? So if you're stuck in the Pro division thinking the Elite division is so far away, think again; Unique have shown that teamwork goes a long way in today's ECL.  After the qualifiers, Unique got seeded into group 1, where they instantly set the tone with massive wins against SSK Prospects. This set the tone for Unique's whole season; they knew that they had what it takes to push themselves into the playoff mix, and eventually finished 5th in their group, being bested by MoDo hockey, who had the same amount of points in the regular season and got the 4th seed by a tiebreak of wins in the regular season. Unique entered the first round matchup as somewhat favourites against a surprising vNexs ll, who had a surprising regular season. After a game 1 loss against the Swedish team, they won four in a row to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. What stood out for Unique in this series was their ability to close out the close games; they took the lead in all games and held that lead until the final buzzer, which is crucial in the playoffs. In the quarterfinals, Unique had a familiar foe in Greatest, which they bested in 6 games. Once again losing the first game, they won three straight games and set themselves up to have a chokehold on the series. Unique managed to concede just once in their last 3 wins of the series, completely shutting out the high-octane offence of Greatest, who was the clear favourite in the series, showing how important @Kussan82 is to their game. In the semifinals, Unique had the upset of the Pro division, taking down heavy favourites F0CUS in seven games. In a series where both teams had shutouts, it was an interesting series to follow. @Jakeexh showed he is an elite talent, being a menace in their feat towards the final. F0CUS had the chance to take down Unique after their games on monday where they had a 2-1 series lead, but Unique showed resilience and grit in clawing their way back to win the series. Now they face POGGERS, who have had a rollercoaster of a season so far. If Unique wants to take down the former Elite team, they need to find that extra gear. POGGERS have the experience to end this series in four games. Defenseman @LE1PAKONE (Nordzman) has found his place again, now back on the blueline, he leads all defensemen in scoring (4+26) by a large margin and has shown the Pro division that he is the best defenseman in the league. If Unique wants to play in Elite next season, they need to find a way to stop the incredible offense of POGGERS. So far, they've been great at stopping the opposing team's top players, but with the finals comes added pressure and a somewhat inexperienced (compared to POGGERS) Unique team could grab the controller a bit more tightly with casters, viewers, and the pressure of Elite at the tip of their fingers. If they can keep their heads cool and their defense on point, they have every chance to win this series.   Projected Starting Lineup LW - @Jakeexh - (18gp, 19 goals, 25 assists, 44pts, 4GWG, 133 Giveaways) C - @tonninen - (18gp, 12 goals, 51,6 faceoff %, 21 blocked shots, 10 PIM) RW - @Ribbeex - (18gp, 19 goals, 41pts, 80 shots, 4GWG) LD - @LE1PAKONE (Nordzman) - (18gp, 26 assists, 4 goals, 30pts, 0 PIM, 64 hits) RD - @pakjiz - (18gp, 3 goals, 16 assists, 19pts, 52 hits, 2 PIM) G - @Kussan82  - (18gp, 12 wins, 83,21 SV%, 3 shutouts)   POGGERS14-4-2-10 (52pts) After a rocky start to the season where POGGERS lost important points, they eventually gathered themselves like the top team they are, they finished the group stage in 6th position. Now they face the 5th placed Unique, who they played against in the regular season, which goes to show that all that matters is making the playoffs; after that, it's a whole new game. POGGERS have shown for many seasons what they're capable of and can beat any team, on any day of the week if they feel like it. POGGERS had an ok season last season, they took the 7th seed and got swept by Almost Famous in the 1st round. This season has been quite different for the veteran team. The regular season was filled with interesting matchups, and they faced one of the hottest teams in Pro in the 1st round, NOSTREETSPORTS. POGGERS went into the 1st round as heavy underdogs and proved everyone wrong. They swept the youngster team in four games, which seemed not even close. NOSTREET couldn't get anything going, and POGGERS took advantage, ending the series in an orderly fashion. With the sweep in the 1st round, POGGERS were brimming with confidence and faced the number one-seeded Puck Over Glass and the division's top scorer; this didn't faze the veteran team one bit as they took them down in a different way, in seven games. Games went both ways the entire series, as all games but one or two were one-goal games. This is where POGGERS shine, they take home tight games with a scary percentage, and this finals series is no exception as they head into the finals series as slight favourites. In the semifinals, they faced a similar foe in Finnish Roosters; both teams have been around for ages, and it showed as POGGERS completely outplayed Finnish Roosters and swept them in a similar manner as they did with their round 1 opponent. Finnish Roosters seemed to have used their energy in past matchups, as we saw a lifeless version of the team that cruised to a group win in the regular season. This shows how strong a team POGGERS is. @Hullued had a monster of a series, conceding only 1.5 goals per game, now facing a more creative team in Unique, his skillset will be invaluable to the defense of POGGERS. Now POGGERS will face another high-octane offense with a great defense, and @JaKurrii has been their lifeline in these playoffs. As always, he has the talent to play in Elite, but as a veteran of the game, he's been leading POGGERS for a long time, and now is a good time show his true talent. Unique has a relatively new squad that has all the talent in the world to beat POGGERS, but the veteran team has what is needed the most in these clutch moments, and that's experience. As the whole team has played together for a long time, they all play the same playbook for the whole 60 minutes, which is invaluable and difficult to create. If POGGERS want to advance, they need to play the same kind of defense they displayed in both series sweeps. They have a reputation of being sloppy when games don't matter that much, and that needs to be kept in check for the entire series. They can play the game in a way that is incredibly difficult to counter, with swift hands, pre-made tactics are always the most difficult thing to defend against, even if you can see it coming from a mile away. POGGERS have mastered that in the Pro division; if they can score on set plays, they'll win this series.   Projected Starting Lineup LW - @JaKurrii - (15gp, 18 goals, 18 assists, 36pts, 4GWG, 77:36 TwP, 75 hits) C - @Yoloberg (meidanmatti) - (15gp, 9 goals, 44,3 faceoff %, 19 blocked shots, 8 PIM) RW - @Ghettomasi - (15gp, 9 goals, 30pts, 39 shots, 4GWG) LD - @Julius97_ - (15gp, 13 assists, 4 goals, 17pts, 6 PIM, 56 hits) RD - @Migo_boona - (15gp, 3 goals, 17 assists, 20pts, 24 hits, 8 PIM) G - @Hullued - (15gp, 12 wins, 86,96 SV%, 1 shutouts)   Matchup to Watch @Kussan82 vs @Hullued: Follow this pair, as the outfielders have a tight battle ahead of them; this matchup will be the key to the championship. Kussan has raised the bar on his game all season long and led Unique to this point. And Hullued has just gotten better as the stakes have gotten bigger. Whoever can play better carries their team to the cup.   Predictions Hifk_FANI: POGGERS in 6 @1mmu9: Unique in 6 @Bipes_bip0rus: POGGERS in 6 @MCH_98: Unique in 7   Broadcasts Watch this series on Monday, games 1-3 (+4 if series is 3-0) in Finnish on https://www.twitch.tv/mkine. The series continues on Tuesday in Finnish, games 4-7 in English on https://www.twitch.tv/reactiomedia.