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The premier Finnish eHockey tournament FCL 2025 returns with both 1v1 and 6v6 game modes - read all details below! Key Tournament Details Free to play Registrations open today and close on March 9th at 12:00 CET NHL 25 format under the FCL banner 6v6 and 1v1 tournaments 6v6 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S 1v1 on PlayStation 5 New for This Season: No X-Factors The upcoming season introduces a groundbreaking change aimed at redefining the competitive 6v6 eHockey scene. In a bold move to emphasize pure skill and strategy, FCL has - aligned with the GCL, SCL and WECL - decided to ban the use of all X-Factors, both Gold and Silver. This decision marks a significant shift in gameplay, as X-Factors have long played a crucial role in shaping team dynamics and individual performances. By removing these abilities, FCL aims to test out a more balanced and skill-driven environment, where players must rely on raw talent and tactical planning. This rule change across the board is based on community requests and is expected to bring a new dynamic to competition, challenging players to adapt and develop new strategies. We know this is a subject that splits the communities opinion and are very interested in receiving feedback from the teams during and after the season and it is critical for shaping the decision on what kind of ruling will be implemented into the ECL '25: Spring Season. Please submit your feedback here, rather sooner than later. For clarity, the X-Factor ban does not apply to the 1v1 game mode. Tournament Prizing 6x NHL 26 digital copies + 6x Leijonat packages* for 6v6 winners 1x NHL 26 digital copy + 1x Leijonat package* for the 1v1 winner 1x NHL 26 digital copy and 1x Leijonat package* awarded randomly among competitors who completed their competition respectfully *The details for the Leijonat package are to be confirmed soon, but so far we can confirm it includes a Finnish National team jersey. The tournament promises intense competition, bringing together Finland's top eHockey talent. Players looking to test their skills and compete at the highest level can sign up now to secure their spot. Think you have what it takes to claim victory? Sign up now and be part of FCL 2025! Moreover, eHockey SM 2026 is already in the early planning stages for NHL 26, ensuring that Finland's premier competitive NHL scene continues to thrive. Stay tuned for more updates as we build toward the future of eHockey in Finland. Sign up now SIGN UP FOR 6v6 HERE Played on: PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X/S Schedule for the 6v6 FCL 2025: Registrations: 2.3.-9.3 (closes at 12:00 CET) Tournament: 10.3.-5.4 Group stage: 10.3.-21.3 Playoffs Round 1 (32) 23.-24.3 Playoffs Round 2 (16) 26.3.-27.3 Quarterfinals (8) 30.-31.3 Semifinals (4) 2.-3.4 Finals (2) 5.4 Please note: The schedule and format may be changed based on the number of teams registered. Note: The majority of the players must be Finnish citizens. See the rulebook for more details. Find the 6v6 eHockey Finnish Championship rulebook here! (Finnish) SIGN UP FOR 1v1 HERE! Played on: PlayStation 5 Schedule for the 1v1 FCL Registrations: 2.3.-9.3. Tournament: 12.3.-5.4. Group Stage 12.-27.3 Group Stage 2 29.-31.3 Round of 16 1.-2.4 Quarterfinals 3.-4.4 TOP 4 Finals 5..4 Please note: The schedule and format may be changed based on the number of players registered. Note: In order to participate in the 1v1 mode, you must be a Finnish citizen. Find the 1v1 eHockey Finnish Championship rulebook here (Finnish) Don't Miss the Sign-ups! Signups are now open and will close already in a week, on Sunday, March 9th, so make sure to gather your friends and challenge the big dogs in one of the biggest Finnish tournaments of the eHockey season! Please help us spread the word about the tournament so we can have welcome new and old faces to the tournament and community. ❤️

The ECL '25 Winter season concluded at the LAN Finals at Assembly where Parasite were crowned the ECL Elite Champions. They claimed the title as the best team in Europe after winning the finals series 4-2 over Mustaa Kultaa. Parasite went into the season as the clear frontrunner for the title and they did not disappoint. Breaking multiple records, both team and individual, this performance will be remembered as one of the most dominating we have witnessed in recent years. NikkeDangles was crowned as the playoffs MVP and for the team Captain Beniittto this now marks the eighth ECL title, continuing to cement their legacy in the ECL history. For Mustaa Kultaa it was a great performance in the Finals and they should be nothing but proud of themselves. They were able to take two games against this all-star lineup, something which many did not expect, and had their chances in all of the games besides the series-deciding game 6. They can now use the experience of the LAN Finals and have all the keys in their hands to have a bright future ahead. The Assembly Winter 2025 stage was a beauty! | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg Finals overview Game 1: Parasite 2-1 OT Mustaa Kultaa came out of the gates hot and put Parasite under a lot of pressure. They were able to find lots of shooting opportunities and @Launonexx found the first goal at the halfway of the first period. Parasite struggled a lot to find their game but the score stayed the same through the first two periods. We saw some big saves from both goalies and especially @LatveX was standing on his head at moments. At the start of the third period, Parasite were finally able to find their first goal of the series from Beniittto which saw the game heading into overtime. The OT was a cautious battle but eventually, Vattuyy found the game-winner halfway through the first overtime. Valtteri "Vattuyy" Virtanen celebrates with his teammates | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg Game 2: Mustaa Kultaa 3-2 The second game started off with some penalty trouble to Mustaa Kultaa and on their second powerplay chance Parasite found the first goal from the defender of the year in Teemuyy. Despite dominating the time on attack Parasite were not able to put many shots at the Mustaa Kultaa net, but with the 2-0 goal at the start of the third from NikkeDangles the game, and possibly the series, looked to be close to over. A few minutes after @Allupekkaz did manage to bring some life to the team with a goal eleven minutes before the end. It took all the way to the last minute for @xAaro89x to find his first goal of the series tying up the game and not long after, only five seconds before the end, he found the game-winning one-timer. Did we mention the venue was amazing!? | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg Game 3: Parasite 5-2 After the comeback victory, Mustaa Kultaa stayed on the gas and took a 2-0 lead with two quick goals from xAaro89x and @NuariJamal. The party was short-lived though as Parasite had tied up the game by the halfway of the second period. Mustaa Kultaa found themselves again in some penalty trouble against the best powerplay team in the league and they paid the full price in the third period. Beniittto found the game-winner in the powerplay and Vattuyy scored two more goals to cap off the victory. A sneak peek behind the Mustaa Kultaa point of view | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg Game 4: Parasite 4-1 This time it was Parasites' turn to get off to a flying start with two quick goals in the first period. @Miseee96 was able to bring the game within one with his first and only goal of the playoffs, but that was all they got. Parasite seemed to have found their game and after the 3-1 goal from Vattuyy they did not really give a chance for Mustaa Kultaa to get back into this game. Beniittto capped off the game in the dying seconds and Parasite were one game away from the Championship. Parasite celebrating a goal | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg Game 5: Mustaa Kultaa 4-3 OT The fifth game got off to a fast start with two goals from both teams in the first period. In the second Vattuyy found the back of the net with a one-timer and heading into the third period it was all or nothing for Mustaa Kultaa. They managed to create some chances, but eventually, it was a breakaway goal from Allupekkaz that tied the game and we were in for another overtime. It went on for three minutes before xAaro89x capped off his hat trick with a beautiful spin-o-rama snipe to the glove side. xAaro89x (right) scores and Launonexx (center) and Allupekkaz (left) go wild! | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg Game 6: Parasite 8-0 Game six was just all Parasite. They took a quick 2-0 lead in the first period and added another one to start the second. There was still some hope left for Mustaa Kultaa but all that was shattered when NikkeDangles found his second of the game at the end of the period. In the third period, Parasite was just playing the time and after some late-minute goals and a fight to cap off the series, it was a rough 8-0 score that ended this season. Parasite celebrates their victory, lead by captain Perttu "Beniittto" Kemppainen | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg Road to the Championship Regular Season: 24-3-0-1, 78 pts, 1st overall Quarterfinals 4-0 vs GOONS Semifinals 4-1 vs Voittamaton Finals 4-2 vs Mustaa Kultaa The ECL '25: Winter - Elite Champions: Parasite | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg (1) Parasite Championship Lineup Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila Tomi @txmbo999 Laitinen Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen Sebastian @FINSeRe Remes Thank you to everyone who came out to support the finals event at Assembly Winter and Congratulations to Parasite on a well-deserved Championship - see you all in the Spring Season!

Europe’s best NHL 25 teams meet on the big stage for the 6v6 European Championship Finals The ECL ’25: Winter Finals are set to take center stage at Assembly Winter 2025 in Helsinki next week! 🏆🔥 On Thursday, February 20th, Mustaa Kultaa and Parasite will battle for the championship in front of a live audience—an event you won’t want to miss! If you hold an ECL ’25: Winter Player License or an ECL ’25: Player License, you’re entitled to a free ticket for the ECL ’25 Finals day at Assembly Winter. This is your chance to experience the Finals live and connect with the community! 🎟 Claim your free ticket now: https://forms.gle/eZdDm63kdv3ksa4L9 🚨 Tickets are first-come, first-served, so act fast! Over 80 community members have already signed up, and we’re looking to bring together as many of you as possible for this unforgettable event. For more details about Assembly Winter 2025, visit https://assembly.org/en/events/winter25. We can’t wait to see you there! 🙌🎮 QUICK FACTS Date & Location 📅 Thursday, February 20th, 2025 📍 Assembly Winter 2025, Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre ⭐ Main Stage: 19:00 – 23:59 EET (Action starting at 18:00 CET) Watch Live on Twitch 📺 Streamed live on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG 🎙️ Commentary in English, featuring @Tougie24 & @Eki Event Overview The ECL ’25: Winter Elite Finals brings together the top two teams from the most competitive NHL esports league in Europe. After battling through the 16-team regular season and intense best-of-seven playoffs, the finalists will face off live on stage to claim the European Championship Title.

Today it's finally time to crown ECL '25: Winter - Elite Champions and therefore we will also give recognition again to individuals who had bthe rightest performances throughout this season. This season our nominees were selected by our council including writers, staff, and casters who have been observing the accomplishments of our teams and players precisely. It's time to make your voice heard! Who deserves these awards? Tell us your personal favorites or even hot takes below or on social media @SportsGamerGG #ECL25Winter Winners will be announced today on the ECL Elite Finals Broadcast, starting at 18:00 CET at https://twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG! Below you'll find a list of nominees in each category: Forward of The Season The Top Forward award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their forward position. Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen, Parasite Aaro @xAaro89x Arvala, Mustaa Kultaa @itspardytime, TIKI TALK Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen, Parasite Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen, Parasite Defender of The Season The Top Defender award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their defenseman position. Oliver @Pensasmies Litokorpi, TIKI TALK Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila, Parasite Tomi @txmbo999 Laitinen, Parasite Mico @Miseee96 Pulli, Mustaa Kultaa Niklas @xPsykoSkills Schmitz, The Black Jacks Goalie of The Season The Top Goalie award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their goaltender position. Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen, Parasite Stan @Stammer70 Adamus, Tohtorit Veeti @LatveX Laitinen, Mustaa Kultaa Johannes @Gresu__ Gressmann, Renascor Sebastian @FINSeRe Remes, Parasite Rookie of The Season The Rookie Of The Season award is awarded to a player in their rookie ECL Elite season, who has excelled above the competition regardless of position. Veeti @LatveX Laitinen, Mustaa Kultaa Oliver @Pensasmies Litokorpi, TIKI TALK Leo @Lekxsa_70 Hämäläinen, GOONS J-J @NuariJamal Raatikainen, Mustaa Kultaa Aleksi @xSnaipperi Honka, Heimo Transfer of The Season The Transfer Of The Season award is awarded to a player who after a transfer is deemed to have been the most impactful player for their new team. Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen, Parasite Aaro @xAaro89x Arvala, Mustaa Kultaa Eetu @Launonexx Launonen, Mustaa Kultaa Tomi @txmbo999 Laitinen, Parasite Jimi @J-_-Jamaltheman Rönkkönen, Voittamaton Comeback Player of The Season The Comeback Player Of The Season award is awarded to a player who after one or more seasons away from ECL Elite competition, makes an impactful comeback to the highest level. Teemu @Teme Sainio, TIKI TALK Juuso @Xkeineri Latvala, GOONS Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen, Parasite Jimi @J-_-Jamaltheman Rönkkönen, Voittamaton @itspardytime, TIKI TALK

It has been three months since the start of the ECL '25: Winter season and now it all has come down to this, the Finals of the Elite division. Taking place live at Assembly, Mustaa Kultaa will be taking on Parasite in a mighty showdown between the two best teams ECL has seen this season. Three months ago these teams were starting their seasons in very different positions. Of course, we have all learned to know the strength and power of Parasite, a team that not only has seen it all but has also won it all, multiple times. After making some key additions they have only gotten better and have been the favorites long before the season even started. On the other side, Mustaa Kultaa came into the season as what many would've considered a dark horse to battle for playoff spots. After getting promoted to the Elite division, the team went through big changes in their lineup and those changes have really hit the spot. Will Parasite finish what everyone expected of them or will Mustaa Kultaa be able to pull off one of the biggest upsets we've seen in recent years? The ECL '25: Winter - Elite Finals are played live at Assembly on Thursday 20th of February. Join us in Helsinki or watch the stream on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG, starting at 18:00 CET. (3) Mustaa Kultaa Regular season 17-1-3-7, 56 points Quarterfinals 4-1 vs The Black Jacks (6) Semifinals 4-1 vs Tohtorit (2) Predicted Lineup Left Wing: Aaro @xAaro89x Aarvala (15+5=20) Center: Eetu @Launonexx Launonen (8+10=18) Right Wing: Alex @Allupekkaz Buntsel (A) (4+11=15) Left Defender: J-J @NuariJamal Raatikainen (A) (3+9=12) Right Defender: Mico @Miseee96 Pulli (0+12=12) Goaltender: Veeti @LatveX Laitinen (8-1-1, 85%, 1.8 GAA, 1 SO) Regular season After successfully qualifying for the Elite divisions in the "fastest BO7 series we've ever witnessed" Mustaa Kultaa had a stormy offseason all the way until a few weeks before the season start. They ended up bringing back only two starting players from their Pro campaign in Allupekkaz and LatveX, with Launonexx also making a return to the team after a successful rookie season in Elite. They added a new defensive pairing in NuariJamal-_-, last season's point leader in Pro, and Misee96 from the Gotham Knights. Completing the team was xAaro89x, who has managed to take his game to a whole another level this campaign after looking for a home from a few different teams in the Elite division. The team had a very strong start to season losing only three games through nine matchups, and were leading the league for some time. From the last 10 games though they only managed to grab three wins, which saw them finishing the regular season in third place, tied in points with second place Tohtorit. Playoffs In the Quarterfinals they were challenged by The Black Jacks, who had been in a similar situation many times, hoping to finally make it through the first round. Mustaa Kultaa started the playoffs with a big 5-1 victory and made a comeback down from 0-3 to take it in overtime in game 2. They went into the deciding night with all the momentum on their side and The Black Jacks riddled with lineup changes could not change the series around. Mustaa Kultaa continued to the Semifinals with a convincing 4-1 series victory to face Tohtorit. Tohtorit were coming from a strong first-round performance against Exen and had @Stammer70 put up what could be one of the best playoff series ever for a goalie. The first games were tight but Mustaa Kultaa seemed to always be a bit ahead, and most importantly were able to solve Stammer. Game two was one of the most exciting games we've seen this season. Being down 0-4 with 18 minutes on the clock, Mustaa Kultaa was able to pull of the unthinkable and took the game to overtime, where Launonexx gave them the 2-0 series lead with his hat trick goal. The second night started rough for Tohtorit and after scoring 3 goals on 4 shots in game 3, Mustaa Kultaa found themselves 3-0 up in the series and just one step away from the finals. Tohtorit put all they had into game 4 and managed to take it in the overtime, but that push seemed to be all they had as Mustaa Kultaa got off to a strong start in Game 5. Even though they controlled the gameplay, they found themselves down 1-2 in the last period, but they showed their resilience tying up the game. Only two seconds before the end xAaro89x was able to find the series winner which put them through to the finals. Aaro has really managed to turn around his image as a weak playoff performer this season. He's leading the team with 15 goals, 4 of which are game-winners, in the playoffs and he's led the team through the first two rounds. Launone has been the unsung hero of this team with his 18 points and is crucial for this team's success. Allupekkaz has had some trouble finding the back of the net, but with 15 points he's still doing great. Misee96 and nuarijamal both have 12 points and form a strong backline with Latvex, who's elevated his game after a great regular season and is looking like one of the lead candidates for Rookie of the Season. (1) Parasite Regular season 24-3-0-1, 78 points Quarterfinals 4-0 vs GOONS (8) Semifinals 4-1 vs Voittamaton (4) Predicted lineup Left Wing: Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen (13+13=26) Center: Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen (C) (9+12=21) Right Wing: Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen (A) (12+14=26) Left Defender: Tomi @txmbo999 Laitinen (0+10=10) Right Defender: Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila (4+15=19) Goaltender: Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen (88.14%, 1.75 GAA, 1 SO) Regular season Is this the best lineup we've ever seen put up on the ECL ice? There are very strong arguments to say that after how dominant their season has been. Adding the star players from Tunnel Vision in Vattuyy and txmbo999 this Parasite team has been the clear favorite to win the title and possibly dominate the scene seasons to come. They had a record-breaking season scoring 149 goals with an average well above 5 and Vattuyy broke the goalscoring record with 65 goals, even with the season cut out by two games. NikkeDangles, had a personal record in points with 96, finishing second in the league, and formed a deadly playmaking duo together with Beniittto. They lost only one game during the regular season and took the first seed with an impressive margin of 22 points. Their dominance did not stop to only offense, as they also allowed the least goals, had the best powerplay (46%), and were second on the penalty kill while also taking the least penalties. FINSeRe shared playing time in goal with their other new addition UhNikke and they both, not surprisingly, had a great regular season. Playoffs In the Quarterfinals they were faced against the number eight seed GOONS. In the first game, GOONS did a good job keeping the scoring down but in the end, it was not enough as Parasite dominated the game with the puck and took home a 2-1 win. Things did not get any easier after that with Parasite being able to find more and more opportunities to score. After some wild offensive games, Parasite swept the series. The 8-5 score from Game 4 tells the whole story from the series which did not really test the Parasite squad. In the Semifinals Parasite took their second loss of the season in Game 1 against Voittamaton, but they were able to tie the series after a shutout from UhNikke. Voittamaton had their chances in the third game of the series but did not get the result with Parasite taking the win in the overtime. After that,t it was all Parasite as they dominated games four (5-1) and five (7-1) and booked their ticket to the finals. Their offensive trio Vattuyy, NikkeDangles, and Beniittto have continued from where they left off in the regular season and are taking up the top three spots in the playoffs. Teemuyy is even more dominant in the scoring for defensemen while Tombo has been handling more of the defensive duties. The goalie tandem has continued to share playing time and they will have two stars to choose from for the Finals series. Points to watch Can Parasite be beaten? That has been an almost impossible task for any team this season and Mustaa Kultaa will now have the task of doing that on the big stage. Regular season matches between these teams went to Parasite 5-3 and 6-2. Mustaa Kultaa will need to do a much better job defensively if they want to have any chance of taking it home. Rookie Goalie vs a seasoned veteran. While LatveX has had a great Rookie season and has been even better in the playoffs, he will still be facing a highly accomplished veteran in UhNikke. Parasite will create lots of offense and LatveX will be put in the toughest test of his young career. LAN experience is all on the side of the Parasite but at the same time, it will be interesting and at the same time exciting to see how this young Mustaa Kultaa squad can handle the pressure. "Hockey is a momentum game" as Finnish coach Juhani Tamminen once said. The start of the series will be important, but especially Mustaa Kultaa will need to make the most out of it and get into that flow state. If Parasite do that, it can be a very quick one. Rumors flying around about the Mustaa Kultaa squad and possible transfers. It is definitely not the ideal way to prepare for the biggest matchup of their career but maybe a good performance in the Finals could change things around? One thing is for sure, we're in for a hell of a show and we want everyone to join us, whether it is live at Assembly or on our live stream. Thursday, 20th of February 18.00 CET (19.00 local time in Finland).

ECL '25: Winter - Elite Individual Player Award Winners SportsGamers, It's time to recap the ECL Elite Player Awards for the Winter '25 season! With six categories and five players with remarkable season in each, winners were announced on the ECL '25: Winter - Elite Finals @ Assembly broadcast and in this article we want to showcase the winners for easy access to the history books in the future. For the full list of nominees, see our previous article. Below you'll find a list of winners in each category: Forward of The Season The Top Forward award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their forward position. Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen, Parasite Defender of The Season The Top Defender award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their defenseman position. Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila, Parasite Goalie of The Season The Top Goalie award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their goaltender position. Stan @Stammer70 Adamus, Tohtorit Rookie of The Season The Rookie Of The Season award is awarded to a player in their rookie ECL Elite season, who has excelled above the competition regardless of position. Veeti @LatveX Laitinen, Mustaa Kultaa Transfer of The Season The Transfer Of The Season award is awarded to a player who after a transfer is deemed to have been the most impactful player for their new team. Aaro @xAaro89x Arvala, Mustaa Kultaa Comeback Player of The Season The Comeback Player Of The Season award is awarded to a player who after one or more seasons away from ECL Elite competition, makes an impactful comeback to the highest level. Theo @itspardytime Pardy, TIKI TALK

ECL '25: Winter - Pro | Individual Player Award Winners SportsGamers, For the first time ever, it's time to give some glory and recognition to players with the best individual performances and most significant contributions for their teams in our second-highest tier of European 6v6 eHockey: ECL Pro Player Awards for the Winter '25 season! Awarded players were selected by our council including writers, staff, and casters who have been observing the accomplishments of our teams and players precisely. Below you'll find a list of winners in four categories: Forward of The Season The Top Forward award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their forward position. Mikko @Toivone_ Toivonen, NOSTREETSPORTS Defender of The Season The Top Defender award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their defenseman position. Tuukka @KingOfApes_ Röpelinen, NOVA Goalie of The Season The Top Goalie award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their goaltender position. Jesse @Jeerik17 Leppä, Blackbirds Leppä was also chosen as the playoffs MVP by his team Blackbirds. Rookie of The Season The Rookie Of The Season award is awarded to a player in their rookie ECL Pro season, who has excelled above the competition regardless of position. Players who have played in ECL Elite but now played their first season in ECL Pro are not eligible. Aatu @aomyo6195 Myöhänen, Blackbirds

Last week we saw six teams battling it out for three spots in the Elite division for the ECL '25: Spring season. Blackbirds already secured their spot by winning the Pro Championship,  but the teams placed 2nd-4th had to battle for promotion against the Elite teams seeded 13th-15th. In the end, SSK ESPORTS and NOVA were able to claim their spot in Elite, while Renascor was able to hold on to their spot in the highest division.      SSK ESPORTS rebound from the Pro Finals and will play in Elite, Falun Coal Miners relegated  After a disappointing result in the Pro Finals against Blackbirds, SSK ESPORTS were able to bounce back in the relegation series against Falun Coal Miners. The series, which was played in one night, ended 4-1 in favor of SSK after a mostly tight series. FCM were forced to play the series with their backup defender, LastMandalorian, who hadn't played tournament games in almost two years. They were able to win the first game 4-3 after a late winner but from there it was all downhill. Their offensive struggles from the regular season continued as they were able to score only seven goals in the remaining games. Zuppe_29 stayed in hot form and led SSK with 12 points. PSchibra scored three game-winners in the series and Janikka- had a very strong showing with 3 goals and 10 points from the left defender spot. For Falun, it is a tough loss as they were able to stay in Elite for only one season since their rebuild. After a good first week of the season truly nothing went their way and they will see themselves back in Pro for the Spring season. SSK ESPORTS vs Falun Coal Miners | 4-1 (3-4 OT, 2-1, 7-3, 2-1 OT, 3-2)    Renascor survive - Heartbreak for Otukset  After losing game seven in overtime against SSK in the semifinals, Otukset went into the relegation series with high hopes. Renascor was able to win the first game in double overtime with a game-winner from Virusactive. After that, Otukset took control of the series both on ice and on the scoreboard. They won three games straight, all by a one goal margin, and were just one step away from Elite. In game five Renascor got two quick goals but Otukset managed to tie it in the second period. Otukset were controlling the game but were unable to take advantage of their scoring chances and powerplays while Renascor used theirs and stayed alive in the series. Game six was the same story all over again, Otukset controlled but Renascor was the one on the scoreboard. A 21-save shutout from Gresu__ took the series into game seven. In game seven Otukset seemed to crumble under the pressure after giving up an early goal in the first. After surrendering a second goal, Miguli36 was able to bring some hope for them but that was all they got. Renascor shut the door and scored two more goals in the third, securing their spot in Elite. Fire_cats88 scored 8 goals and 12 points in the series but the MVP for the series has to be Gresu__ with his 88.14% save percentage and 2 GAA. For Otukset, miguli36 finished with 11 points but they would've needed more scoring, especially from Pursuitti who finished the series with 3 goals, 6 points, and a shooting percentage below 10. Otukset vs Renascor | 3-4 (3-4 OT, 3-2 OT, 3-2, 2-1, 2-3, 0-2, 1-4)   NOVA steamroll through Roots Gaming - End of an Era  Roots had been in this position many times before but this time it just wasn't meant to be. NOVA won the series straight in four games and we will see them in Elite for the first time. For Roots, games 1 and 3 were definitely something that could've turned the series the other way around. They were leading game one 2-1 heading into the third period, but 22 seconds before the end of regulation time NOVA was able to find the tying goal and eventually the winning goal in overtime. In game three Roots lost a two-goal lead in the last period and NOVA again found the winner at the end of the first overtime. That seemed to be the last straw for Roots as they looked very lost in game four and NOVA got to start their celebrations. NOVA will have to get straight back to work though as they announced that two of their star players in Nester_43 and KingOfApes will not continue with the team. It will be an interesting off-season for the team and we're left to wait what kind of lineup they will bring to the Spring season in Elite. This series loss also marks the end of an era for Roots after seven straight seasons in Elite. Roots Gaming announced that they will be stepping away from the scene with a few of their players hanging up the skates and the rest looking for a new home. NOVA vs Roots Gaming | 4-0 (3-2 OT, 4-1, 3-2 OT, 3-1)

Gamers, it’s time to take your performance to the next level—both in and out of the game! We’re excited to introduce the SportsGamer Health & Performance Program, designed in collaboration with Wellnet to help you stay at the top of your game. Exclusive Perk for ECL License Holders 🎁 As a valued ECL License holder, you’re eligible for 3 MONTHS FREE access to the program! Check your email for details on how to claim your exclusive code! 👉 Can’t find the email? No problem! Send us a message at [email protected], and we’ll help you out. What’s Inside the Program? ✅ Expert-Curated Training & Health Content ✅ Personalized Progress Tracking ✅ Workout Time Leaderboards – Compare your team’s total workout hours with other ECL teams! ✅ Diverse Content in English, Finnish & Swedish This is your chance to enhance your endurance, mobility, muscle fitness, and recovery—all tailored to fit your gaming lifestyle. How to Join the Program 🔹 For ECL License Holders – 3 Months FREE ➡ Check your email for details on how to activate your free 3-month membership. 👉 Can’t find the email? Contact us at [email protected], and we’ll get you set up! 🔹 For Everyone Else – 1 Month FREE 1️⃣ Go to health.sportsgamer.gg 2️⃣ Enter your details 3️⃣ Use code SPORTSGAMER1 to activate a FREE 1-month membership No credit card required—this is a 100% free opportunity to start your health journey! 📈 Track Your Progress & Compete with Your Team! 📊 Want to see how your team stacks up? The platform tracks total workout hours across ECL teams—so whether you’re training solo or with your squad, you can compare your efforts and see how your team ranks! (👀 Don’t worry, only total time spent is shared—your personal workouts remain private.) 💪 Monitor Your Health & Performance Data Your personal My Health Data page keeps track of your activity and can even suggest new fitness areas to explore—whether it’s mobility, endurance, muscle fitness, or recovery. It’s completely up to you how you engage with the program. Whether you prefer sticking to a few favorite workouts or mixing it up with new challenges, any progress is a step toward better performance. Join the Movement – Start Today! We’re excited to bring this opportunity to the SportsGamer community. If you’re an ECL License holder, check your email now to claim your exclusive 3-month free access! 👉 Need help? Reach out to us at [email protected]. 💪 Get started now: health.sportsgamer.gg

Our first champion has been crowned in the ECL '25: Winter season with Blackbirds defeating SSK Esports 4-0 in the finals of the Pro Division. With their championship, they clinch their spot in Elite in the upcoming ECL '25: Spring season whereas SSK will have to fight for their spot in the qualifiers. The core of the Blackbird squad goes all the way back to the ECL '22: Spring season but they really got going in the ECL '23: Spring Lite season with the xBOTS squad and earned a spot in Pro. After a very short-lived stint in the Pro Division, they got their original squad back together for another season in Lite. After that season they made some key changes in the lineup, acquiring their new goaltender and attacker who would end up being their top-scorer of their Championship season. Interestingly enough, prior to this season the team had never made it past the second round of the playoffs. The Blackbirds squad started their season in the Pro Qualifiers, which they went through in the second stage. After an up-and-down regular season, they found themselves in fifth place in Group 1 heading into the playoffs. In the postseason we saw a total turnaround from the team as they crushed opponents one after another, losing only two games on their road to the Championship. We got to see some great offense from the team as each of their attackers scored over a goal per game in the playoffs as well as one of the best goalie performances to remember. Following the footsteps of the Almost Famous team from the ECL '24: Spring season, they're now the second team to win a Championship in the Pro Division straight after being promoted. We got a chance to interview Blackbirds' captain and right winger Lauri @sopulii04 Enström after clinching the title, where he spoke about their season and the dominant playoff run. Blackbirds' Road to the Championship: Regular season: 13-5-5-7 (54pts) - 5th in Group 1 Round 1: 4-0 vs Aspyre Quarterfinals: 4-1 vs Ismon Valinta Semifinals: 4-1 vs NOVA Finals: 4-0 vs SSK ESPORTS Blackbirds' ECL '25: Winter - Pro Championship Roster Forwards: Lauri @sopulii04 Enström (C) Olli @I0LL1 Sorsa (A) Aatu @aomyo6195 Myöhänen Defense: Tommi @Kibeeex Lehtimäki Onni @ONN123 Forss (A) Goalies: Jesse @Jeerik17 Leppä Miika @miiixu96 Pulkkinen Huge congratulations to the team and all the players! See you in Elite

SportsGamers, Over the course of the years, we've set a high standard for NHL and other esports competitions with our leagues, tournaments, and content production around them. We have a lot of great people working behind the scenes, but in order to keep up with all the necessary tasks with greater efficiency, we are reaching out to you for help.   We are recruiting staff for several different positions and are looking for new staff members to work both with our leagues and tournaments. Most importantly, we are reaching out to our community to recruit a new Editor to take our written content production to the next level. As an Editor at SportsGamer.GG, your main responsibilities will revolve around all written content published on social media, our website, or even communicated through our partners' channels in various circumstances. You will also be expected e to generate your own content and have a vision of how to develop our content creation moving forward. There are possibilities to expand the role once you get comfortable in your position.  Editor:  Collaborate with content creators to refine and polish written and visual content for publication. Craft and develop the SportsGamer brand voice, style guidelines, and quality standards. Stay updated on industry trends in order to improve our content strategy.  Mandatory skills include an excellent understanding of the English language, and the ability to produce coherent text in English by yourself. Additional Nordic languages, especially Finnish and Swedish are very useful in the position, even if not a requirement. As you will be working with content on our social media platforms, an understanding of Instagram, Threads, X, TikTok and Facebook would be beneficial. You will also benefit from understanding SEO at least on a basic level.  Writers: Stay up to date with our leagues, tournaments and the latest industry news while creating interesting written content revolving around these. Have a knack for storytelling and finding the right ones to tell. Brainstorm ideas and content planning together with the Editor and other Writers. Mandatory skills include good proficiency in the English language and the ability to produce coherent text in English by yourself. We expect you to be able to work independently and meet deadlines set together with the Editor. As a SportsGamer writer, you'll have the freedom to pitch ideas and influence the content generated on our platform.   Please send in a portfolio of your previous work as a reference. In case you don't have previous journalistic references to send in, feel free to sweep us off our feet with your application instead. Reference from former Editor Janne @OGjahajaha Tarvonen: As a long-time SportsGamer staff member, I can personally vouch for this being an excellent stepping stone into the industry and that hard work in the position will provide you with great opportunities. In my time with SportsGamer, I've gained lots of experience in journalism, worked with professionals in that industry and received valuable feedback on my work. Through the years I've also been given the opportunity to work with our partners in projects, such as the eLiiga or with the Finnish Football Association. My work has also been published in Ilta-Sanomat and Aftonbladet as a direct result of working with SportsGamer.  As a SportsGamer Staff member, you will have a lot on your plate and we expect a certain level of work ethic, but in return you are provided with an interesting opportunity to enter the esports industry and develop your skills in a supportive environment. Several of our long-time members have made great improvements and taken steps towards a career in esports.    Contact Please send your application as an email to [email protected]. Please attach an introduction, your resume and a portfolio if you have one.   Interested in contributing outside of the areas listed above? Please fill out this form!