FCL: Run-up to the Playoffs

Hey NHLGamers!

After a week of games fraught with upsets and demolition jobs, the groups are slowly coming together, and we are starting to get a good idea of who will end up making it in to the playoffs. Indeed, it appears as though the end of this week will be one entertaining way to end a season as almost every group is still up the air, so much so that for many groups, the final three playoff bound teams may not be properly decided until the final night of the season in a few days. 

Let's quickly look over what we are looking at with the FCL: The FCL is an abbreviation for the Finnish Championship League, which is an independent follow-up to our national GCL, RCL and SCL leagues. We're partnering with tech giant Gigantti in order to bring you this experience, which will culminate at Assembly Summer 2019 in Messukeskus of Helsinki, Finland. 

A total of 36 teams are divided into five groups of 7-8 teams. These teams will play every group opponent once in a home-away matchup, after which the top three out of each group will advance to the playoffs, starting already on Friday, the 19th of June. The playoffs will be played in a best of three format. 

Tomorrow, Tuesday 16th of July, we'll be broadcasting two FCL matchups - your favourite caster Arttu Hämäläinen will be calling the action. Stay tuned for a more specific announcement later today or early tomorrow.

Anyway, let's get into how each group is doing, who are favourites to finish in the top 3 based off of p/g averages, who are within range of making a challenge and gaining entry in to the top 3, and finally who are in danger of missing out / have already been eliminated.

Group 1

 1. SOPPAJENGI (1.8 P/G, 10gp)

 2. HAVU Gaming (1.67 P/G, 12gp)

 3. Mockba (1.36 P/G, 14gp)

--

Group 1 probably holds the lone distinction as the only group where the top three teams have all but clinched their playoff spots already. In fact, the only team within range is Supernatural, who would have to win at least 4 of their remaining games, although in practice they would probably have to roll closer to 5 if they wanted to become a lock for the playoffs. Nevertheless, if they are able to trade blows with SOPPAJENGI, then run the rest of the table then stand a very good chance of displacing Mockba and entering as the third seed. 

Group 2

 1. Rusty Blades (1.75 P/G, 8gp)

 2. Northern Ascendancy (1.67 P/G, 6gp)

 3. TeQuila Sunrise (1.5 P/G, 6gp)

--

If group 1 was all but finished already, then group 2 is the antithesis of that as every team bar one (Uuteen Nousuun) stand a decent enough chance of cracking the top 3 providing they go on a bit of a run. It is especially cliché, but the adage that "every game counts" has never been more applicable than it is here.

Group 3 

 1. Almost Famous (1.83 P/G, 6gp)

 2. Ghetto Firebirds (1.5 P/G, 10gp)

 3. Symphony (1.38 P/G, 8gp)

--

Moving on to group 3 we have another somewhat open set of teams, Virtual Horizons eSports for instance are currently in 6th place with a measly 2pts, however they have only played 4 games, with 2 of them coming against Symphony where they were able to steal a win in regulation. Ghetto Firebirds head up the group currently with 15pts in 10 games, however if they are to lose any more games, they may very well find themselves on the outside looking in once the dust has settled. 

Group 4

 1. POGGERS (1.67 P/G, 6gp)

 2. Kaupallinen Yhteistyo (1.5 P/G, 6gp)

 3. LIONHEARTS (1.43 P/G, 7gp)

--

You wanted an absolute free-for-all as a group? Well, look no further! Every team bar one not only are 'technically' within range of a top three finish, hell, they each stand a decent enough chance at it. Cannonieris for instance are currently sitting in 6th place with 6pts in 8 games, a total that in other groups may very well have spelled doom for them, in group 4 however all that means is that they are just 3pts out of a playoff spot, throw in some upset wins against the leading teams and the mounting of a comeback from those in positions 4,5 & 6 should not be deemed to be out of the realm of possibility.

Group 5

 1. Raccoon Rampage (1.83 P/G, 6gp)

 2. TIKI TALK (1.75 P/G, 4gp)

 3. Butterfly Effect (1.29 P/G, 7gp)

--

Last, but certainly not the least we find group 5. A group in which no one has been mathematically eliminated, and one in which one slip up by any team could cost them very dearly as far as their playoff hopes go. Raccoon Rampage & TIKI TALK are perhaps the only ones who have some breathing room, although if this 'breathing room' ends up being squandered due to two losses they could very easily find themselves back fighting in the thick of it to claw back those lost points. As every other team is seemingly on their tails. 

That's all for now! Remember to stay alert for our broadcast announcement, which matchup would you guys like to watch?