ECL 11 Pro Playoffs: Quarterfinals Preview

NHLGamers, 

The first round of the playoffs is now behind and now we know the quarterfinalists of ECL 11 Pro. The best eight teams of the season are now one step closer to the semifinals and their place in the Elite relegation series. Like in the previous seasons, the winner of the competition will automatically get the spot in ECL 12 Elite and other semifinalists will have their shot in the relegation series against bottom Elite teams. However it’s certain that none of the teams in the competition is thinking only about the relegation series as everyone has an equal chance to win the title and have their names written in the history books. 

The first round of the playoffs in general went pretty much as expected. Teams that were clear favorites to win had no big problems beating their opponents and the series that were expected to be tight until the final games didn’t disappoint us either. Many new teams and players were able to experience the Pro playoffs for the first time and I bet those players can’t wait to do it again and go even further next time. 

 Here is the full schedule for the ECL 11 Pro Playoffs:

Lainaa

10.5.2 ECL Pro Playoff schedule
• Playoffs Round 1: 11.1 - 17.1 (BO7)
• Quarterfinals: 18.1 - 24.1 (BO7)
• Semifinals: 25.1 - 31.1 (BO7) Page 19 of 31
• Finals: 8.2 - 10.2 (BO7)

Now it’s time to focus on the remaining teams of the competition. All of these eight teams have deserved their place in the quarterfinals and from now on it’s going to be almost impossible to predict the favorites or the winners of the series. Nevertheless we decided to try our best.   

(1)  GOONS vs RCTIC  (12)

GOONS had no mercy for Sack Brothers in the first round of the playoffs as their series ended 4-0 and GOONS scored 26 goals in four games. Sack Brothers decided bravely to head to the series with an attacking mindset, which turned out to be very costly for them. GOONS punished the opponents from every mistake and when there was too much space given for them in the offensive zone, the puck usually found its way to the back of the net. The first playoff round was a really complete display from the team as the whole season has been so far. This time Sack Brothers wasn’t able to put the team to a real test and GOONS must avoid getting too comfortable with the current situation as they will face a really different kind of opponent in the next round.  

RCTIC was able to beat Inter Iceland in the first playoff round with the series score 2-4. RCTIC did a really good job forcing their opponents out of their comfort zone as Inter Iceland couldn’t play their really direct, attacking and fast phased style of hockey. The same mentality must continue in the next round as well, as their next challengers are currently the best team in the league. One of the biggest strengths of RCTIC is their ability to adapt to the way their opponents play. Finding the right balance between attack and defense was enough against Inter Iceland, this time a defense first mentality will most likely be their key to success. The quality in the RCTIC roster is definitely enough to challenge GOONS, so they won't have to think about going full turtle mode for this series. 

Key points to follow:

Familiar enemies: These teams have already faced each other in the regular season and GOONS were able to win both games in regulation time (2-1, 1-4). There wasn’t that big of a difference between the two teams and I'm pretty sure both teams have processed what they could have done better back then. The team that has done their homework better, will have an advantage heading into the series.  

Theme of the series: We’re yet to see RCTIC playing with the same defensive mentality that led them to success last year in the FCL. It’ll be interesting to see how much RCTIC will sacrifice from their offense to keep their own end safe and how this will affect GOONS' playing since getting into the zone has been relatively easy for them so far.

Every mistake counts: GOONS were merciless against Sack Brothers in every mistake they made. Although RCTIC isn’t known for making lots of mistakes, even they have to concentrate with extra care not to give any leeway for their opponent. The same goes both ways especially if RCTIC manages to shut down the blue line like they are able to do at their best, every single missed pass or giveaway can become very costly for GOONS.  

Prediction: GOONS haven’t shown any real weaknesses yet, but I believe that RCTIC is a team that could expose some. GOONS will start the series strong but the further the series go on, the more RCTIC will figure out their opponents tricks. We could see a surprisingly even series but in the end the quality of the GOONS roster and the confidence in their playing will take them to the next round with the score 4-3. 

(2)  Tunnel Vision vs Rookie Mistakes  (10)

Tunnel Vision did what was expected from them as the team advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a 4-2 score against Nordic Stars. However it didn’t come easily for them as Nordic Stars proved to be very worthy opponents and were really close to taking the series to game seven. Small things that differentiate good teams from excellent were the difference makers in this series and led the right team to the next round. I could believe that despite the victory, Tunnel Vision isn’t completely happy with their display in the first round. This could actually serve them well as there won’t be a danger that the team would get too confident which can sometimes lead to underestimating the opponents or certain aspects of the game. Despite the fact that the first round didn’t go as smoothly as the team would have hoped, I still see Tunnel Vision as one of the strongest candidates for the cup this season.    

Rookie Mistakes played a really good series against Herlev Eagles. Despite the underdog status Rookie Mistakes was able to win the series 2-4 and advance to the next round. Herlev Eagles was having a great season in the attacking zone, but Rookie Mistakes didn’t have to change much of their usual way of playing to overcome their opponents. At times their opponent held control of the games but Rookie Mistakes didn’t panic and the team was able to score when it was needed the most. The first round was definitely promising from Rookie Mistakes and their next opponents have a really similar style of playing the game as Herlev Eagles did. If the team can keep their confidence and continue in the same form as so far, they will have a real shot against one of the favorites in the competition.

Key points to follow:

Artists on ice: There is an enormous amount of individual talent on the ice when these two teams meet. We will see plenty of brave 1v1 challenges and clever passes from every player. Especially the defensemen will play a major role in this series as they don’t want these guys slipping out of their hands and alone against the goalie because the puck will be in the net with a very high likelihood. 

Old friends: Tunnel Vision defender @tombo_02 and Rookie Mistakes defender @Patsberg_ will face their old teams from ECL 10 Pro in this series. This kind of situation will always add an extra spice to the mix. Both sides want to prove that they made the right decision leaving the club and of course both players can inform their own teams of the weaknesses and strengths of their opponents.      

Withstanding pressure: Tunnel Vision is expected to be the stronger of the two sides. After a convincing victory against Herlev Eagles, Rookie Mistakes have proven that they have what it takes to challenge every team remaining in the tournament and even challenge for the cup at the end. Pressure has always two sides to it, you can suffer from it or you can benefit from it. I believe the pressure could actually help Tunnel Vision with focusing on the game and to play more as a team which will give them an advantage in series like this.  

Prediction: You could say that the first playoff round worked out as a minor wake up call for Tunnel Vision and they will be more prepared to face their opponents this time. Rookie Mistakes have done an excellent job this far but now they will face an obstacle that is too big to overcome. Tunnel Vision will thrive under pressure and advance to the next round with the score 4-2. 
 

(4)  Djurgarden Hockey vs ZSC Esports  (8) 

Djurgarden Hockey won against Blackdawgs in the first round of the playoffs with the score being 4-2. The start of the series was really tight and there were short periods where Blackdawgs had clear control of the game. However, Djurgarden Hockey took the lead in the the series and kept it all the way to the end with a confident performance. As predicted, Djurgarden Hockey didn’t have to change a thing in their playing from the regular season as the team is already playing with a style that will serve them well in the playoffs. This time they will face a team with a more structured and disciplined playing style than in the first round and it’s going to be a really different kind of challenge ahead. The first games of the series will show us how well their system is working, but I would say that they don’t need to make any changes to their current way of playing the game. 

ZSC Esports did an excellent job beating Pata Hellalla by 4-2. Especially in the last games of the series Pata Hellalla was unable to make important blocks on the shots of ZSC Esports defenders who scored several goals from the blueline. In general, the series were really tight and almost every game of the series ended with a one goal margin. ZSC Esports kept the puck possession for the majority of the series and I believe they will do the same in the next series as well. The team must feel happy as they were finally able to advance through the first playoff round and it will also serve as a massive confidence boost for the whole squad. In the next round ZSC Esports has to be prepared to work even harder as they will face one of the best defensive teams in the league. 

Key points to follow:

Trap hockey galore: Both of these teams trust their disciplined team playing where all five skaters are involved when the team is attacking or defending. Getting into the offensive zone will be really difficult since both of these teams are excellent in blocking the blueline. That’s why I believe that the team that will figure out how to clear the trap better will win the series. We could very well see more dump and chase action in this series than in the whole season so far.   

Powerplay: As the margins are already really small between these two teams, powerplay will become a really important factor. Djurgarden Hockey had an excellent powerplay in the regular season which continued in the first round of the playoffs as well. ZSC Esports took quite a lot of penalties in the regular season so they can’t continue the same trend against Djurgarden Hockey if they want to win. The same goes both ways of course especially now when the ZSC Esports defenders have found the perfect aim for their shots.

Faceoffs: It’s as simple as that, every faceoff will be important in a series that is not expected to have many goals scored in any of the games. Everyone knows how easy it’s to score from a faceoff set play if your opponents aren’t prepared for it. Every player needs to know their role and the centerman needs to make the right decision at the right time, so the eyes will be laid especially on @LordStanley46_ and @Original-SnuS.     

Prediction: I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the games would go to overtime in this series. These teams are really equally balanced and their strengths are very similar. I believe that experience will become the difference maker and that’s why ZSC Esports will take the series home with a game seven overtime goal and win the series 3-4.   

(6)  Enigma vs Vaxjo Lakers  (7) 

Enigma took a convincing 4-0 series win over Company of Geeks and kept their excellent playoff form running. It was a pretty similar story compared to the series between GOONS and Sack Brothers where the winner of the series was better in every part of the game. In the second round of the playoffs Enigma is facing one of the hottest teams at the moment and they have to be well prepared for the new challenge. However the ECL 10 Pro runner-ups know what it takes to win in the playoffs and they have clearly reached their top form now when it’s needed the most. The team did an excellent job against Company of Geeks in shutting down their attacks at the blueline and were able to score with terrifying efficiency when they were given access to the high percentage shooting areas. 

Vaxjo Lakers are in flames. They were able to beat Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa in the first round of the playoffs with a score of 4-1 and on my paper they are now among one of the biggest favorites to win the cup this season. The way these guys can find their linemates stick at the near post is absolutely amazing and their goalkeeper @MrAllsvenskan is having a tremendous season so far. Enigma needs to take extra care of tending to the passing lanes when Vaxjo Lakers are in the offensive zone or the puck will be in the net in the blink of an eye. After beating a team such as Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa that is known for strong defensive play, it’s interesting to see how well they will do against Enigma who aren’t so defensively oriented. However, Enigma is also having an excellent form and they will surely give Vaxjo Lakers a run for their money. 

Key points to follow:

Maximum attack: Neither of these teams want to give the puck possession to their opponents and go full defensive mode. We should see a pretty open game with lots of scoring opportunities and beautiful goals. Both teams have excellent finishers in their lineup so it will be a busy series for both of the goalies. Also defenders will play a key role for their teams as they have to put full focus into marking in their own zone to help the work of the goalies.      

Powerplay: Vaxjo Lakers is currently the best powerplay team in the league. Enigma had a pretty low powerplay percentage in the regular season but they were able to score five powerplay goals in four games in the first round of the playoffs. If you’ve seen Vaxjo Lakers' powerplay you know that it’s close to perfection so Enigma will have to stay away from the penalty box and also keep the current form of their own powerplay.    

Hunger: In ECL 10 Pro, Enigma was really close to winning the finals against Black Horse and very close to beating Gotham Knights in the Elite relegation series but they were left without a reward. This time they are determined to do better and prove everyone they deserve the spot in Elite. On the other side of the table Vaxjo Lakers are hungry to avenge their loss against Enigma in the ECL 10 Pro quarterfinals so there is a lot of pride at stake in this series.

Prediction: I believe that this series will be very entertaining to watch but frustrating to play in. Both of these teams can create scoring chances out of nothing so the focus has to be 100% in the game and on marking your man. I will take a risk and bet against the odds in this one. Vaxjo Lakers will be the stronger of the two sides and advance to the semifinals with the score 3-4.   

The stakes are getting higher after every round of the playoffs and winning in the quarterfinals will be yet another milestone in reaching the dream of playing in the Elite division. The games will be incredibly intense and great entertainment for us viewers. Play hard and fair, remember to respect your opponents and don’t forget to enjoy the games. There are many players in this community that are dreaming of playing in the ECL Pro quarterfinals so remember to cherish the moment. May the best team win!