ECL 11 Pro Playoffs: Round 1 Preview

NHLGamers,

The regular season of ECL 11 Pro is now finished and the ‘’big games’’ will begin. It didn’t come as a surprise that the race for the playoff spots and better positions in the standings extended all the way to the last rounds of the season. Both groups were extremely tight and there were some surprises along the way but I think it’s fair to say that the best 16 teams will decide the winner of ECL 11 Pro.

As brutal as it is, the season is now over for half of the teams in the Pro division. Many feel disappointed, others may have found courage when they noticed they have what it takes to compete at the Pro level. It’s now time for these teams to start preparing for the upcoming season with a brand new league structure which will make the competition even harder. On behalf of NHLGamer we want to thank you for another successful season. See you next time, come back stronger!

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 our gladiators on stage. Ladies and gentlemen, here are the matchups of the ECL 11 Pro playoff round 1:

(1) 1605016082562_1605016076647_0_.archivetemplogo_20201110-134846.png GOONS vs Sack Brothers (8)

When the season started it was clear that the reinforced GOONS were going to challenge for the top spots in group 2 and they surely didn’t disappoint. GOONS won the group and were the best team of the entire division with most points and only five losses in the regular season. Former JYP Jyvaskyla player @kriketski17, who joined the team right before the season started has made a massive impact for his team: 69 points and an unbelievable 296 hits in 30 games! However the success hasn’t been only on Kriketsi’s shoulders. After a bad start and confusion on the transfer market, pretty much everything has gone right for GOONS. Goalkeeper @SanteriAK47 (santerichristian) was the best keeper of the regular season with most wins and an 83.33% save percentage in 30 games. This is also thanks to both of the defenders, experienced @Miika(MiiQu81-) and rising star @viba2008 who have found the perfect chemistry at the back end. Also other attackers @xKeskitalo and @pikkuroger scored over 60 points this season so it was a very complete display from the whole team.

I like to believe that I wasn’t the only one who underestimated Sack Brothers at the start of the season. The former Lite champions didn’t have the easiest preseason after losing two of their leading players before the season started. Sack Brothers proved everyone wrong right from the beginning of the season, winning seven out of their first ten games. After the midpoint of the season it seemed that the course had shifted when the team had a seven game losing streak but they managed to end the regular season in style and took the last playoff spot in group 1. @snippystatue was the second player in the regular season who managed to score 40 goals and new signing @Jjomppa who was playing in the Neo division last season has made an impressive leap to the higher stages. Captain @Datupeijooni(Datzonee) continues to be the player that brings the balance between attack and defense and at the back end defenders @Tuulimylly91 and @Persusta95 / @urkk1 have done convincing work and helped their team to gather some crucial points along the way. @mikeruud who was the best goalkeeper in ECL 10 Lite has been sharing the time in net with @Esko-etikka and it will be interesting to see who will be the starting goalie when the series begins.

Prediction: GOONS will start the series as firm favorites. They’ve had the best offense, best defense and best goaltender. However Sack Brothers have already achieved something that only a few could have known and this will put all the pressure on GOONS side. Both teams have an excellent powerplay (>30% powerplay efficiency) which means every penalty could be decisive. Sack Brothers have also proved in the last season that it doesn’t matter if it’s a regular season or playoff game, they can keep their own level. This is a question mark on GOONS side, since the team is heading to the first playoffs with the current roster. Despite all of this it’s really hard to see GOONS losing the series. Both of these teams want to play free flowing attacking hockey and that is where higher division experience of GOONS players will give the team an upper hand. Whatever the result is, this is going to be a fun series to watch. And if Sack Brothers could cause the upset, boy, that would be something to be marked in history books with big markings. GOONS will win the series against Sack Brothers 4-1.

(1) Tunnel Vision vs Nordic Stars (8)

Tunnel Vision had a rough start to the season. When we were closing in on the midpoint of the season it’s fair to say that the team was heavily underachieving. Then something clicked and the team started to fulfill the high expectations set to them. The last half of the regular season was a complete Tunnel Vision show in group 1 and in the final round they were able to secure the top spot of the standings. Left winger @BensaPoju(Jerskayy) who was marked as the player to watch at season preview had a successful regular season and he has been the most lethal player for his team with 36 goals and 69 points in 30 games. In the end also his linemates on attack @Pikkardz and @Sokkelo__ were able to reach their own level and finish the regular season with +60 points. Defender @tombo_02 has played very well and his defensive partner @Frilander has filled the spot that was left behind by @Eemil with great success. The goalies of the team have been splitting the playing time quite equally for now, but I believe it’s the team captain @Erholtzi who will be the starting goalie to the series. It took some time to reach the full team potential that these great individuals have, but now they look unstoppable.

Here we are again, it’s another playoff season for Nordic Stars. In recent seasons, the playoffs have been very unfortunate for the Nordic Stars as the team’s season has always ended in the first round despite the excellent playing in the regular season. This time Nordic Stars struggled a bit as they had to go all the way to the last round of the regular season to win the spot in the playoffs. Could this be a good sign? It’s not a surprise that Captain @Vire30 has been the best attacker for his team this season with 54 points in 30 games. Other attackers @Iltapeli(apetttaja) and @Jerax13 aren’t that far in the stats table but it will be about much more than just finding goals for Nordic Stars this time. If the team wishes to cause a major surprise in the first round, defenders @Katunarski and @kikiukko will need all the help they get from the attackers. Also goalkeeper @Konu(xBenuu) will have to put forth his best performances so far to help his team to get rid of the playoff curse. The potential is surely there and the individual talent in this team is really high as well. Especially the last ten games of the regular season went really well for the team so the confidence is high and the winning form has been found.

Prediction: The pressure of winning will of course be on Tunnel Vision’s side but the team managed to overcome some serious troubles already during the regular season and this should have prepared their mental side for the playoffs as well. If Nordic Stars want to win the series, they will have to focus on disciplined defending and effective counter-attacking. However I can’t see Nordic Stars playing full trap-turtle kind of hockey so the players with the more defensive duties in the team will play a huge role for the team's success. Tunnel Vision has lots of playoff experience and they are a really complete team in every sector of the game. Only point that could be seen as a weakness for Tunnel Vision is their faceoff winning percentage (45.62%). If Nordic Stars could take advantage of this and gather a couple of goals with offensive faceoff tactics, things could get interesting. Nordic Stars have also taken quite many penalties in the regular season and this is what both teams should focus on. This is probably the hardest series for Nordic Stars in their near ECL history. Tunnel Vision is one of the clearest favourites for the cup and they are in excellent form. That's why: Tunnel Vision will win the series against Nordic Stars 4-0

(2) Djurgarden Hockey vs Blackdawgs (7)

Djurgarden Hockey was one of the teams that took the biggest steps forward compared to their last season In ECL 10 Pro where the team was left out of the playoffs by five points margin. Balance is the word to describe the reason behind the success. Team has been great in every part of the game this season and their playing style is going to be really suitable for playoff hockey as well. Former Almost Famous and KOVA Esports defender @jahajaha93 has brought the experience and confidence to Djurgarden Hockey’s back end which has helped his team to become one of the best defensive teams in the league. Stability at the back has also given his defensive pair and team captain @Jungledonk more freedom in offense, which has led him being one of the most effective defensemen in the league with 37 points in 30 games. One of the players in the attacking trio that deserves a special mention is the center @LordStanley46_, who started his career in ECL 10 Neo with champions Jarnkaminerna and is now heading to the ECL 11 Pro playoffs in his second ECL season! He surely has lots to thank for in wingers @Birkedal96 and @amadee21, who both are also playing their best season right now. Goalkeeper @Sorsa103 has been at his own consistent level the whole season and must be enjoying playing behind the current lineup.

Blackdawgs have had a pretty similar season so far as last time in ECL 10 Pro where the team finished 6th after the regular season. Last time they were able to beat TIKI TALK in the first round of the playoffs but this time they will face a team with a really different style of playing. The team roster has changed a lot from last season and the lineup seems to still be finding it's final form. @TheArska (XxProArskaxX) who was the team's leading point scorer last season hasn’t been included in the playing squad lately. Winger @Kucherov86 (Jalkkin-) has moved to defense and defender @Mistertyppo95 is now a center. @James(Jamechkin) has moved from his center position to right winger. These kinds of changes always raises questions - is the team confident and ready for the upcoming games, but when you watch the results from the last part of the regular season it has clearly had a positive effect on the teams playing. @dzouvi has been their star on offense with 53 points in 30 games and former HUIPPUPASSI defender @Mikax222 is having the best season of his career. Captain and goalkeeper @Serg1vratar has made some brave changes during the season. At Least it is clear now that if the lineup changes are the way to turn the series into Blackdawgs' favour, they have the courage and ability to do so.

Prediction: This will be the first time for Djurgarden Hockey in the playoffs. However, as said before the team is already playing with a style that could lead Djurgarden Hockey go far this season. Blackdawgs have gathered twice the amount of penalty minutes compared to their opponent and this is something that should be noted in both camps. As both teams are a real threat in powerplay it’s clear that there won’t be room for stupid penalties. If Djurgarden Hockey can continue playing with the stability they have been playing all season, it’s going to be a long series for Blackdawgs finding their way through their defense. On the other hand I see no major reasons why Blackdawgs couldn’t repeat the same outcome as in the last season, if they can find the balance and chemistry in the lineup after some shaking up. This series will not be an easy one for neither of these teams but I believe that Djurgarden Hockey has more quality as a team and more confidence after an outstanding regular season, therefore: Djurgarden Hockey will advance to the next round with a 4-2 score.

(2) FB_IMG_1589451198375.jpg.88e442636e7d88cff69f3f47eabd3edd.jpg Inter Iceland vs RCTIC RCTIC_Logo%20for%20NHLGamer2_20201109-201723.png (7)

The biggest surprise of the season so far - Inter Iceland has been phenomenal. The team that was called Shooting Stars in ECL 10 Pro finished in 12th place back then and was left out of the playoffs by a large margin. This time Inter Iceland finished 2nd in group 1 and without the bad period at the end of the season they would have won the group. Left winger @Stefan_397 has been in flames this season with 71 points in 30 games and his fellow attackers @Fire_019 and @x Holtbeast (xReuTschNer98x) have also enjoyed +50 points each in the regular season. Inter Iceland’s playbook relies on fast attack playing which sometimes may leave defenders a bit vulnerable. It seems that the arrival of experienced defender @xLVxRitchey has had a positive effect on the whole team and with his defensive partners @Drew-LeBlanc19 and @Charly Inter Iceland has been able to attack without a fear of deadly counter attacks. Team captain and goaltender @PLA77NER (Hasek-39--) has been among the best goalkeepers this season with a 80.23% save percentage in 30 games. If the team can improve their powerplay and penalty killing stats in the playoffs, Inter Iceland can continue surprising teams and make this season one to remember for them.

RCTIC was promoted from the Lite division before the season started and they have truly shown that NHLGamer staff made the correct decision. There was no doubt that this team could challenge for the playoff spot this season and they didn’t disappoint. @Hullued has been their most effective player so far with 60 points in 30 games. RCTIC made some changes in the last part of the regular season where center Hullued and left winger @meicci switched places and the team ended the season with a six game winning streak. Right winger @Pursuitti has also had a good season and his experience from Pro playoffs will be valuable for the team. Something that is certain is that you don’t want to let the defender @layout get shots on net. The captain has buried the puck with an incredible 44.4% shot efficiency from the point. I believe that @Mameluck88 who is currently playing his best season so far will be the starting LD for his team but @Zoueli will be ready to jump in if changes are needed. Experienced @Vaporik will most likely be the starting goalie for RCTIC. He has the past experience of successful playoff run with Almost Famous in ECL 6 Pro and he’s been great this season with his 82,7% save percentage in 22 games.

Prediction: This will be a tricky one. Inter Iceland has been excellent but their last rounds of the regular season were pretty bad. RCTIC was able to finish the season with a winning streak but their opponents were from the bottom of the table. Inter Iceland masters the fast counter attacking hockey and they have been able to win against teams that have really disciplined defence such as RCTIC. On the other hand RCTIC has shown especially in the FCL playoffs that they can be an excellent playoff team. It will also be a battle between two excellent goalies so I won’t expect many goals scored in this series. One thing that must be pointed out is that RCTIC has played only one ECL matchup in the Middle European server this season while Inter Iceland has got used to the ping difference between two matches. I’m pretty sure this will only have a minor effect on the results and it will be a tight series regardless of the circumstances. I believe this series will go all the way to a game seven where RCTIC will continue their good playoff form and be crowned as the ‘’Kings of Ice’’. RCTIC will win the series 4-3.

(3) Herlev Eagles vs Rookie Mistakes (6)

At the start of the season it was known that Herlev Eagles were going to be way better than they were back in ECL 10 Pro. The team took the league by storm, including a 13 game winning streak in their campaign and at the end of the season their player to watch @vibholm10 was crowned as the best goal scorer with an astonishing 44 goals in 30 games. He and their other winger @Spearzz_ been fed all season by center @Dreamickie who was the best playmaker of the season with 51 assists in 30 games. Goalkeeper @jubens_ has also played a good season with an around 80% save percentage in 30 games but the questions lies in their defense. It’s really interesting to see how the RD position will be filled in the playoffs. @oSandello has been the clear first choice for the LD position but the RD spot is shared with three different players. The last part of the regular season was honestly quite poor from the team and Herlev Eagles still have work to do returning to their earlier form. Despite the bad ending for the season, Herlev Eagles is still one of the best attacking teams in the whole league and at least they won’t become overconfident before the playoffs.

Rookie Mistakes were really close to getting to the playoffs already in their first season in ECL 10 Pro and this time they did it with style. It’s really impressive that all five skaters have had over 30 points this season. It means that it’s not enough to shut down only the attackers when playing against Rookie Mistakes when the defenders @Patsberg_ and @LE1PAKONE (NordZman_) have the skill to finish on the rush as well. Attacking trio @Flopper71, @xColeslaww and @Niskalaukaus have been playing together since the beginning of Rookie Mistakes and they have found that chemistry on ice that every team is after. Their point totals this season might not be as good as those of their opponents but it’s also because Rookie Mistakes defenders are often involved in their offensive play. Goalkeeper @Ilezki_‘s numbers in net aren’t the best in the league but this is due to the fact the team focuses heavily on attacking which can cause some difficult counter attacks for their goalie. However the numbers have been good enough to lead the team to the playoffs. Rookie Mistakes' powerplay has also been excellent this season and they are currently in good form.

Prediction: I believe that this series will be one to watch for people that like to see attacking hockey at its best and lots of goals. Two very similar teams go head to head in their first Pro playoffs and neither of these teams want to park the bus. Both teams rely heavily on attack so we will see coast to coast action from the very beginning to the final buzzer. Both teams want to avoid time in the penalty box since neither of the teams have been that great on penalty killing. That's why I believe that powerplay will play a major role in this series and the team that is able to figure out how to keep their own net clean during it, will have the upper hand. Both of these teams can be happy how their season has gone so far and there won’t be any extra pressure on either side. It will be all about adapting to your opponents game and the team that has more quality on finishing will win the series. I believe this time it’s @vibholm10 and his friends in Herlev Eagles, who will win the series 4-2.

(3) Enigma vs Company of Geeks (6)

Enigma’s season has been pretty similar to that of Tunnel Vision. Although Enigma had an even worse start and from the first ten games the team was able to win only three. Enigma made some adjustments to their roster as ECL 10 Pro champion @laitineen64 joined the team as starting centerman and @Ojamoska transferred to Elite team SJ Gaming. Since then the team's game has been reaching the potential that was expected before the season. Captain @Nieppii has continued where he left off last season being the best point scorer for his team. @laitineen64‘s arrival has been excellent as he has gathered 55 points in only 24 games. Right winger @sannteri might be a couple of points behind his linemates at the moment but his influence will be important in the playoffs as the last seasons have proved. After a rough start also defender @Makeaxl has reached his own level and with his, @Tappu‘s and @zNico‘s help Enigma has been able to bring back the balance in defense that will help them win games night after night. @Pirtsa89, who is playing his first season in Pro seems to be the starting goalie for now, but I bet @Jaakkomusta is ready for duty if he’s called upon.

Company of Geeks are playing their best season in a long time. They were among the teams that were able to improve their game significantly between the Pro seasons. Last time in ECL 10 Pro, the team had to fight for a Pro spot in the relegation series so compared to that, this season has been a massive success for them. Right winger @oggezed has been a playmaking machine this season with 50 assists and center @Jesus is the best goal scorer for his team. Adding the young and gifted winger @BlazEm0de-- (xDomin-) to their lineup has given the team a needed boost in the offensive zone and the team was one of the best goal scoring teams in the whole league. On the downside this hasn’t been the easiest season for defenders @Viktorhall, @Kingen_86and goalkeeper @Varabajare (eCeleste31) as the team has conceded the most goals compared to other teams in the playoffs. Team stats say that Company of Geeks hasn’t been able to score on powerplay but this seems to be because the captains haven’t added the results correctly on the website. The same reason is behind the excellent penalty killing percent as well. Therefore the opposing team shouldn’t focus on these numbers too much.

Prediction: Company of Geeks needs to figure out their defensive game if they want to challenge talented Enigma. On the other side, Enigma needs to make sure that they won’t start a scoring contest with Company of Geeks since the team is really dangerous if the game starts flowing from coast to coast. Last season Enigma started playing their best game when the playoffs started and the same is expected to happen again. The playoff experience and current good form should be enough for Enigma to take the series. However Company of Geeks have already made a great run this season which will give them a massive confidence boost for the start of the series. If Company of Geeks could start the series strong, continue punishing their opponents with dangerous counter attacks from takeaways and find the balance to keep their own net clean, it could become a very challenging series for Enigma. I still believe that individual talent and the way those individuals have blended to a team during the season will result in Enigma winning the series comfortably. Enigma will advance to the next round with the score 4-1.

(4) Vaxjo Lakers vs Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa (5)

Vaxjo Lakers has had a solid season so far. They have been the better team in most of the games and many of the defeats they have faced have come as a surprise in matchups where the team has been clearly the better side either in the first or in the second game. I like to believe that Vaxjo Lakers haven’t shown their full potential just yet and their opponents should be prepared for this. Right winger @Kattenj has been the MVP of the season so far with 74 points in 30 games. He has found the perfect chemistry with @EDHOLMINHO and former Farjestad BK player @eBasstian on attack and especially on the powerplay this trio has been extremely lethal with a triangle setup around the net. Vaxjo Lakers have a stunning 46,34 % success rate on powerplay so the opponents must avoid penalties at all costs. @Hockeyjohannes has been the backbone of the defence and goalkeeper @MrAllsvenskan serves as the final lock in the net. We will see who will play the RD position as @Samuel edholm (EDHOLMEN3) and @Gustafsson7 have been splitting the game time so far. This shouldn’t affect too much on the teams playing since both guys are having a good season.

Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa’s season has been a mixed one. The first half of the season was mostly victorious but the team faced some troubles at the end of the season. Still they were able to secure the playoff spot comfortably at the end of the regular season. All three attackers @Ikavalko, @JesseL2002 and @Naikou88 have had a solid +40 points season and also both defenders @Crisu_rottisand @MCH_98 have been able to gather a good amount of points during the season. Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa relies on good team performance, there won’t be a goal scoring festival on ice when this team is playing and that can also be seen in the stats table. Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa’s style of hockey will serve them well in the playoffs and at times it can get really frustrating for the opposing team to find holes in FKV’s disciplined defense and that is when the Wolves will strike back. Despite the relatively low individual stats on attack, Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa has the quality to punish their opponent if they lose their focus and I believe that is what the team is aiming for. The team has two excellent goalies @Kaapro666 (X_KABA_X) and @SpiderRoyal and my guess is that X_KABA_X , who is currently playing his best season in net, will be the starting goalie for the series.

Prediction: Here we have two teams that are in completely different forms at the moment. Vaxjo Lakers had a great run in the last part of the season while Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa was struggling a bit. However both teams ended their season comfortably in the middle of playoff seeding and the margins will be extremely small in this matchup. Both teams are really balanced and stacked with individual talent. Vaxjo Lakers powerplay will definitely be one of the deciding factors and points to follow in this series. If Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa can succeed in penalty killing they can take away one of the biggest weapons Vaxjo Lakers have had this season although this alone won’t be enough to turn the series as neither of the teams have had problems staying out of the penalty box. Both teams desperately want to win the series as both teams have a pretty equal chance for winning the cup this season. Predicting this series is extremely difficult so I have to trust that Vaxjo Lakers will benefit from their current form and start the series with a couple of tight wins which will give them a mental edge over their opponents and carry them through to the second round. Therefore Vaxjo Lakers will win the series 4-2.

(4) Pata Hellalla vs ZSC Esports (5)

Pata Hellalla did what was expected already in the season preview. Last season they managed to stay in the league by winning the relegation series and since then the team has been able to constantly improve their game and now it has rewarded them with a 4th place in the regular season and a place in the playoffs. Fast straight forward hockey has suited the team and it’s players very well and with the right mindset this team can be a really tricky opponent. From the players of the team, defender @JOHTAJAVIRTANEN deserves to be singled out with an incredible 39 points in 30 games which gave him a second place in defenders stats in regular season. Center @Tetrejev is the scoring leader for his team with 51 points in 30 games and both wingers @siiderihai and @vizka13 have had a solid +40 points season as well. Captain @kungenkurwa also has 30 points in the bag so it has been an excellent season not only for the team but for every player personally as well. Goalkeeper @Nixa_da_fck has had another good season with a 80.18% save percentage as he continues taking steps forward in his career. It is great to see how much a team can improve between seasons without any major changes in the roster. Pata Hellalla should serve as an example for many teams in the community.

Since getting the promotion to Pro division ZSC Esports has been a familiar team in the playoffs. In the previous seasons the journey has ended in the first round, but the opponent has always been almost the hardest possible for them. This time they won’t be facing Vesa Pompa or Enigma but winning won’t be any easier despite that as they will face another heavily offensive-oriented team. @Alex28 (I__LX__I) has played the best season of his career with 68 points in 30 games and he should be marked with extra care. Center and captain @Original-SnuS has had another good season and on the right wing @Freeman7187 will most likely be the starting player despite missing 10 games compared to other attackers. Defender @Toneee9 was one of the best defenders in ECL 10 Lite and he has continued the good form in Pro division as well with 30 points in 26 games. @Haldeem will continue being his solid self at the RD position. Every attacker who has played against this guy knows that there seems to be now way around him so especially Vizka- will have lots of work ahead. @afc_Tschitsch will most likely be the starting goalie for the team while @burban26 will have to wait for his turn. ZSC Esports had the most hits after GOONS in the regular season so Pata Hellalla should keep their heads up.

Prediction: Both teams have had a pretty similar season so far winning most of their games without any major winning or losing streaks. ZSC Esports has had twice as many penalties as Pata Hellalla this season and their penalty killing percentage is quite low. If Pata Hellalla could improve their powerplay to the playoffs this could give them an advantage but also if ZSC Esports could stay away from the penalty box they should be the stronger team in the 5v5 game. Just like in the Inter Iceland vs RCTIC series, servers will play a minor role in how the series will go but it can’t be used as an excuse since both teams are in a similar position. ZSC Esports has scored more goals than Pata Hellalla this season and conceded less, so the stats will be on ZSC Esports' side at the start of the series. I believe that ZSC Esports have more hunger for success since the past seasons have ended in the first round of the playoffs for them, while Pata Hellalla has already made great work finding their way out of the relegation zone to the playoffs. That’s why ZSC Esports will win the series 4-2

As the old saying is: ‘’Anything can happen in the playoffs’’. It’s already a great achievement to play your way to the playoffs but now we will truly see who is the best of the best. We hope you enjoy playing or watching the games. Play hard and fair, respect your opponents and have fun!

As always the comment section is open for your opinions and feedback of this article and the playoff series itself.