Action is just about to kick off in the playoffs of the Pro division! The theme of the regular season was parity unlike what we've seen before. Many teams expected to be at the top struggled immensely, opening up opportunities for other teams to thrive. Let's kick off the postseason!
Structure & Prize Pool
Lainaa5.6 ECL Pro Playoffs
In ECL Pro, 8 out of 16 teams from each group will make the playoffs, in which they will be cross-seeded best against worst according to the tiebreakers mentioned in 11.3. After the first round has been played, the teams will then be seeded based on PPG. The winner of ECL Pro will be instantly promoted, however the runner up will have to play (and win) a series vs. an Elite opponent in order to attain promotion. The two ECL Pro semifinal losers will each play one ECL Elite team ranked 13 or 14, cross-seeded according to the tiebreakers mentioned in 11.3. Teams that finish in places 9-11 will neither play in the playoffs nor be subject to a qualification tournament or relegation. Teams that finish 12th – 14th will be placed into a qualification tournament to secure their spot in Pro for the next ECL (see section 5.11 for more information). Finally, teams that finish 15th – 16th will be instantly relegated.
Schedule
Lainaa10.6.2 ECL Pro
Playoff Schedule
- Round of 16: 8.-12.5.
- Quarterfinals: 15.-25.5.
- Semifinals: 30.5.-2.6.
- Finals: 5.-6.6. (TBC)
Broadcasts
As you have grown accustomed to during the regular season, there will be at least one Pro broadcast per week on Tuesdays, with a 19.45 CEST start time. You can access that and our other live content on the SportsGamer Twitch, where you can also find our up-to-date stream schedule.
This preview was written in co-operation by @Wpaanane & @jahajaha93.
(1) 
Reality Check vs (8) 
GHETTO FIREBIRDS
Reality Check really flexed their muscles by once again going all out in a powerful regular season showing. They showed their power at goal scoring, getting the most goals in group 1. Adding @Mikax222 and @JesseL2002 to their lineup has made Reality Check maybe the favorites to win whole Pro Division.
On the other hand, GHETTO FIREBIRDS didn't have as good of a regular season as expected but they still managed to claim the needed points for a playoff spot. Adding @Valluxet and @Talonmies69 (Talonm1es) to their lineup hasn't really worked out in the best way yet but this team is capable of winning games when they find good form and get the real mentality.
This series will be tough and we'll be excited to see if GHETTO FIREBIRDS can challenge Reality Check for the spot to the Quarterfinals.
Key players from both teams can be found on the wing as Reality Check's @Pursuitti 29+31=60 scored most goals for his team in the regular season. GHETTO FIREBIRDS' winger @Valluxet 25+23=48 also scored most goals for his team in the regular season. We'll see if these players keeps scoring goals in the increasingly important games.
Prediction:
@jahajaha93: Plays for GHETTO FIREBIRDS
@Wpaanane: 4-2 Reality Check
(1) 
Växjö Lakers vs (8) 
Geekz Energy eSports
Finishing 1st in Group 2, the mixed nationality roster repping the Swedish hockey club Växjö Lakers delivered as they were expected to, perhaps even a bit better. Having that successful regular season Växjö Lakers must have confidence for the upcoming first round of the playoffs and they aren't looking to slow down any time soon. Växjö Lakers scored the most goals in the entire Pro division with 110 goals in 30 games played.
Geekz Energy eSports started their season by losing six games in a row, but after that something clicked and they started to claim points on a nightly basis and they finished 8th in group 1. They are a dangerous counter-attack team that can strike in the blink of an eye.
Key players for both of these teams you can find on center position. Växjö's @dzouvi with 26+26=62 is a former Elite division player, who had a wonderful regular season alongside @Kattenj on his left flank, who was the teams leading point getter with the phenomenal 35+47=82 points. Geekz Energy eSports' centerman @Krinke 21+26=47 is also a former Elite player, a very skillful center with great faceoff ability (53.4% as his faceoff percent). We'll see can Geekz Energy eSports answer to this huge challenge when they are up against another contender Växjö Lakers.
Prediction:
@jahajaha93: 4-0 Växjö Lakers
@Wpaanane: 4-0 Växjö Lakers
(2) 
HanaaHC vs (7) 
VISU Gaming
HanaaHC, the runner-up from Group 1, hopes to make a deeper playoff run than last season. They fell short against noRex Gaming in game six of the Winter season. They had a great regular season and if they are keeping the same form up, they are going trough from this round with relative ease. VISU Gaming missed playoffs last season but they were active in the offseason and added @IKarkkiI, @Pontinho(I-CLAUGHTON-I) and @jubex0r to their core and made their way to the playoffs this time around. This matchup will bring us tight and small margin games.
Key players in this series are both playing on the left wing. Hanaa HC's @xLeikku 33+34=67 continued where he left off last season and had a great regular season. VISU Gaming's experienced left wing @hpkfani(MuKiMaisteri) 39+23=62 also has a great regular season behind. MuKiMaisteri scored 39 goals in 30 games, being the top scorer for VISU Gaming and the second best finisher in the division. Also VISU Gaming's rookie defenseman @Pontinho (I-CLAUGHTON-I) 6+25=31 had an excellent regular season as a rookie. We'll see how he performs in the playoffs.
Prediction:
@jahajaha93: 4-2 HanaaHC
@Wpaanane: 4-3 HanaaHC
(2) 
Deadly Phantoms vs (7) 
Sulkavan Sudet
The German pride Deadly Phantoms is on a mission to make their way back to the Elite division and will make life miserable for anyone that will try to stop them. This is one of the most complete teams in the division and despite not outright dominating in the regular season, the German outfit is built to take down strong opposition in gruelling playoff competition. Coming into the playoffs in 8-1-1 form also is very telling of their form right now, and they look like they could be on the brink of peaking at the right time.
Sulkavan Sudet, on the other hand were a team that many expected to be in the middle of the pack or even finish outside of playoff position. The team is a true Pro division juggernaut and possess a tremendous amount of experience to get the job done. The grinding they've done in Pro thus far has only fuelled the fire and these guys must be very hungry to show everyone that they have the necessary skill to move up the ranks. Statistically, it looks like it's going to be mission impossible for the wolfpack to overcome the German side, but we'll be smarter after a minimum of four games.
The Phantoms have some of the best players in the division at several positions, but especially important to them are centerman @PlaymakerSJ (28+25=53), defenseman @xXPsykoSkillsXx (12+32=44) and goalie @RPH_31 (17 W, 83.33 SV%, 1.42 GAA), not only due to their excellent numbers, but the intangibles that these guys possess through the experience they've got with the team. Sulkava doesn't quite have the roster to match, but the pressure to get his team to perform to the best level will be on captain @Oxdoggi (14+28=42).
Prediction:
@jahajaha93: 4-0 Deadly Phantoms
@Wpaanane:
(3) 
Tohtorit vs (6) 
Herlev Eagles
We're going to see tight small margin games in this matchup. Tohtorit is 11-0-1 in their last 12 games, whereas Herlev Eagles barely managed to pave their way to the playoffs. Both of these teams are very skilled so we're expecting to see some nice plays and nice goals between these two teams. Especially puck movement and the pace of it will be an important factor.
From Herlev Eagles' side @TeikDaun and also from Tohtorit's side @Stammer70 will be important, both goalies can win games for their own side and could end up tipping the scales if one of them gets hot early on. Also wingers from these both teams are in the spotlight as @keranee and @vibholm10 are very dangerous especially in the offensive zone. Also Tohtorit wingers @Ojala16 and @Ristimaki12 are both passing playmakers but have the ability to sniff a scoring chance when the opportunity presents itself.
This will be a tough one but Tohtorit are a slight favorite to win this matchup. Herlev Eagles needs to step up after a difficult regular season if they are going to win this series.
Prediction:
@jahajaha93: 4-2 Tohtorit
@Wpaanane: 4-1 Tohtorit
We're going all the way in this one! Be a Bro and RCTIC are clashing in a matchup between two very experienced and skilled rosters. Despite Be a Bro being assembled over the offseason, the squad still holds several veteran players that have found chemistry nicely along the way. RCTIC, on the other hand, are now in their third consecutive ECL Pro season with increasingly good results. Some fluctuation to start the season really did RCTIC in when trying to gain a higher finish, but they managed to find their form later on, much alike their competition in Be a Bro.
Key players for both teams can be found on the wing, as Be a Bro's @imosi and @rakkauspakkaus- have been great with production for them, but they've been nowhere near the production level of RCTIC's @Limbe65, who finished third in the league and first in goals with 47+24=71. While Limbe will be the definite X-Factor for RCTIC, it's undeniable that Be a Bro has the wider arsenal and they've still got the highest scoring defenseman @MCH_98 (8+33=41) in their ranks, who we haven't even mentioned yet!
Prediction:
@jahajaha93: 3-4 RCTIC
@Wpaanane: 4-2 Be a Bro
Sinister has some of the most exciting up and coming players in the game on their roster with @OsquuG and @JerePaloranta (Harlowi-) leading the way, but they are lacking in the experience department. Look for their defensemen @xeblax1 (TonninHazzi) and @Thewix93 (thewix_1) to hold down the fort while the youngsters up top try to wreak havoc in the Renascor end.
The Russian side surprised this season with a great run thus far after losing some key components in the offseason. The departure of star player @Valluxet has perhaps forced players like @Virusactive and @ilyagolubev (tendeerly) to elevate their game, and they have done so on command. Quite some time has passed since any of these players have made a deep Pro playoff push, so consider them as green to the stage as the Sinister side.
The difference in individual skill and scoring power tips the scales heavily in favor of the Sinister squad, but if the Russians can find a way to really pull things together in their own end, you never know what could happen in a one-goal game. The further we go without a goal on the board, the better the situation is for Renascor throughout.
In terms of goalie duels, this one is quite interesting. Renascor have their mainstay @sumskoy26 (SumkaX), who actually improved statistically quite a lot from last season (+5,03SV% and -0,06GAA, +3 shutouts). Sinister will be icing @PuukAesi (rransu), who very much alike his teammates, isn't overly experienced at this level and has slowly grown into the goalie he is today. Statistically, he is better than his counterpart, but it's tough to draw conclusions based on that when both teams have competed in different groups. We're calling this even for now, and the guys will show us who takes the cake come puck drop.
Prediction:
@jahajaha93: 4-1 Sinister
@Wpaanane: 4-2 Sinister
We're in for a tight one in this matchup. Hokurit were one of the sensations last season, but suffered some big losses in the offseason. Despite that, they have been able to bounce back nicely and the experience they've gathered has now solidified them as a bona fide playoff team in the Pro division. On the other side we have AHJO, the former Dynastia. This squad has had a rather streaky season, but their campaign has been good enough thus far. In the playoffs, they'll need to elevate their level even more and they seem to be at the brink of peak form with their 7-2-1 record in the last ten games.
Statistically, the two squads are very similar, and one team running away with games shouldn't be expected. If any differences should be highlighted, the AHJO squad looks a bit more individually skilled and since putting @TheArska (XxProArskaxX) on defense, their game has clicked very well. However, we mustn't forget that Hokurit definitely do possess that skill too, and a player like @J-_-Jamaltheman could be a difference maker for them.
Both of these teams are on the aggressive side, and like to put pressure on the opposing team with physical play. AHJO with their 113 PIMs were among most penalized teams in the division, and Hokurit with 105 PIMs aren't close behind. This leads us to expect a fair amount of special teams play in this series, which again gives a slight advantage in the favor of AHJO both on the powerplay and penalty kill.
Prediction:
@jahajaha93: 4-2 AHJO
@Wpaanane: Plays for AHJO
Socials
Here's an update to the social media instructions. Our sponsors this season are Kouvolan Lakritsi, St Hockey & Wilhelm.
Twitter:
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Note: It is very helpful and critical for us to succeed in getting our partners tagged, so they get the necessary mentions and interaction to validate their participation in the future. That being said, it is understandable that there may be circumstances due to your other partners where you are unable to tag competition etc. Your support is appreciated.
As there are quite a few hashtags by now, especially from a Twitter perspective with limited characters, we recommend using at least #ECL22Spring in the text part of the tweet and leave the sponsor tags for the end. If you need to cut out tags, remove #esports and #NHL22. For Instagram this shouldn't be an issue.
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