NHLGamers,

You've worked hard and come all this way. Now it's only time to work harder.

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs.. Then you'll be a man, my son.". The iconic poem If by Rudyard Kipling addresses the reader in an attempt to build faith. If you believe, then you will also more likely succeed - all four remaining teams will want the trophy in a few weeks time.

In the upcoming semifinals, we'll be in for some interesting battles and some exciting storylines, as both Swedish and Finnish esports fans will have something to cheer for as one matchup showcases SHL teams Linköping HC and Färjestad BK, whereas the other one is a clash between finish esports organisations HAVU Gaming and hREDS. 

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5.3 ECL Elite Playoffs

In ECL Elite, 8 out of 16 teams will make the playoffs. Teams that finish in places 9-12 will neither play in the playoffs nor be subject to relegation. Teams that finish in places 13, 14 & 15 will each play the ECL Pro semifinalists, as well as the Pro runner up. In addition to this, the 16th placed team will be instantly relegated to ECL Pro for the next season.

10.5.1 ECL Elite Playoff Schedule
• Quarterfinals: 17.5 - 24.5
   - Monday 18th: Series 1 & Series 2 - Games 1 & 2
   - Wednesday 20th: Series 1 & Series 2 - Games 3 & 4
   - Thursday 21st: Games 5-7 (Where available)
   - Sunday 24th: Games 5-7 (Where available)
• Semifinals: 25.5 - 31.5
   - Monday 25th: Both series - Games 1 & 2
   - Wednesday 27th: Both series - Games 3 & 4
   - Thursday 28th: Games 5-7 (Where available)
   - Sunday 31st: Games 5-7 (Where available)
• Finals: 5.6 - 6.6
   - Friday 5th: Games 1-3
   - Saturday 6th: Games 4-7 (Where available)

Here are the matchups for the ECL 10 Elite semifinals:

(2)  Linkoping HC vs Farjestad BK  (8)

PLAYOFF RECORD
4-0 (Roots) vs 4-1 (JYP Jyvaskyla)

TOP SCORER
Erik @Eki Tammenpää (3+7=10) vs Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg (6+2=8)

GOALTENDER
Casper @ICappeI Lundgren (4 W, 87,88 SV%, 1 GAA, 1 SO) vs Johan @Rundqviiist Rundqvist (4 W, 86,44 SV%, 1,6 GAA, 0 SO)

Let's start off by acknowledging the incredible feat of upsetting the number 1 seed that Farjestad BK pulled off to start the playoffs. It's something out of the ordinary and has last happened back in ECL 4 in a matchup between #1 seed MUKIMIEHET and #8 seed Limitless, a series in which now dear teammates in Linköping, Erik @Eki Tammenpää (MUKIMIEHET) & Paul @PleeMaker Arontie (Limitless) took part on opposing sides of the ice. Having such an upset occur at an early stage can throw off the playoff picture a bit, which it has in this case too. Linkoping is a tremendously consistent team, which is easily proven by the fact that they've been either title holders or contenders ever since surfacing at the Elite level in ECL 7. This season, the team has been on a record-setting streak with both a forward (Plee) and a defenseman (Aleksi @loimmu Loimuvirta) setting all-time scoring records. In the quarters, the white lions laid a beating on Roots by sweeping the 7th seed in convincing manner. Now, in comparison Roots and FBK are two very different opponents. Actually FBK entertains a playing style unlike any other at this level. The team has been looking for stretch passes up the boards and the coined "Pelimies"-play up the middle all season long, and have seemingly found space to create other plays due to the constant threat of a stretch pass. That combined with a solid defense and goaltender Johan @Rundqviiist Rundqvist making a solid case for being among the top goaltenders in the world is what led to the team overcoming heavy favorite JYP and now being a solid contender. 

(3)  HAVU Gaming vs hREDS  (4)

PLAYOFF RECORD
4-0 (BRAYCE Phantoms) vs 4-3 (Unlucky Boys HC)

TOP SCORER
Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha (4+8=12) vs Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen (5+11=16)

GOALTENDER
Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen (4 W, 90 SV%, 1 GAA, 2 SO) vs Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen (4 W, 83,91 SV%, 2 GAA, 1 SO)

HAVU Gaming and hREDS are a somewhat expected pairing at this point of the season, as both of these powerhouses were predicted to finish among the top teams in the standings. HAVU is the more established team and obviously some heavy expectations rest on those shoulders - nothing the guys aren't used to. On the other side, hREDS is the home to some of the most exciting talent in the game right now, but the team being more of a combination of talent from various sources isn't as coherent of a unit - at least yet. We've seen a number of surprises in the playoffs over the years and this season has been no exception to that, so maybe hREDS can overcome the odds? With certainty we can say that this battle will determine who is the greatest gaming org in the ECL at the moment, and a victory will surely provide the prevailing side with some social media ammo for the foreseeable future. For HAVU, the team has been led from the back by Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen, who as usual has been a beast in net and will continue to pain the forwards facing him. The REDS have the offensive tools to match HAVU with Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen leading the way over the course of the season, but they need to focus on staying out of the box, 5 on 5 hockey is what they need as much as possible of if they want to walk away as winners. 

How to watch?

The games will be broadcasted at NHLGamer's Twitch-channel according to the schedule below:

Monday, May 25th
20:00 CEST Series 1: Games 1-2 (puck drop around 20:20)
 Farjestad BK vs Linkoping HC 

21:30 CEST Series 2: Games 1-2  (puck drop around 21:30-22:00 - but only after the above games are finished)
 hREDS vs HAVU Gaming 

Wednesday, May 27th
20:00 CEST Series 3: Games 3-4 (puck drop around 20:20)
 Farjestad BK vs Linkoping HC 
21:30 CEST Series 4: Games 3-4 (puck drop around 21:30-22:00 - but only after the above games are finished)
 hREDS vs HAVU Gaming 

Thursday, May 28th
20:00 CEST Series x: Games 5-7 (puck drop around 20:20)
AFTER THAT Series y: Games 5-7 (only after the above games are finished)

NHLGamers,

Today is a special day. 

As elven queen Lady Galadriel put it in Peter Jackson’s cinematic masterpiece The Lord of the Rings; “I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air.”.

Today is the day when ECL Elite completes its quarterfinal stage and we get down to the final four contenders for the crown of ECL Grand Champion. The teams referred to as “The Big Two” in Part I of our Season Preview, HAVU Gaming and Linköping HC, both swept their quarterfinal series 4-0 against BRAYCE Phantoms and Roots, respectively. With that, last season’s finalists are already back in the semifinals. Now who will join them?

  Färjestad BK - JYP Jyväskylä 

SERIES SCORE
3-1

TOP SCORER
Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg (5+1=6) vs Antti @tbnantti Kuittinen (1+5=6)

GOALTENDER
Johan @Rundqviiist Rundqvist (3 W, 85,11 SV%, 1,75 GAA, 0 SO) vs Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos (1 W, 70,37 SV%, 2 GAA, 1 SO)

This series has the makings of an upset as 8th seed Färjestad BK has pushed regular season winners JYP Jyväskyla to the brink of elimination. Up 3-1 in the series, FBK has set themselves up with three separate match points – to borrow a tennis term – and will look to close out the series early tonight against JYP. FBK took a commanding 2-0 series lead on the first game day of the series. JYP came back to win Game 3 but series standout Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg made sure to bring Game 4 back in FBK’s camp, scoring the deciding 3-2-goal with mere seconds remaining of the third period. JYP has struggled to get their powerful offense going, with left-winger Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola even abandoning his patented Grinder build; the build that saw him lead the regular season in hits, to try his luck as a smaller Sniper. So far, FBK:s defense and goaltender Johan @Rundqviiist Rundqvist has stood tall. Employing a similarly powerful build to kriketski's original, FBK right-winger Sebastian @eBasstian Nagel has made it his personal mission to hit everything and everyone in sight – making it tough for JYP's offensive-minded defenders Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen and Ilmari @iilmarii Töyrylä to navigate through the neutral zone. In the end, a lot has come down to affelj in this matchup. From the timely game-deciding goals to the constant threat of him sneaking in behind JYP's defense, the tiny Swedish Sniper has been the biggest thorn in JYP's side through the first four games of the series. Will we see the upset completed tonight? Or will JYP re-discover their offense and find it within themselves to turn the series around?
 

 Unlucky Boys HC - hREDS 

SERIES SCORE
2-2

TOP SCORER
Antti @Anhel Kuru (3+2=5) vs Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen (2+6=8)

GOALTENDER
Ville @Viltzup Poutiainen (2 W, 78,72 SV%, 2,5 GAA, 0 SO) vs Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen (2 W, 87,5 SV%, 1,5 GAA, 1 SO)

With the exception of Game 2 where hReds walked all over Unlucky Boys to the tune of a 6-1 win, this series has been a real nail-biter. UB took home Game 1 in overtime, hReds took Game 3 off a beautiful deciding goal with less than a minute remaining from Joakim @Joukki Nyholm and with Game 4, we saw overtime once again. On the powerplay, Julius @Exel56 Rissanen snuck down from his spot as left defender and delivered a crushing slapshot to the top corner off an intelligent feed from right-winger Tim @Timasy Hess, ending hReds hopes to go up 3-1 in the series. 
We know the matchup tonight will feature at least two games between these teams. We can’t say for sure if the games will be close or not but based on how the series has gone thus far it’s a pretty safe bet. We might even see three games; wouldn’t that be something? Regardless if there is a Game 7 or not, these teams have given it everything they’ve got and will continue to do so all the way to the end. Today will be a special day. I can smell it in the air. Now let's drop the puck and play some hockey.

Tune in for all the action starting tonight at 20:00 CEST over at www.twitch.tv/nhlgamer, alternatively ISTV, and Ruutu for our Finnish viewers.

NHLGamers,

All of us surely appreciate the progress our beloved NHLGamer platform has made. Recently, before the start of ECL 10, quite a few longtime squads got signed by team/Esports organizations, which obviously is a big step forward on that front. The battle at the top of Elite has been tremendous this season, with JYP Jyväskylä and hREDS challenging top teams Linköping HC and HAVU Gaming, but there are quite a lot of good teams and players in the shadow of those powerhouse clubs, creating a extremely tight playoff battle. Today, we want to take a closer look. Now it’s time to get to know the ECL’s Elite.

It’s been a while since the first time we did one of our Player Profile-articles, which had Lauri @Lamsa Lämsä in the starring role. The former Rusty Blades winger will now be succeeded by Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker. You probably know that name already, and if not, that’s on you. Simon has been around since ECL1, where he played for UKnighted HC and finished Top Five in scoring with 66 points in 23 games. The left-handed Center then put up 34 points in 13 playoff contests, but UKnighted couldn’t get past well known Synergy Hockey in the quarterfinals. Simon didn’t participate in ECL2 and ECL3 due to scheduling issues, but then came back for the fourth season and he’s been active ever since. After having stints with Germany’s Finest and Inter Iceland, he ultimately joined Deadly Phantoms HC.

The german team formed by @Rayman just got promoted to ECL Pro at the time and Playmaker immediately raised the level of play. His calming presence lead the team to a playoff spot in their inaugural Pro season, where the team lost to powerhouse FILADELPHIA (now Linköping) in the second round of the postseason. The team made a couple new additions for ECL7, Playmaker stayed. He led his club in scoring once again and this time the Phantoms were actually deadly and secured the Pro title as well as the promotion to ECL Elite. He then cemented his status as the best german center in the scene, torching the national opposition in GCL3 with 120 points in only 23 matches. Especially in the german scene Simon created his special wraparound and well known move called "Der Junker“ – (Junker is his last name).

The Phantoms then became the first ever german team to participate in ECL Elite and surprised quite a lot of people with their fourth-place finish. This time around, Playmaker was the second best scorer on the Phantoms while maintaining his ridiculously strong Two-Way-Game. "I think that I have a good understanding of the game. I have been playing at a high level for a few years now and I demand a lot from myself. In addition, I have already played with many different wingers, which allows me to adapt to almost all types of players“, the 25 year-old explained his success. "...And I am very strong at the push-faceoff. Connor @MartindalexC Martindale can confirm that“, he added.

A while ago, as you may have noticed, the Deadly Phantoms became the BRAYCE Phantoms after agreeing to a cooperation with the sports merchandising company. PlaymakerSJ played a big role in that development with his consistent play over the last few years. Phantoms-Captain Mannheimer said: "Simon raised our level of play and our creativity. With his patience, he is an absloute weapon in the offensive zone and still great defensively.“

After a tough go in ECL 9, where the club actually got relegated in a hard-fought-series over seven games against Vesa Pompa, but later retained their Elite-spot in the qualification series, the roster has changed quite a bit. Long-time member Maximilian @gzell60 Käsmaier announced his retirement , which lead to Niklas @xXPsykoSkillsXx Schmitz stepping up in a bigger role. Also new addition Stephan @Krinke Krinke has emerged into a capable goalscorer in his inaugural season in Europes top division after a spot in the offense opened up. Simon is still there, leading the team to a solid bounce back season - right now, the Phantoms are fighting in the playoffs after reaching the playoffs for the second time in their third ECL Elite campaign. And after years of being disadvantaged, they finally have the servers on their side as well!

Personally, the Neuss-native is still living in that area, working in Dusseldorfs District Government of Market Surveillance. Unlike his stats on NHLGamer, that sounds extremely boring. With 350 goals, 516 assists and 866 points, Playmaker currently sits in sixth place of NHLGamers All-Time-Points list across all competitions, and there is still more to come.

NHLGamers,

The first round of the ECL 10 Lite playoffs is now finished. Sixteen pairs gave us an entertaining start for the playoffs this season and we've already witnessed some great teams such as SOPPAJENGI and NOVA exiting the tournament, which proves that the level of play in Lite is really high at the moment and any of the remaining teams have a real chance to win the cup.

For the sixteen teams that were beaten in the first round we want to say thank you and keep your heads up, you did a great job getting this far, and for the sixteen teams that will continue to the next round, congratulations! You are one step closer to the Pro promotions and the Lite finals.

It’s extremely hard to predict which of the teams will eventually advance but we will give you our best try. Obviously we also appreciate the community opinion so feel free to comment your favourite teams, players and the reason why you see them going through to the next round.

Let's refer to the rulebook for how our playoffs will commence:

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5.6 ECL Lite Playoffs

In ECL Lite, the top 8 teams from each of the 4 groups will make the playoffs. Regarding the seeding however, we will be using the following system:

Group winners are seeded #1-4
Group runners-up #5-8
Teams that finished 3rd #9-12
Teams that finished 4th #13-16
Teams that finished 5th #17-20
Teams that finished 6th #21-24
Teams that finished 7th #25-28
Teams that finish 8th #29-32
Furthermore, the individual seeding of the teams will be in accordance with the tiebreakers mentioned in 11.3.

10.5.3 ECL Lite Playoff Schedule

• Playoffs Round 1: 12.5 -18.5
• Playoffs Round 2: 19.5 -25.5
• Quarterfinals: 26.5 -1.6
• Semifinals: 2.6 -8.6
• Finals: 9.6 -15.6

Here are the pairs for the second round of the ECL 10 Lite playoffs : 

 Sack Brothers vs  Tic Tac Toes (25)

Sack Brothers were the best team in the regular season and continued their good form by beating HockeyProfessorn HC (32) by a series score of 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs. This extremely talented group is dangerous in the offensive zone but also consistent at the back end. Sack Brothers goalkeeper @mikeruud was also one of the best goalkeepers in the regular season with help from his defence so it’s going to be all but easy to win this team. However, Tic Tac Toes proved in the first round that they are ready to beat the favourites. They won sensational newcomers Piiraaka Osuus ja Nakki (8) in the first round with a score of 4-2 which surely gave them the confidence needed to challenge the main favourites as well. Tic Tac Toes have the experience of center @Artuzioand goalkeeper @Jiihooo86 that can be really valuable in the playoffs. The first round also proved that the less experienced players in the team have found the right level to compete in the playoffs so Sack Brothers will have to be at their best in every game if they want to keep winning and advance to the next round.

Key points to follow:

Sack Brothers demolishing attack against an inexperienced Tic Tac Toes defense: Can Tic Tac Toes find the way to stop Sack Brothers from scoring and if this happens, are Sack Brothers able to change their way of play to compensate for the situation.

Centers @Artuzio vs @luosttin: Faceoffs are really important in the playoffs where scoring can be really tough at times. Successful faceoff tactics in the offensive zone have won games many times especially in the OT periods. Both of these centers are used to winning their faceoffs so this could balance the odds a bit.

The main favourites against the challengers: Sack Brothers will start the series as a firm favourites which also builds pressure on their side. How can they handle the situation if Tic Tac Toes can take the lead in the series or stretch it all the way to the game seven? 

Prediction: Sack Brothers have been convincing from the very start of the season to the first playoff round. Tic Tac Toes will give them a worthy opponent but the quality on the attack will win the series to Sack Brothers 4-1. 
 

 EBR eSports Official (2) vs  Old Farts (21)

EBR eSports Official had a really good regular season where they won group 2 with an eight point difference to second placed Ducktales BK. They had no major problems in the first playoff round series against DIKTATUURI (31) that ended 4-1 to EBR eSports Officials favour. EBR likes to keep the puck possession but also shoot a lot which brings variation to their way of play. It may become important now when they are facing a different playstyle compared to their opposition in the first round. The teams point leader, right winger @Keuschemisch took a big role in the regular season and also helped his team with eight goals in five games in the first round of playoffs. Their opponents Old Farts represents one of the most physical teams in the playoffs this season. They had the second most hits of the teams that started the playoffs and especially team captain @Ankkalasvegas has been active in laying the body, which has also led him taking lots of penalties. In the first playoff round, Old Farts convincingly beat Saucer Hockey (12) with a sweep and especially new signing, right winger @farssine stood out for his team by scoring 8 of 14 goals that Old Farts netted against Saucer Hockey.  

Key points to follow:

Physical gamestyle against puck possession: Can Old Farts mess their opponents gameplan up with their aggressive approach and will EBR eSports Official be able to use this to their advantage especially if they get a lot of time on powerplay?

Threat from the right wing: Both teams have the best scoring potential on their right wing. Which team can defend it better and which can overcome the situation. Both teams have also been swapping their left winger so the key to success could be to find the right player to the left side that can score when the right side is jammed. 

Line-up choices: Both teams have quality players also in the reserves so it’s interesting to see which line-ups will be chosen if the change is needed. 

Prediction: Even though EBR eSports Official had a great regular season and first round of the playoffs, Old Farts will give them a real challenge. Two very different kind of gamestyles will result the series going all the way to a game seven where eventually EBR eSports Official will end the series to their favour 4-3.
 

 HV71 eSHL (3) vs  The UnderRated (19)

HV71 eSHL had a tough first playoff round against Speedy Bros (30) where three of the five games went to overtime. However HV71 eSHL managed to win the series 4-1 and continues their good form. The key aspect in HV71 eSHL's gamestyle is their excellent team defence. Only 35 goals in 30 games were scored against HV71 eSHL in the regular season and it’s also notable that the goalies @IsakTuvesson (Akoniaia) and @Waern26 (Waernn_) are sharing the playing time and they both have been in excellent form throughout the season. Experienced captain @Demski13 has been controlling the game at his center position and plays the key role in his teams success. HV71 eSHL will play against The UnderRated who won Suomen Sonnit (14) in the first round of the playoffs by 4-2. In the first round there were moments when The UnderRated had everything in control. The team likes to keep the puck in the offensive zone and challenge defenders one on one and passing for the perfect scoring position. Especially right winger @Psych0 wants to stay in control and draw the defenders toward himself, creating space for his teammates.    

Key points to follow:

HV71 eSHL defence: Can The UnderRated find the way to break through the best defensive team in the division. Could the more direct way of play be the key to success or will the team trust their own strengths.

Captains: Both captains @Demski13and @Psych0 are hungry for success. They also play a key role for their teams so the eyes of the viewers and defenders should be on these guys. Both are also excellent in creating the game so marking only them won’t be enough. 

Powerplay: The UnderRated had really poor powerplay in the regular season (5,17 PP%) compared to HV71 eSHL (28,57 PP%). Both teams are really good at penalty killing but it’s going to be really important to use the advantage of the powerplay in the series that isn’t expected to involve lots of goals. 

Prediction: At certain moments The UnderRated can play really attractive hockey with puck moving and personal skills but against a team like HV71 eSHL they should be playing that game from the puck drop to the buzzer. HV71 eSHL's teamplay is the best in the division and I can’t see The UnderRated outplaying them. HV71 eSHL will win the series 4-2
 

 Powerhouse Hockey (4) vs  GENESIS (18)

Wow, what a matchup already at this stage! Powerhouse won a tough group 1 and managed to put impressive team stats on the table after the regular season. Watching back to their results it’s fair to say that the only losses Powerhouse hockey faced came from the games in which they were clear favourites to win so when the focus is 100% in the game this team can go all the way to the end. In the first round of the playoffs Powerhouse hockey beat Empire (29) in tight a series 4-2. There isn’t any clear individuals that plays the major role in teams success. Powerhouse hockey have players for every slot who can score and create scoring opportunities for their teammates. They will face one of the title favourites in GENESIS, who had a decent regular season in tough group 4 finishing fifth and in the first round of the playoffs they didn’t have much trouble beating Infamous (15) with a score of 4-1. GENESIS also prefers attacking hockey so this could become one of the most entertaining playoff pairs in this round. Left winger @meicci had great regular season with 91 points in 30 games but the teams best goal scorer comes from the center of the field. @Wpaanane scored 41 goals in the regular season and 9 goals in the first round of the playoffs. This is something to keep in mind especially for Powerhouse hockey centerman @Patrick Kane (I_Kauppinen_I).

Key points to follow:

The odds are even: There isn’t a favourite to win this pair. GENESIS is probably disappointed from their regular season result while Powerhouse hockey had an amazing regular season. GENESIS is determined to prove their true worth while Powerhouse hockey is playing with high confidence.

Pressure: GENESIS were clearly disappointed that they weren’t picked from the Pro applications to play in ECL 10 Pro. It means they are now expected to prove a point and play their way up which could build some pressure for players to succeed. Powerplay hockey wasn’t expected to be as tremendous as they have been in this season but now they are also seen as title contenders and no one dares to underestimate them anymore. This new situation could build some pressure for them as well. 

Discipline on defence: Both teams loves to attack, score goals and challenge for one on ones. The winner of the series is going to be the team that is able to sacrifice some of the attacking force to play smart at the defence.  

Prediction: As said, there isn’t a clear favourite to win this pair. The seeding won’t tell the truth of the difference between these teams. Powerhouse Hockey has had an amazing season so far but I believe that GENESIS will be the team that is ready to adjust their gamestyle to a more defensive minded approach, which will end the series to GENESIS with the score 2-4.  
 

 Angry Cats (5) vs  HC SKULL TOWN (16)

The Angry Cats attacking trio is on fire. They all scored over 100 points in 30 games and Angry Cats were the most effective team to bury the puck in the net in the regular season. It seems to be impossible to win this team in a pure goalscoring competition especially when the goalkeeper @Giinis is having a season to remember between the pipes. Angry Cats faced Nordic Nosebleed (28) in the first round of the playoffs where they had some challenging times finding the way to score against a disciplined defence but in the end they won the series 4-1. HC SKULL TOWN had an OK regular season finishing fourth in group 3. However they had an amazing first round of the playoffs where they beat SOPPAJENGI (17) with series 4-1. Captain @JesseL2002 who played the key role in last seasons Kouvola Screaming Eagles has been excellent this season as well. Victory over a strong SOPPAJENGI proves that HC SKULL TOWN is ready to challenge any team that comes their way.

Key points to follow:

Angry Cats demolishing crew: Wingers @Korkokokorko and @juusto18 score goals and crush their opponents while center @Lowryy keeps feeding them with clever passes and helping on defence. HC SKULL TOWN has to find a way to disturb this trio.

Dangerous underdogs: Angry Cats will start the series as favourites but HC SKULL TOWN proved in the first round that they can’t be underestimated. This won’t be only a defensive battle for HC SKULL TOWN since they have the skill to finish their attacks in goals so Angry Cats has to be ready to face some lethal counter-attacks.

Powerplay: Angry Cats were the best team on powerplay in the regular season with the amazing 42,11 PP%. HC SKULL TOWN will not win this series if they take too many penalties for sure. On the other hand, Angry Cats' aggressive style of play can often give the powerplay opportunities to HC SKULL TOWN and the team that can make most of their chances will win these games. 

Prediction: HC SKULL TOWN did a great job in the first round of the playoffs but I can’t see them winning Angry Cats who have been excellent in the attacking zone. However, if HC SKULL TOWN is ready to play like Nordic Nosebleed did: Defense first, there is a chance for another surprise. I still believe that the quality in attack will end the series 4-2 in Angry Cats' favour.
 

 Hokurit (6) vs  Horror Hockey (13)

Hokurit had a tough challenge already in the first round of the playoffs when they faced NOVA (27) in an extremely tight series that eventually ended in a Hokurit victory 4-1. @Nagyttaja (Nukuttaja-) who scored an incredible 57 goals in the regular season continues his good form and played the key role in  their victory over NOVA. Also hats off to @Somerjoki for having a 90,16 save percentage after 5 games that surely helped his team to end the series at such an early stage. Hokurit proved already during last season that playoff hockey suits them very well and whoever they are facing will have to give their all to beat this team. Their opponent Horror Hockey wrote the most beautiful story of this season so far when they made an epic comeback from 3-1 to 3-4 in their series against Storhamar IL Esport (20). This tells something about the mentality of this team. Horror Hockey had tough season in ECL 9 Pro that ended in relegation but unlike some might do, they didn’t give up. Both of these teams rely on seamless teamwork so there isn’t expected to be lots of goals scored in both ends of the ice.  

Key points to follow:

Overcoming the disappointment: Both teams wants to leave last seasons disappointment behind by taking the next step closer to Pro promotion and the team that is going to win this pair will definitely be one of the favourite candidates to do so. 

Teamplay: Both teams have individuals that can score when the spots open up, but the strength comes from the team effort for both clubs. It’s pretty clear that for example sniper @Nagyttaja won’t get as much free space in the offensive zone as he was used to have in the regular season and to keep scoring he is going to need help from his teammates.

Goalies: The margins are going to be extremely tight when two excellent ‘’team first’’ minded clubs will go head to head. There won’t be many scoring opportunities in either end and when the time comes, goalkeepers will lead the show. Hokurit have chosen to play only one keeper @Somerjoki, while Horror Hockey uses two goalies @eissi83 and @poliskontroll. Whoever is going to be between the pipes has to be at their best in every game.  

Prediction: This series is going to be extremely tight to the very end. It almost feels like I have to flip a coin to give you the answer. Both teams are ‘’playoff ready’’ and good enough to earn the Pro promotion this season and challenge for the cup as well. However I’m so impressed with Horror Hockey’s comeback in the first round that I believe it will boost them to win the series in fourth overtime of game seven, 3-4. 
 

 Ducktales BK (7) vs  ECDC Memmingen eSports (11)

Ducktales BK had a good regular season where they finished second in group 2. Their star on attack is experienced center @cHIIMEERa, who also played a big role for his team in the first round of the playoffs where they beat Remparts de Tours Esports (26) with a series score of 4-2. The team had a difficult start to the season but they have been able to improve game after game which is of course important in long tournaments. Even though their last game against Remparts de Tours Esports ended in a crushing 7-1 win, it catches the eye that most of their games this season have ended with small numbers which tells that the team is either protecting the lead for the win or having a bit struggle finding the net. Ducktales BK is facing ECDC Memmingen eSports who were in the third spot of group 3 after the regular season. In the first round of the playoffs they faced Fysical (22) and after tight games, they were able to win the series 4-2. Left winger @Wowa_1995 (Waldinho_95) has found a great form and helped his team also in the first round of the playoffs with 8 goals in 6 games. 

Key points to follow:

Defensive strength: Both teams have really efficient defenders in their lineup. Especially former Synergy Hockey defender @J-Foppain Ducktales BK and @Toneee9in ECDC Memmingen eSports are worthy keeping an eye on during the games. They both can play very well both ways and have a key role building offence for their teams.

Powerplay: ECDC Memmingen eSports have been a good powerplay team this season with 35 PP% compared to Ducktales BK 20 PP%. Ducktales BK isn’t known for taking lots of penalties but when the chance comes, ECDC Memmingen eSports have the quality to bury it. I believe this series is going to be a low scoring one as well so every opportunity counts.

Fighting spirit: Ducktales BK have many players that have played Elite/Pro division at some point of their career and are now maybe having a cooldown/restart for their playing while ECDC Memmingen eSports is a relatively new organisation in the scene that is hungry for success and this could be the decisive difference at the end.

Prediction: Ducktales BK have some great individuals in their lineup, but I believe ECDC Memmingen eSports wants to win more than their opponents. Even if I was wrong with the mental analysis, the series is going to be extremely tight and low scoring anyway. In the end ECDC Memmingen eSports will turn the series to their favour and eventually win 2-4. 
 

 Sjukstugan (9) vs  HUIPPUPASSI (10)

The legendary Sjukstugan is making a comeback to the virtual rink and the regular season went really well for them as they finished third in group 4 and eventually had no problems winning TanssiiTuhtienKansa in the first round of the playoffs with a score of 4-1. The work order in the team is pretty clear: Captain @Bjono feeds the wingers @Lamsa and @Martin Johansson (mitchx99) as they shoot the puck to the net with great accuracy. Sjukstugan will face HUIPPUPASSI, who had a really difficult start for the season but finally found their own level and ended the regular season in the third place of group 2. In the first round of playoffs, HUIPPUPASSI continued their good from by beating Gernoble BDL Esport (23) a sweep. One player that has been excellent this season for HUIPPUPASSI is young defender @viba2008, who scored most points out of all defensemen in the regular season and had a really strong start to the playoffs as well. There is a great amount of individual talent in this pair and this series is expected to be really entertaining. Brave attacking ice hockey both ways and lots of goals.

Key points to follow:

Offensive battle: Both teams want to attack and place a high forecheck. This could open up the game to counter-attacks and it definitely doesn’t make playing for the goalkeeper any easier. I predict that there will be lots of goals in this series and the team that manages to win the goal scoring race will win the series (obviously). 

Talented individuals: There is lots of Elite experience on ice for Sjukstugan, who can make impressive plays with the puck from time to time. Even though HUIPPUPASSI doesn’t have the same experience in their lineup, but every one of their players are capable to match the skills of Sjukstugan on a good day. Lots of one on ones, great passes and faceoff set plays will be expected in this encounter. 

Goalies: because of the reasons explained above, goaltenders will play a big part for both teams in this series. No easy shots are expected and lots of nasty wrap-around attempts will be made for sure. Keepers need to use all of their tools to catch every possible puck they can. Both goalkeepers were good in the first round but now the challenge is way harder. 

Prediction: These teams have very similar way of playing this game and I’m pretty sure this series will be really fun to watch. There won’t be many overtimes and many goals will be scored. In the end I believe that the experience of Sjukstugan will lead them to victory and the series will end 4-2

Well, there you go! Hopefully you enjoyed this extensive breakdown of the Lite round 2 playoffs. The train chugs on and teams are dropping in numbers, soon we're down to the last few and the stakes start rising. Follow the teams on social media for info about the games!

As always, have fun - play hard!

NHLGamers,

We're rolling on with the playoffs also in our Neo division! The largest out of our divisions still has a total of 32 teams left in the 2nd round. In best of 5 series, every game matters!

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5.7 ECL Neo Playoffs

In ECL Neo, 64 teams will make the playoffs. These 64 teams will be made up of the top 7 from each of the 9 groups, with the final playoff spot being allocated to the highest team remaining ranked on PPG. As is the case with the ECL Lite, the teams will be seeded based on finishing position within their group, as well as the tiebreakers mentioned in 11.3.

10.5.4 ECL Neo Playoff Schedule

• Playoffs Round 1: 10.5 - 16.5
• Playoffs Round 2: 18.5 - 24.5
• Playoffs 3: 25.5 - 31.5
• Quarterfinals: 1. - 7.6
• Semifinals: 8.6 - 14.6
• Finals: 15.6 - 21.6

Here are your second round matchups:

 Ringette HC (1) -  Arctic Blaze (60)

 Pahat Pommittajat (2) -  ALLSTAR TAMPERE (50)

 Taavetin Starat (3) -  Redlight Jokers (49)

 Jarnkaminerna (4) -  Morganchipsen HC (48)

 ScandinavianFishingGroup (6) -  Bauer Rangers GmbH (46)

Grilli Tulille (7) -  EIS Force Hockey (43)

 Bahamas Mamas (8) -  Evolution HC (41)

 Suomen Dynamo (9) -  Vemppaosasto (40)

 Veikkolan Veikot (10) -  Charleswood Chiefs (38)

 Polarbears HC (11) -  Bull Dozer (37)

 Otukset (12) -  Russian Lightning (35)

 EV Duisburg (13) -  Beastie Boys (32)

 Niederrhein Canucks (14) -  MAXIMUM EFFECT (31)

 NHL4you Gaming (18) -  The Mighty Skunks (29)

 Wisby Islanders (20) -  UKnighted HC (26)

 Masiina (21) -   Thunder United (23)

Games can start already tonight, as always play hard - have fun!

 NHLGamers,

We've come a long way from where we began, as we started out with 16 teams at the same line, all with one goal in mind - hoisting the trophy and cashing in to cap off the historical ECL 10 Elite season. Now, obviously things don't always go as planned and I'll be the first to attest the truth of that statement. Some stories didn't go as planned, but to those teams we say thank you for a good fight and we truly hope to see each and every one of those back in the competition as soon as possible. To the eight fiercest competitors who have come all this way - now the real fight begins. It is time to see who will perform under pressure.

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5.3 ECL Elite Playoffs

In ECL Elite, 8 out of 16 teams will make the playoffs. Teams that finish in places 9-12 will neither play in the playoffs nor be subject to relegation. Teams that finish in places 13, 14 & 15 will each play the ECL Pro semifinalists, as well as the Pro runner up. In addition to this, the 16th placed team will be instantly relegated to ECL Pro for the next season.

10.5.1 ECL Elite Playoff Schedule
• Quarterfinals: 17.5 - 24.5
   - Monday 18th: Series 1 & Series 2 - Games 1 & 2
   - Wednesday 20th: Series 1 & Series 2 - Games 3 & 4
   - Thursday 21st: Games 5-7 (Where available)
   - Sunday 24th: Games 5-7 (Where available)
• Semifinals: 25.5 - 31.5
   - Monday 25th: Both series - Games 1 & 2
   - Wednesday 27th: Both series - Games 3 & 4
   - Thursday 28th: Games 5-7 (Where available)
   - Sunday 31st: Games 5-7 (Where available)
• Finals: 5.6 - 6.6
   - Friday 5th: Games 1-3
   - Saturday 6th: Games 4-7 (Where available)

Here are the matchups for the ECL 10 Elite quarterfinals:

(1)  JYP Jyvaskyla vs Farjestad BK  (8)
RECORD
26-2-2 vs 13-14-3

TOP SCORER
 Antti @tbnantti Kuittinen (32+37=69) vs Christoffer @I-Maise-I Berntsson (12+38=50=42)

GOALTENDER
Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos (26 W, 85,86 SV%, 1,43 GAA, 8 SO) vs Johan @Rundqviiist Rundqvist (13 W, 75,44 SV%, 3,27 GAA, 1 SO)

I'm doubting it can be called a surprise that JYP eventually secured the number one seed with how dominant they looked from time to time. The former Symphony squad had a massive deviation from their normal form in ECL 9 as they nearly missed out on postseason action, but managed to sneak in and eventually lost in the quarterfinals. Having recruited defensive superstars Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen and Ilmari @iilmarii Töyrylä, offensive force Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola, and capping that off with a backstop the caliber of Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos the black and red look more powerful than ever and are certainly sending a storm surge the way of Farjestad BK ahead of their clash. Much alike JYP, Farjestad also had a rather comprehensive makeover before the ongoing ECL season, the team acquired two new wingers, overhauled their defense and also brought in a goaltender. New faces Sebastian @eBasstian Nagel, Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg, Harri @Totalii Joona and Johan @Rundqviiist Rundqvist have all fared well so far into the season, but JYP and their smothering physical play can be a difficult beast to overcome for the hard striking offense and quick-footed wingers of FBK.

(2)  Linkoping HC vs Roots  (7)
RECORD
26-3-1 vs 15-10-5

TOP SCORER
Paul @PleeMaker Arontie (58+35=93) vs Timi @Rimpe Rimpeläinen (22+22=44)

GOALTENDER
Casper @ICappeI Lundgren (26 W, 80,67 SV%, 1,53 GAA, 5 SO) vs Joonas @swagx88 Kuossari (15 W, 81,73 SV%, 2,4 GAA, 2 SO)

"At NHLGamer, we're all about setting records..", yes, that's something we wrote in our first ever tweet about the 10th iteration of the ECL. It seems that Paul @PleeMaker Arontie didn't just rest on his laurels, but took this as literally as can be and put up a record-setting goal total of 58 notches in 30 games. Scoring nearly two goals per game as an individual at the highest level of competition is entirely unheard of, but this is where we've come and boy, are we happy to be on that ride! Let's not forget that the reigning champions have a roster full of other superstars too and that will cause trouble for Roots in a best-of-7 series. The fresh organisation hailing out of Kerava, Finland will have their work cut out for them in when taking the ice against one of the most successful teams in ECL history. Roots made a trademark out of keeping scores low, which was a recipe that worked out for them for long stretches of the season. A majority of Roots games were one goal battles and if they can keep that same trend going against LHC, they could very well be able to steal some wins.

(3)  HAVU Gaming vs BRAYCE Phantoms  (6)
RECORD
26-3-1 vs 17-11-2

TOP SCORER
Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha (29+44=73) vs Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker (19+31=50)

GOALTENDER
Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen (26 W, 83,26 SV%, 1,33 GAA, 7 SO) vs Patrick @RPH_31 Braun (17 W, 75,79 SV%, 2,18 GAA, 6 SO)

The clash between HAVU Gaming and BRAYCE Phantoms is not only a battle of the 3rd seed and the 6th seed of ECL 10 Elite. It is also a battle of nations, with the full roster of HAVU hailing from Finland while BRAYCE is flying the German flag high. Furthermore, it is a clash between two different styles of play. Both squads enjoy keeping the puck within the team but whereas HAVU prefers keeping it in the offensive zone, BRAYCE is just as happy patrolling the neutral zone – patiently waiting for the correct spot to send in main offensive threat Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker with the puck through the center lane. Both teams have championship experience. BRAYCE has brought home the German championship on four separate occasions (GCL 2-5) and stand as the reigning champions of that tournament. HAVU has collected three separate titles (ECL 8, eSM 2019 & IS Cup 4 – four titles including Spring League) in the span of about a year, with the same six players on the ice for each one. Captain Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha usually finds a way to motivate his players for the big games. And it does not get any bigger than the Elite playoffs. Expect HAVU to come out firing right away in Game 1.

(4)  hREDS vs Unlucky Boys HC  (5)
RECORD
19-9-2 vs 17-10-3

TOP SCORER
Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen (25+45=70) vs Antti @Anhel Kuru (23+21=44)

GOALTENDER
Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen (11 W, 75,6 SV%, 2,28 GAA, 2 SO) vs Ville @Viltzup Poutiainen (10 W, 84,48 SV%, 1,93 GAA, 2 SO)

Prior to the season a top four was predicted in many sources and the turnout was exactly as expected, probably just not in the order as expected. The big bad red is one of the stronger teams in the league but from looking at the regular season, there still is a gap between them and the top three that set themselves apart with a quite clear 13-point margin. Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen continues on the path to stardom that he started last season in the now defunct Butterfly Effect. 70 points in total matches his last season totals and earns him a 4th place finish in the scoring race. Unlucky Boys HC is stepping up against the hREDS skilled offense in this battle. UB had very fittingly an incredibly tough start of the season and their first ten games yielded only two wins. It took some time to fins their stride, but the mid-season acquisition of goaltender Ville @Viltzup Poutiainen seems to have sparked the fire, that pushed UB to one of the hottest runs in the league to finish the season. 

How to watch?

The games will be broadcasted at NHLGamer's Twitch-channel according to the schedule below:

Monday, May 18th
20:00 CEST Series 1: Games 1-2 (puck drop around 20:15)
(1)  JYP Jyvaskyla vs Farjestad BK  (8)

21:15 CEST Series 2: Games 1-2  (puck drop around 21:30 - but only after the above games are finished)
(2)  Linkoping HC vs Roots  (7)

Wednesday, May 20th
20:00 CEST Series 3: Games 3-4 (puck drop around 20:15)
(4)  hREDS vs Unlucky Boys HC  (5)
21:15 CEST Series 4: Games 3-4 (puck drop around 21:30 - but only after the above games are finished)
(3)  HAVU Gaming vs BRAYCE Phantoms  (6)

Thursday, May 21st
20:00 CEST Series x: Games 5-7 (puck drop around 20:15)

NHLGamers,

The playoff train in our Pro division is chugging along and we surely saw some interesting turns of events in the first round! One of these surprises were definitely HanaaHC outplaying the #1 seed Leksands IF and advancing with a series score of 4-2. The same storyline applied in the series between Nordic Stars (#2 in their group) and Children of Ice (#7), where the experienced group in Children of Ice took the series home in a game 7 finish. We await with excitement if the underdogs will prevail again!

Lainaa

5.4 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, crossseeded according to the tiebreakers mentioned in 11.3. Teams that finish in places 9-12 will neither play in the playoffs nor be subject to relegation. All ECL Pro teams that finish in places 13-16 will play a cross-seeded relegation series, where all losers (4 in total) will be relegated instantly to ECL Lite.

10.5.2 ECL Pro Playoff Schedule

• Playoffs Round 1: 10.5 - 16.5
• Quarterfinals: 17.5 - 23.5
• Semifinals: 24.5 - 30.5
• Finals: 31.5 - 6.6

Here are the quarterfinal matchups of ECL 10 Pro:

 Black Horse (1) vs   Children of Ice (15)

Players to watch: 

@PCJP (4 W, 87,18 SV%, 1,43 GAA, 2 SO) Black Horse
@Jorma Parola (8+10=18) Children of Ice

 Team Frosty (3) vs   HanaaHC (14)

Players to watch: 

@imosi (4+7=11) Team Frosty
@Raikkoneeh (2+7=9) HanaaHC

 Reality Check (9) vs  Blackdawgs (13)

Players to watch: 

@Jann3_67_ (4 W, 90,54 SV%, 1,4 GAA, 1 SO) Reality Check
@Serg1vratar (4 W, 85,71 SV%, 1,5 GAA, 1 SO) Blackdawgs

 Enigma (10) vs  Vaxjo Lakers (11)

Players to watch: 

@Nieppii (4+7=11) Enigma
@Hullued (4 W, 94,74 SV%, 0,5 GAA, 2 SO) Vaxjo Lakers

Unfortunately the we didn't have the resources to generate an in-depth preview this time, but will aim to provide for the semifinals. The quarters start tonight, so good luck to all teams - play hard, have fun!

NHLGamers,

We’ve reached the end of the road as far as the NHLGamer ECL 10 regular season broadcasts go. With the playoffs looming large, we cap things off with two matchups that will decide how the playoff tree shakes out.

Dynamic duo @Tougie24 and @Cyn will be casting the action tonight.

 SJ Gaming vs Roots 
RECORD
12-14-2 vs 13-10-5

TOP SCORER
Jussi @JaKurrii Koivuniemi (22+21=43) vs Timi @Rimpe Rimpeläinen (21+19=40)

GOALTENDER
Janne @Janne Hietala Hietala (12 W, 77,27 SV%, 2,86 GAA, 2 SO) vs Joonas @swagx88 Kuossari (13W, 82,39 SV%, 2,23 GAA, 2 SO)
 

First up, we have SJ Gaming taking on Roots Gaming. For SJ, a “perfect evening” with four points is needed to have a shot at sneaking in to the playoffs. The eight seed is still up for grabs, but a lot will need to go SJ’s way for them to qualify – starting with taking four points off of one of the best defensive teams in the game. At the same time, SJ is feeling the heat from teams like Ghetto Firebirds and KOVA Esports chasing them down to avoid the dreaded Elite Relegation Series. One win would secure the Elite contract for SJ, two would give them a shot at the playoffs. Zero wins? Well, that could mean playing for their lives in a couple of weeks. High stakes indeed for captain @Terodeeand his men. On the other side of the equation, Roots has secured a spot in the playoffs but the games against SJ will decide what seed they end up with. As things currently stand, they could end up 8th, 7th or 6th depending on various results. Either way, they’ll have to take on a powerhouse in the form of Linköping HC, HAVU Gaming or JYP Jyvaskyla in the playoffs. But if any team stacks up well against the top three, it’s the “big green team machine” that captain @Tanski87has built. All that remains is deciding which opponent will be theirs.
 

 BRAYCE Phantoms vs Vesa Pompa HC 
RECORD
16-10-2 vs 12-14-2

TOP SCORER
Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker (17+27+44) vs Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund (23+13=36)

GOALTENDER
Patrick @RPH_31 Braun (16 W, 75,54 SV%, 2,19 GAA, 5 SO) vs Philip @Pippo Johansson (10 W, 79,29 SV%, 2,19 GAA, 2 SO)
 

For our second matchup, we’ll see Germany vs. Sweden as BRAYCE Phantoms play host to Vesa Pompa HC. In this battle between national champions, BRAYCE has already secured a playoff spot, with Vesa making a late-season push to qualify. BRAYCE can finish at worst 7th and at best 4th. Finishing 4th or 5th would mean avoiding the top three teams, which should see an inspired BRAYCE roster come storming out of the gates. For Vesa, it is do or die. Just like SJ, they need four points to have a shot at the playoffs. And just like SJ, they need at least one win to secure their contract in Elite for ECL 11. Good thing then that the “new-look” Vesa is one of the hottest teams in the league for the past two weeks. Will that be enough to complete a near-miraculous run to the playoffs? 
Find out tonight at NHLGamer Twitch.  
 

Tune in for all the action starting tonight at 20:00 CEST over at www.twitch.tv/nhlgamer, alternatively ISTV, and Ruutu for our Finnish viewers.

NHLGamers,

A month ago we started ECL10 Lite with 64 teams. Now we have reached the point where we know the 32 teams that will continue to the playoffs. Congratulations, now the hard work begins. We'd like to extend a special mention to Sack Brothers for being the #1 team after an impressive regular season with the record of 28-1-1.

We also want to thank the teams that didn't manage to reach the playoffs but still fought bravely and gave us an entertaining regular season all the way to the last rounds. Come back stronger next time!

Let's refer to the rulebook for how our playoffs will commence:

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5.6 ECL Lite Playoffs

In ECL Lite, the top 8 teams from each of the 4 groups will make the playoffs. Regarding the seeding however, we will be using the following system:

Group winners are seeded #1-4
Group runners-up #5-8
Teams that finished 3rd #9-12
Teams that finished 4th #13-16
Teams that finished 5th #17-20
Teams that finished 6th #21-24
Teams that finished 7th #25-28
Teams that finish 8th #29-32
Furthermore, the individual seeding of the teams will be in accordance with the tiebreakers mentioned in 11.3.

10.5.3 ECL Lite Playoff Schedule

• Playoffs Round 1: 12.5 -18.5
• Playoffs Round 2: 19.5 -25.5
• Quarterfinals: 26.5 -1.6
• Semifinals: 2.6 -8.6
• Finals: 9.6 -15.6

 

Here are the pairs for the first round of ECL 10 Lite playoffs : 

(1)  Sack Brothers vs  HockeyProfessorn HC (32)

(2)  EBR eSports Official vs  DIKTATUURI (31)

(3)  HV71 eSHL vs  Speedy Bros (30)

(4)  Powerhouse Hockey vs  Empire (29)

(5)  Angry Cats vs  Nordic Nosebleed (28)

(6)  Hokurit vs  NOVA (27)

(7)  Ducktales BK vs  Remparts de Tours Esport (26)

(8)  Piiraaka Osuus ja Nakki vs  Tic Tac Toes (25)

(9)  Sjukstugan vs  TanssiiTuhtienKansa (24)

(10)  HUIPPUPASSI vs  Grenoble BDL Esport (23)

(11)  ECDC Memmingen eSports vs  Fysical (22)

(12)  Saucer Hockey vs  Old Farts (21)

(13)  Horror Hockey vs  Storhamar IL Esport (20)

(14)  Suomen Sonnit vs  The UnderRated (19)

(15)  Infamous vs  GENESIS (18)

(16)  HC SKULL TOWN vs  SOPPAJENGI (17)
 

Due to a  tight schedule and the sheer amount of teams included, we decided to leave a closer preview of teams and players to the next rounds. Fight hard, respect your opponents and enjoy the series. Nothing is guaranteed in the playoffs. 

Let the race begin!

NHLGamers,

As discussed in last weeks recap, the battle for the top-seed was and is still running hot as the big trio JYP (50pts), HAVU Gaming (49 pts) and Linkoping HC (47 pts with two games in hand) are all within striking distance for that top spot. Based on point average, Linkoping is in the lead and the reigning champions still have matchups against Lulea Hockey and Gotham Knights to go this week - an expected four win run but you never know with these games. As you might expect, these three powerhouses have managed to pull away from the rest of the pack, but the battle for the rest of the playoff spots is still running fierce. 

Most notably, Unlucky Boys HC has been on a tear as of late, losing only single games against SJ Gaming and Checkmate in their last 12 bouts. The only team in the middle of the pack that has a notable amount of games in hand on others are hREDS, who are in 4th place with a mere 24 games played. At the moment of writing, 33 points would be required to secure a playoff spot and Roots together with BRAYCE Phantoms are close to that limit. In immediate proximity of the playoff line, we have an absolute free-for-all. Five teams in total all have four games left to go, and are within a 3-point range of each other.

At the bottom of the standings, Vesa Pompa and Gotham Knights still technically have their playoff hopes intact although these teams would have to win a majority of their remaining games with some help from teams ahead in the standings. Vesa Pompa has shown some good form as of late an are still to play Unlucky Boys HC, Almost Famous and BRAYCE Phantoms which means that a cinderella story is not entirely out of the question, albeit unlikely. Almost Famous is in dead last with not much to cheer about, the club have solidified their position in no man's land for a few seasons now, but complete full-team defensive lapses have plagued their season leading to multiple vicious beatings despite putting forth solid efforts in singular matches. 
 

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Last week, we were close with 46, but now we've got a new record with 52 total goals in the name of Paul @PleeMaker Arontie. With four games still to go in the season, Plee has set the bar extremely high and rising for future superstars and scoring machines alike.
 

FORWARD OF THE WEEK

Antti @tbnantti Kuittinen, JYP Jyvaskyla

JYP had a power week with a total of four scheduled matchups in which the team won 6/8 games. Centerman tbnantti played all of those games and picked up 22 points in the process. Having added a few last night, he is at 4th in scoring overall right now.
 

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen, JYP Jyvaskyla

Doumi is has been one of the up and coming defensemen for a long time already, but this is the season he seals the deal and puts his name right up there with the best in the game. Eight games last week yielded the young defenseman 14 points. 
 

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Joonas @Jombb- Koivukoski, Gotham Knights

Honestly, picking a goalie of the week wasn't easy this time. It would be a safe decision going with anyone stopping pucks for a team in the top three, but Jombb- has been doing a great job for an underdog team like Gotham Knights. Jombb dressed for four games last week in which he kept an average save percentage north of 85% and a GAA of 2. 

NHLGamers,

In an incredibly exciting start to the last week of the ECL 10 Elite regular season, we'll get to see some intense top tier virtual hockey as JYP Jyvaskyla takes on Linkoping HC in a brawl for the top playoff seeds. In the second game of the night, Farjestad BK and Lulea Hockey meet for the rivalry between Swedish organisations in the top division. 

Dynamic duo @Tougie24 and @Cyn will be casting the action tonight.

 JYP Jyvaskyla vs Linkoping HC 
RECORD
23-2-1 vs 22-1-1

TOP SCORER
 Antti @tbnantti Kuittinen (28+34=62) vs Paul @PleeMaker Arontie (52+30=82)

GOALTENDER
Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos (13 W, 86,54 SV%, 1,35 GAA, 8 SO) vs Casper @ICappeI Lundgren (22 W, 81,68 SV%, 1,46 GAA, 4 SO)

JYP and Linkoping meet in a battle that plays a massive role in determining how the top 3 of the regular season turns out. Both of these squads have been on impressive runs as of late and show no signs of stopping. League-leading scorer Paul @PleeMaker Arontie has surpassed his own all-time goal-scoring record, whereas Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos is two shutouts away from surpassing Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen for most shutouts in a regular season. Either way, this is a battle your'e not going to want to miss. It's been about record-setting all season and this night is no exception, let's go!

 Farjestad BK vs Lulea Hockey 
RECORD
10-11-3 vs 7-12-5

TOP SCORER
Christoffer @I-Maise-I Berntsson (9+33=42) vs Ville @hpkfani Luukkonen (13+12+25)

GOALTENDER
Johan @Rundqviiist Rundqvist (10 W, 76,45 SV%, 3,04 GAA, 0 SO) vs Ville @Supreex Korhonen (7 W, 76,83 SV%, 2,5 GAA, 4 SO)

In the second matchup of the night, our two Elite division Swedish hockey clubs will clash for  bragging rights. Both teams have slightly underperformed and are in dire need for some wins if they are looking for postseason action. Playoffs are in hand for both teams and a double win tonight will drastically change the trajectory for either one of the clubs. It is notable that Lulea is the lowest scoring team in the division, but FBK on the other hand have a higher GAA, which might mean there will be some chances opening up both ways. 

Tune in for all the action starting tonight at 20:00 CEST over at www.twitch.tv/nhlgamer, alternatively ISTV, and Ruutu for our Finnish viewers.

NHLGamers,

As I lost against @jahajaha93 in the final table of the ECL Staff Poker Event, it is I who have to present the playoffs of the second edition of ECL Neo. All joking aside, this almost new division has gathered an incredible audience. Thirty-two teams had launched the first season of Neo, half of which had entered the playoffs. This time, eighty-three teams registered, offering sixty-four seats at the forefront of the playoffs ... Absolutely extraordinary.

Let's be honest, making an exhaustive presentation of this first round of playoffs is unthinkable. To try to find out more clearly, we have chosen the unstoppable option of statistics. Point by point we will draw up a Top 5 of the regular season, in the most factual way. These figures, due to the inequity of the groups, will have to be weighted. The fact remains that they still give some notable indications.

Scoring leaders  (Points) – Individuals
1- kim_johan, RGT - 112 points (18 games)
2- Xx_ZetterberG40, RGT - 104 points (18 games)
3- santtu3333, RGT - 88 points (18 games)
4- Pathen-21-, NC - 85 points (17 games)
5- CMB-wf-, FK - 77 points (18 games)

Scoring leaders (Goals) – Individuals
1- kim_johan, RGT - 59 goals (18 games)
2- flgr93, NC - 46 goals (15 games)
3- Kihan64, POM - 46 goals (16 games)
4- otakiinnijossaat, GT - 41 goals (16 games)
5- andreaskakan, EHK - 40 goals (16 games)

Scoring leaders (Assits) – individuals
1- Xx_ZetterberG40, RGT - 66 assists (18 games)
2- CMB-wf-, FK - 58 assists (18 games)
3- kim_johan, RGT - 53 assists (18 games)
4- santtu3333, RGT - 52 assists (18 games)
5- Pathen-21-, NC - 50 assists (17 games)

Save percentage leaders – Individuals (10 games played at least)
1- Fcoy_faze, DIF - 89.8% (16 games)
2- l_-JigSawG-_l, SVK - 88.19% (12 games)
3- FoxGoalie, EVD - 87.66% (16 games)
4- sorkpippi, PHC - 87.12% (16 games)
5- Empuuz_24, TVS - 86.84% (10 games)

GAA leaders – Individuals – Individuals (10 games played at least)
1- Fcoy_faze, DIF - 0.94 (16 games)
2- Empuuz_24, TVS - 1 (10 games)
3- FoxGoalie, EVD - 1.19 (16 games)
4- sorkpippi, PHC - 1.31 (16 games)
5- snaasigi, SFG - 1.33 (18 games)

Shutout leaders – Individuals (10 games played at least)
1- FoxGoalie, EVD - 7 (16 games)
2- snaasigi, SFG - 6 (18 games)
3- Fcoy_faze, DIF - 6 (16 games)
4- Xx_sidthekid_87, RGT - 5 (18 games)
5- AltenPfleger_89, UKN - 4 (18 games)

Defensemen scoring leaders (Points) – Individuals
1- Idko_5, RGT - 57 points (18 games)
2- Much1979, NC - 34 points (17 games)
3- Sirzuxie, EHK - 31 points (12 games)
4- juhkis96, POM - 31 points (16 games)
5- CuteTerminator7, RLJ - 27 points (16 games)

Defensemen scoring leaders (Goals) – Individuals
1- Idko_5, RGT - 17 goals (18 games)
2- L_Karlsson97, CWC - 7 goals (6 games)
3- Anzinho8, GT - 7 goals (12 games)
4- Alessandro3891, JNS - 7 (13 games)
5- juhkis96, POM - 7 (16 games)

Defensemen scoring leaders (Assists) – Individuals
1- Idko_5, RGT - 40 assists (18 games)
2- Much1979, NC - 33 assists (17 games)
3- Sirzuxie, EHK - 29 assists (12 games)
4- juhkis96, POM - 24 assists (16 games)
5- Aksuboi94, RGT - 23 assists (12 games)

Power play goals leaders – Individuals
1- flgr93, NC - 9 goals (15 games)
2- JF1891, DIF - 9 goals (16 games)
  - Mwigh, DPS - 9 goals (16 games)
4- kim_johan, RGT - 9 goals (18 games)
5- otakiinnijossaat, GT - 8 goals (16 games)

Short-handed goals leaders – Individuals
1- bambulexx, BB - 2 goals (6 games)
2- xreflex54, GFT - 2 goals (7 games)
3- Lilk1046, CHC - 2 goals (11 games)
4- echannover, FH - 2 goals (14 games)
5- Goegi91, BR - 2 goals (15 games)

Game-winning goals leaders – Individuals
1- kim_johan, RGT - 9 goals (18 games)
2- otakiinnijossaat, GT - 8 goals (16 games)
  - Kihan64, POM - 8 goals (16 games)
4- Fuchs2534, WHC - 7 goals (15 games)
5- Zimowski95, FK - 7 goals (16 games)

Hits leaders – Individuals
1- gacorigavecit17, LAT - 211 (16 games)
2- Lek3b4b, POM - 186 (16 games)
3- Bothniablod, MOI - 183 (16 games)
4- Venca29, CZL - 181 (16 games)
5- Cigi19889, HYB - 153 (16 games)

Penalty box leaders – Individuals
1- bonny2275, FH - 49 PIM (14 games)
2- gandy6666cz, CSS - 47 PIM (15 games)
3- Venca29, CZL - 46 PIM (16 games)
4- LaxenHD, MHC - 42 PIM (10 games)
5- djadidai, MFZ - 38 PIM (14 games)

Tripping from almost the front side leader
1- ShawnHeins44, CHC – way too much (10 games)

Shooting leaders – Individuals
1- kim_johan, RGT - 128 shots (18 games)
2- otakiinnijossaat, GT - 121 shots (16 games)
3- andreaskakan, EHK - 115 shots (16 games)
4- sgt_soccer, WHC - 114 shots (16 games)
5- Chilenco, EHK - 107 shots (16 games)

NHLGamer’s ECL 10 Neo regular season Awards
ECL Neo MVP : Fcoy_faze, DIF
Best forward : kim_johan, RGT
Best defenseman : Idko_5, RGT
Best goalie : Fcoy_faze, DIF

Statement from Casper @ICappeI Lundgren, Cover Player of ECL 10 and goalie of Linkoping HC
“I want to congratulate Fcoy_faze for being named the MVP in Neo. Being named the MVP is the biggest individual award you can win. Seeing it from a goaltender perspective it means that you have together with your teammates created the best possible opportunity for you to perform at your highest level. I had the chance to play with him recently and I was really impressed with his performance. I felt right away that this is a goalie that we will see on the biggest stage very soon. Once again congratulations with your award and good luck to you and Järnkaminerna in the playoffs!”

Goals scored – Team stats
1- Ringette HC - 153 goals (18 games)
2- Niederrhein Canucks - 118 goals (18 games)
3- Pahat Pommittajat - 101 goals (16 games)
4- Bull Dozer - 97 goals (18 games)
5- Fearless Knights - 93 goals (18 games)

Goal against – Team stats
1- Jarnkaminerna - 15 goals (16 games)
2- EV Duisburg - 19 goals (16 games)
3- Taavetin Starat - 20 goals (16 games)
4- Polarbears HC - 21 goals (16 games)
5- Pahat Pommittajat - 22 goals (16 games)

Powerplay leaders – Team stats
1- Niederrhein Canucks - 47.83% (18 games)
2- Redlight Jokers - 41.67% (18 games)
3- ScandinavianFishingGroup - 36.36% (18 games)
4- Cancun Pirates - 35.29% (16 games)
5- Grilli Tulille - 34.62% (16 games)

Penalty killing leaders – Team stats
1- Morganchipsen HC - 100% (73 PIM)
2- Honeypunch - 100% (59 PIM)
3- Dompa Poppers - 100% (56 PIM)
4- Territorio Hockey - 100% (49 PIM)
5- Ringette HC - 100% (45 PIM)

Now let's move on to how the playoffs should then be played, here's a short quote from the rulebook: 

Lainaa

5.7 ECL Neo Playoffs

In ECL Neo, 64 teams will make the playoffs. These 64 teams will be made up of the top 7 from each of the 9 groups, with the final playoff spot being allocated to the highest team remaining ranked on PPG. As is the case with the ECL Lite, the teams will be seeded based on finishing position within their group, as well as the tiebreakers mentioned in 11.3.

10.5.4 ECL Neo Playoff Schedule

• Playoffs Round 1: 10.5 - 16.5
• Playoffs Round 2: 17.5 - 23.5
• Playoffs 3: 24.5 - 30.5
• Quarterfinals: 31.5 - 6.6
• Semifinals: 7.6 - 13.6
• Finals: 14.6 - 20.6

Here are your first round matchups:

 Ringette HC (1) -  CSSR Legends (64)

 Pahat Pommittajat (2) -  Support Linne (63)

 Taavetin Starat (3) -  Territorio Hockey (62)

 Jarnkaminerna (4) -  Bonusambers (61)

 Meisselit (5) -  Arctic Blaze (60)

 ScandinavianFishingGroup (6) -  HC Berlin Eagles (59)

Grilli Tulille (7) -  CaeSarS (58)

 Bahamas Mamas (8) -  Hirviklubi (57)

 Suomen Dynamo (9) -  Black Ice Guards (56)

 Veikkolan Veikot (10) -  Latvian Warriors (55)

 Polarbears HC (11) -  KulmalaHengaus (54)

 Otukset (12) -  Varissuon Toverit (53)

 EV Duisburg (13) -  Eituumielee (52)

 Niederrhein Canucks (14) -  HC Hybridi (51)

 Fearless Knights (15) -  ALLSTAR TAMPERE (50)

 Savo Bears (16) -  Redlight Jokers (49)

 HC Grizzlies (17) -  Morganchipsen HC (48)

 NHL4you Gaming (18) -  Puliveivarit (47)

 Gentlemen's Club (19) -  Bauer Rangers GmbH (46)

 Wisby Islanders (20) -  BurritoBrothers (45)

 Masiina (21) -  Red Devils HC (44)

 Lassen Lampaat (22) -  EIS Force Hockey (43)

 Thunder United (23) -  Honeypunch (42)

 Dompa Poppers (24) -  Evolution HC (41)

 Wolfsrudel HC (25) -  Vemppaosasto (40)

 UKnighted HC (26) -  CZ JDOUCI NA SMRT SK (39)

 Oulunsalon Pallo (27) -  Charleswood Chiefs (38)

 Enkoping HKS (28) -  Bull Dozer (37)

 The Mighty Skunks (29) -  Asgard prospects (36)

 SLOVAK VETERANS (30) -  Russian Lightning (35)

 MAXIMUM EFFECT (31) -  TeamHazard (34)

 Beastie Boys (32) -  EBR eSports NEO (33)

The series not to miss : Beastie Boys (32) - EBR eSports NEO (33)
Focus on this series which seems to be announced as one of the most closed. Beastie Boys (4th seed in Group 9) and EBR eSports Neo (4th seed in Group 5) have had fairly similar trajectories in the regular season. Ten wins and six losses each, these two teams are likely to go head-to-head during this first round of playoffs.
In the register of goals scored, advantage to Beastie Boys with 65 goals against 51 for EBR. On the other hand, the German team takes the advantage in defense with only 32 goals conceded against 40 against their adversaries. The two defensive special units neutralize each other by being fairly close: 89% for Beastie Boys, 85% for EBR. But the Germans are making a big difference in powerplay with 27% of advantage situations converted against 10% at Beastie Boys.
NHLGamer's prediction: we will probably need a Game 5

NB: We draw your attention to the fact that all the statistics given here are for information only on the basis of the ranking elements of the NHLGamer site. A large part of them are however erroneous due to the fact that the game reports are not entered with sufficient rigor or vigilance, in particular concerning the goals scored in powerplay or shorthanded. For example, in Group 1 the NHLGamer Staff noted nearly sixty insufficiently reported goals. It is important for the game experience to be complete through reliable statistics that this part of the team coaching staff work is understood as essential. Thank you very much for your attention.

 NHLGamers,

The exciting regular season of our Pro division is over for now and heads are turning towards the postseason. For some teams that might mean shifting focus towards coming tournaments, but we'll be taking a look at the ones continuing into the playoffs. It's time to take a look at the round 1 matchups and examine some key points in each one of them. As always, all series are played in best-of-7 fashion, meaning that four wins will grant access to the next round. 

Lainaa

5.4 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, crossseeded according to the tiebreakers mentioned in 11.3. Teams that finish in places 9-12 will neither play in the playoffs nor be subject to relegation. All ECL Pro teams that finish in places 13-16 will play a cross-seeded relegation series, where all losers (4 in total) will be relegated instantly to ECL Lite.

10.5.2 ECL Pro Playoff Schedule

• Playoffs Round 1: 10.5 - 16.5
• Quarterfinals: 17.5 - 23.5
• Semifinals: 24.5 - 30.5
• Finals: 31.5 - 6.6

A general impression of the first round matchups show a bunch of really evenly matched teams. One of two clear favorites can be found but overall, it's a free-for-all. Predicting eventual winners could be an impossible task, but as per usual, speculation is what we will provide. Let's see how we fare this time around and start getting ready for the playoffs of ECL 10 Pro!

 Leksands IF (1) vs  HanaaHC (8)

Leksands IF played an incredibly strong regular season throughout. HanaaHC also had a great showing but had 3 consecutive defeats at the end, which pushed them down in the standings. Maybe they jumped the gun a bit and were concentrated on the playoffs?  HanaaHC has been playing very disciplined and had enough scoring power to win the tight games. The youngsters certainly do have what it takes to be successful, but it'll be exciting to see whether the sheer experience that Leksands IF has will prevail. As stated, an upset isn't out of the question and HanaaHC might steal a couple, but in the end Leksand should advance.

Players to watch: 

@Isindar (33+33=66) Leksands IF

@Hazard-laser (27+23=50) HanaaHC

@Mikka (16+32=48) HanaaHC

Prediction: Leksands IF in 6

 Black Horse (1) vs  Kaupallinen Yhteistyo (8)

Both teams had good regular seasons, although KY had some interesting player turnover which might have had an effect. Neither one went on longer losing streaks. Kaupallinen Yhteistyö got a major boost since acquiring JANURI98. They are a strong team and the 8th seed can give the wrong impression about their true capabilities. In this series, we've got all the ingredients for fierce battle and I predict we can be up for an upset and see KY win the needed tight games. Black Horse has had a major weapon in their attack with experienced Wirtsuuu. It'll come down to the battle between attack and defense, but also which team will have a stronger supporting cast.

Players to watch:                                      

@Tapparafan (49+29=78) Black Horse

@JanneK. (11 W, 75,79 SV%, 2,8 GAA, 2 SO) Kaupallinen Yhteistyo

@Krisutus (22+37=59) Kaupallinen Yhteistyo

Prediction: Kaupallinen Yhteistyo in 7

 Team Frosty (2) vs  Sulkavan Sudet (7)

Team Frosty is known for their good disciplined teamplay and great defending with the ability to win tight games. They are a big favorite in this series against Sulkavan Sudet, who had a pretty good regular season that finished with three consecutive wins. Perhaps Sudet are peaking to start the playoffs and can challenge Frosty? As said, Team Frosty gave an impression in the regular season to be able to win the low scoring games but playoffs are a different beast. On the other hand, it is a similar situation for Sulkavan Sudet. By playing a bunch of tight games and coming away on top, I'd say that Frosty are already in playoff mode and by finding that same focus, they will come out on top.

Players to watch:

@Naikou88 (25+26=51) Team Frosty

@SpiderRoyal (22 W, 77,82 SV%, 1,9 GAA, 1 SO) Team Frosty

@Oxdoggi (25+31=56) Sulkavan Sudet

Prediction: Team Frosty in 7

 Nordic Stars (2) vs  Children of Ice (7)

Both team have a high average level. Children of Ice have had a weaker season than expected whereas Nordic Stars probably performed a little better than expected. NS is one of those teams that seems to practice almost every night which could give them an advantage. Then again, Children of Ice consist of some of the most experienced players out there. I predict this series to be tighter than you might expect if you look only at the finishing positions in the regular season. Although NS is a major favorite, Children of Ice have the ability to extend this series.

Players to watch:

@Jerax13 (37+26=63) Nordic Stars

@Jorma Parola (23+29=52) Children of Ice

Prediction: Nordic Stars in 5

 RPEAT Esports (3) vs  Vaxjö Lakers (6)

Vaxjö Lakers had a slow start to the season. However, since then they have improved their game and results tremendously. Despite their struggles, the Swedes are a high-quality team that know how to play when going into a playoff series against a viable opponent such as RPEAT Esports. Most likely, both teams will find that next gear and we'll see an all-out battle on the ice. Vaxjö Lakers HC has EDHOLMINHO as their main weapon on attack which might turn the series in their favor even if RPEAT Esports have the advantage based on regular season performances. The key players for RPEAT are Aze and Magizam, who will do all they can to stop VLH.

Players to watch:

@EDHOLMINHO (32+45=77) Vaxjö Lakers HC

@Aze (21+25=46) RPEAT Esports

@Magizam (17 W, 83,73 SV%, 1,71 GAA, 5 SO) RPEAT Esports

Prediction: Vaxjö Lakers HC in 6

 TIKI TALK (3) vs  Blackdawgs (6)

To cap off the regular season, TIKI TALK took the giant leap from 6th to 3rd place. They are in good form and a slight favorite in this series. Blackdawgs aren´t by any means without a chance in this series. They managed to win group 1 1st seed Leksands IF twice in the regular season, which shows that they have the ability to win big teams. TIKI has one of the best goalies in the Pro Division with Petterson12, who is a giant obstacle for Blackdawgs to overcome. Pettersson is the determining factor which will push TIKI to a win in this series. TIKI TALK must be aware of Blackdawgs' two top players responsible for over a total of 100 points combined: XxProArskaxX and ItzYung_Dzouvi.

Players to watch:

@itspardytime (39+30=69) TIKI TALK

@Pettersson12 (21 W, 83,47 SV%, 2,07 GAA, 4 SO) TIKI TALK

@TheArska (30+30=60) Blackdawgs

@dzouvi (24+23=47) Blackdawgs

Prediction: TIKI TALK in 5

 Riven Johdolla (4) vs  Reality Check (5)

For me, this is without a doubt the series to watch in round 1. Riven Johdolla has a tremendously skilled line of attackers who all dominated the regular season in scoring statistics. They also have a very balanced team with reliable defense and a goalie that is capable of stealing games. Reality Check is a very similarily built team with equal scoring power and a capable defense. I predict a very tight series with few goals and a high likelihood of a game 7 finish. Playoffs are a different world compared to the regular season so can Riven Johdolla maintain their tremendous level in playoffs? Riven has all the chances to go through to the next round but I see Reality Check as a minor favorite in this series. The key to this series will be which offensive powerhouse can eliminate their counterpart.

Players to watch:

@Vattu__ (35+39=74) Riven Johdolla

@BensaPoju (30+44=74) Riven Johdolla

@ilikkaa (35+37=72) Riven Johdolla

@jorma2001 (28+33=61) Reality Check

@James (29+26=55) Reality Check

@Pursuitti (20+31=51) Reality Check

Prediction: Reality Check in 7

 ZSC Esports (4) vs  Enigma (5)

In the regular season Enigmas performances were notable, having former  Symphony player Nieppii lead the way for them. Although Enigma has some star players, I don't see the skill gap between these two teams as too large.  Enigma left a very positive impression on me in the regular season and I wouldn't be surprised to see them advance. ZSC Esports have a special weapon in their defense. Their two go-to guys are high-scoring Bille1009 and Haldeem, who know how to quarterback plays but can also shut down the opposition. On the other hand, Enigma also has firepower in the defense with Crisu_Rottis at the forefront. We'll see if ZSC can match what Enigma throws at them in this exciting series.

Players to watch:

@Bille1990 (4+20=24) ZSC Esports

@Haldeem (4+20=24) ZSC Esports

@Nieppii (25+45=70) Enigma

@Crisu_rottis (7+22=29) Enigma

Prediction: Enigma in 6

As always, have fun - play hard!

NHLGamers,

Tonight's games are offering up a bit of everything. The middle pack in the standings are desperately fighting for points to solidify their playoff spots and that's exactly the kind of battle we'll be in for tonight. In the first matchup, Roots are facing Checkmate whereafter we'll see hREDS go head-to-head with Lulea Hockey, who seem to have been finding a good run of form as of late.

Dynamic duo @Tougie24 and @Cyn will be casting the action tonight.

 Roots vs Checkmate 
RECORD
10-8-4 vs 9-11-2

TOP SCORER
Miko @Migo_boo Nurmi (12+19=31) vs Jonne @TackleControl Nikkinen (19+10=29)

GOALTENDER
Joonas @swagx88 Kuossari (10 W, 82,37 SV%, 2,23 GAA, 2 SO) vs Juuso @Juizki Nikkinen (9 W, 79,67 SV%, 2,77 GAA, 0 SO)

The first matchup of the evening sees two teams effectively battle for the same spots above the playoff line. Roots have fallen on a losing path but look to turn things around after quite surprisingly taking 3/4 points out of their matchup against JYP last night whereas Checkmate are in a similar situation, recently having turned around a starting losing streak. Both of these teams have a realistic opportunity of making the playoffs and will fight tooth and nail for all points up for grabs. Roots are known for making games low-scoring, whereas Checkmate have had a tough time converting on chances with only a 1,77 goals for average. Might that be one of the key factors in the game or will we see something entirely different from these teams that are frantically trying to claw themselves into playoff position?

 Lulea Hockey vs hREDS 
RECORD
7-10-5 vs 12-6-2

TOP SCORER
Ville @hpkfani Luukkonen (13+12+25) vs Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen (20+18=38)

GOALTENDER
Ville @Supreex Korhonen (7 W, 78,3 SV%, 2,32 GAA, 4 SO) vs Mika @FinKonna Paasikontu (4 W, 81,97 SV%, 1,83 GAA, 2 SO)

Lulea Hockey and hREDS will be offering some exciting virtual hockey in the later matchup of the evening. The two teams come into these games from rather different angles, as Lulea has been struggling mightily for a long time, but seem to have found some run of form to mount a final playoff push. The REDS, on the other hand were expected to finish among the top teams and have mostly performed accordingly. Their team offense was suffocated completely in their two latest games against JYP, so the big bad red will be itching to get their engines revved up again. Lulea have scored the least goals out of all teams in the division (1,45 GF average), which is a beast that might come to haunt them when facing hREDS and veteran goaltender Mika @FinKonna Paasikontu, who is making his 7th and 8th appearances of the season in these games. 

Tune in for all the action starting tonight at 20:00 CEST over at www.twitch.tv/nhlgamer, alternatively ISTV and Ruutu for our Finnish viewers.

NHLGamers,

We have reached the last week of the regular season in our ECL 10 Pro division. At this point it seems that Leksands IF and Black Horse are on their way to group victory while Clumsy Penguins, Bellizzi, Prowlers Esports and Me Carvoset are heading to the relegation battles. For the rest of the teams, there will be a lot at stake in the remaining matches, especially for the teams near the playoff line. Both groups will entertain us with epic battles for the last playoff spots and we decided to bring you some highlights of what to keep an eye on in the last week. 

Group 1 

Teams that will fight for the playoff spots in group 1 are Enigma, Kaupallinen Yhteistyö, Blackdawgs, Djurgarden Hockey, MOCKBA, Cheers Hockey and The Syndicate. Even though Team Frosty are currently at 8th place, they have less games played than others and with their current form they are expected to join the battle for top 3 positions. However, as you can see from the scheme below, Team Frosty will play a key role in the playoff battle as well.

Standings and the opponents for the rest of the season:

5th Enigma (26 GP, 33 pts): Djurgarden Hockey and The Syndicate

6th Kaupallinen Yhteistyo (26 GP, 33 pts): Blackdawgs and Leksands IF

7th Blackdawgs (26 GP, 32 pts): Kaupallinen Yhteistyo and Cheers Hockey

_______________________________PLAYOFF LINE________________________________

9th Djurgarden Hockey (24 GP, 28 pts): Enigma, Bellizzi and Team Frosty

10th MOCKBA (24 GP, 28 pts): The Syndicate, Leksands IF and Clumsy Penguins

11th Cheers Hockey (24 GP, 27 pts): Riven Johdolla, Team Frosty and Blackdawgs

12th The Syndicate (24 GP, 25 pts): Bellizzi, MOCKBA and Enigma
 

Enigma will start as the favorites against both of their remaining opponents but every point is absolutely vital for Djurgarden Hockey and The Syndicate so winning won’t be easy for sure. One of the biggest matchups will be Kaupallinen Yhteistyö vs Blackdawgs. The winner of this game could secure a playoff spot and in the best/worst scenario, a shared 3 points could see both of these teams running away from the teams below the playoff line. That’s why Djurgarden Hockey, MOCKBA, Cheers Hockey and The Syndicate have to play for only for full points in the remaining matches if they want to keep the playoff dream alive. 
 

Group 2

Sulkavan Sudet, Vaxjo Lakers HC, Rookie Mistakes, Herlev Eagles and We Kings will battle for the playoff spots in the Group 2. 5th place TIKI TALK will also play a big role in the battle while 6th placed Nordic Stars should be able to gather the points from rest of their opponents and fight for a top 3 finish with HanaaHC and ZSC Esports.  

Standings and the opponents for the rest of the season:

5th TIKI TALK (24 GP, 35 pts):  Herlev Eagles, We Kings and Vaxjo Lakers

7th Sulkavan Sudet (26 GP, 32 pts): ZSC Esports and We Kings

8th Vaxjo Lakers HC (26 GP, 32 pts): Pata Hellalla and TIKI TALK

_______________________________PLAYOFF LINE________________________________

9th Rookie Mistakes (24 GP, 28 pts): HanaaHC, Me Carvoset and Herlev Eagles

10th Herlev Eagles (24 GP, 27 pts): TIKI TALK, Company of Geeks and Rookie Mistakes

11th We Kings (24 GP, 27 pts): Prowlers Esports, TIKI TALK and Sulkavan Sudet
 

Just like Enigma in Group 1, TIKI TALK are the favorites for their remaining matches but especially Herlev Eagles and We Kings need all the points to remain in the fight. For Vaxjo Lakers HC it’s important to win both games against Pata Hellalla and get as many points as possible against TIKI TALK to secure the playoff spot. Rookie Mistakes will play big games against HanaaHC and with wins from those matches they could really put pressure on Vaxjo Lakers HC and Sulkavan Sudet. We Kings are expected to win against Prowlers Esports and with crucial points against TIKI TALK their last matchup against Sulkavan Sudet could be decisive for who gets to the playoffs. This could be the case with Herlev Eagles and Rookie Mistakes as well if Herlev Eagles manage to get full points against Company of Geeks and steal the points from TIKI TALK. 
 

As you can see, pretty much everything is still possible in the playoff battle. The importance of the remaining matches will grow the pressure in the dressing rooms as every point will be crucial. There is no room for errors and only the strongest teams will continue to the playoffs. This will be a great week in ECL 10 Pro, we hope you enjoy it. 

Play hard and fair!
Your ECL Pro Writing team
@Oliverigood & @JakePlay77

NHLGamers,

With just two weeks to go of the regular season, things are coming down to the wire for multiple teams. The battle for the top seed had an interesting wrinkle thrown into it when hReds defeated HAVU this past week, placing Linkoping and JYP Jyvaskyla in the driver’s seat to earn that coveted #1 seed. With a 17-0-1 record and 1,94 points earned per game, JYP are actually in the league lead when it comes to point percentage. With tonight’s featured NHLGamer broadcast including battles between JYP and hReds, followed by the re-match of the ECL 9 Grand Finals (HAVU vs. LHC), we should expect to see some movement in the standings as the top teams continue to jockey for position ahead of the playoffs.

In the midfield – to borrow a Formula 1 expression – we find Unlucky Boys HC continuing their good form of late. The burger boys have continued to climb up the standings and are now 8-1-1 in their past ten games, including a clean sweep of four consecutive victories their past week (over Roots and BRAYCE Phantoms, respectively). KOVA Esports seems to have fortified their position, winning four out of their last six games. They did get knocked over the head by Vesa Pompa HC in their final games of the week – a team recently made more dangerous by the addition of deadline transfer Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen – but overall, KOVA have proven their mettle and look poised to earn a playoff berth. 

The battle around the playoff cutoff line is, per usual, intense and unpredictable. In fact, between the #7 seed Roots and the #13 seed Gotham Knights, only a single point acts as a barrier. Roots, Färjestad BK and GHETTO FIREBIRDS sit at 19 points each, whereas BRAYCE Phantoms, Checkmate, SJ Gaming and Gotham Knights have all earned 18 points apiece. An intense two weeks are likely to follow for these playoff hopefuls. 

At the bottom of the standings we find Lulea Hockey, Vesa Pompa HC and Almost Famous. If these teams are to have any chance of digging themselves out of the deep pits they’ve created for themselves, they need to average 2-3 points per matchup the rest of the way. Impossible? No. But certainly a challenge at this level. Vesa Pompa showed signs of life with their recent dip into free agency, and Lulea did pick up six out of a possible twelve points last week. But is it too little, too late for these teams?

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Scoring seven goals in the same game rarely happens in ECL competition. At the Elite level? Unheard of. Yet that’s precisely what Paul “PleeMaker” Arontie did in a 10-2 win over Almost Famous. Simply sensational. 

FORWARD OF THE WEEK

Paul @PleeMaker Arontie, Linköping HC

See above. Yes, the same player was featured here last week. But, well, scoring 23 points (14+9) in six games (!) makes Plees performance this past week hard to overlook. With 46 goals on the season already, he is approaching his own ECL Elite single-season goalscoring record of 49 (set in ECL 4). And LHC still has ten more games to play this regular season…

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Joel @jtorro1233 Tourunen, Linköping HC

It has been a good week for LHC’s left defender. Not only did he rack up two goals and ten assists in the six games his team played, he was also featured here at NHLGamer in our latest edition of Player Spotlight, an interview series by @Faydas. 

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos, JYP Jyvaskyla

Sibelius has been one of the most consistent goalies on the European EASHL scene for quite some time now. This season is no exception. With save percentages of 100, 87.5, 81.8 and 93.3 in the four games he played last week (all wins), the last outpost of JYP is your goaltender of the week. Perhaps even the goaltender of the season – at least thus far.

NHLGamers,

Tonight's broadcast starting 20:00 CEST offers up a treat like no other, when the two matchups will showcase all of the current top 4 teams in the league. Each and every one of these teams are on hot streaks unlike any other and will be heading for the playoffs with high seeds in mind. In the first clash of the evening, hREDS face storm warning, as they will take on JYP Jyvaskyla. The second matchup features dear rivals HAVU Gaming and Linkoping HC, who are showcasing what the current top two in the league has to offer. 

Dynamic duo @Tougie24 and @Cyn will be casting the action tonight.

 hREDS vs JYP Jyvaskyla 
RECORD
12-4-2 vs 17-0-1

TOP SCORER
Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen (20+18=38) vs Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola (21+22+43)

GOALTENDER
Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen (8 W, 74,77 SV%, 2,33 GAA, 1 SO) vs Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos (17 W, 87,77 SV%, 1,28 GAA, 5 SO)

In the first matchup of the night, hREDS and JYP Jyvaskyla will be battling it out for which franchise is the bigger, badder red in the league. In our most recent broadcast, hREDS indicated the kind of skill that the team possesses by overpowering HAVU Gaming in two straight games, causing the surefire title contender their second and third losses of the season. The team played experienced winger Tuukka @Tuukka.R Röpelinen at LD for his first games of the season, which turned out great. It'll be interesting to see if he is their choice for that spot again, pending his availability of course. JYP, on the other hand seems to have been mowing down opposition like the hurricane they are. The team has suffered only one loss this season and has exhibited stellar defensive play combined with the best goaltending in the league, resulting in a GAA of only 1,28. Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos in net is the man to keep an eye on for JYP.
 

 HAVU Gaming vs Linkoping HC 
RECORD
19-3-0 vs 19-1-0

TOP SCORER
Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha (24+34=58) vs Paul @PleeMaker Arontie (46+25=71)

GOALTENDER
Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen (19 W, 81,1 SV%, 1,41 GAA, 5 SO) vs Casper @ICappeI Lundgren (19 W, 81,01 SV%, 1,5 GAA, 3 SO)

HAVU Gaming and Linkoping HC have built a strong bond and a rivalry between the two clubs. Names and colors might have changed, but the fundamentals do not differ as we still remember these two juggernauts going head-to-head in a multitude of competitions over the years. Most recently, LHC has managed to pull the longer straw and is now the reigning champion, but HAVU Gaming are fighting tooth and nail to retake the throne. HAVU suffered two losses last Thursday at the hands of hREDS in a set of games where they looked a bit out of focus, so a determined group of guys will be taking the virtual ice tonight. The white lions of LHC have the highest scoring offense in the league by a wide margin with Paul @PleeMaker Arontie leading the way and chasing his own all-time ECL Elite goal scoring record of 49 notches (currently at 46). We should be seeing a low-scoring affair, which ultimately will come down to which team can better capitalise on the oppositions mistakes. 

Tune in for all the action starting tonight at 20:00 CEST over at www.twitch.tv/nhlgamer, alternatively ISTV, and Ruutu for our Finnish viewers.

NHLGamers,

With a brand new season going on it’s also time for the Player Spotlight series to make a comeback. In the latest edition, we asked now JYP goaltender Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos 19 questions and the guy has been on a heater since then. Today it’s finally time for a new article in the series and this time we are featuring Joel @jtorro1233 Tourunen, who's best known for his dominating performances at the blue line of Linkoping HC. We asked him a total of 17 questions and as you already know, some are the same as earlier and some are brand new.

1. What was your first experience with the EASHL mode in NHL?

- My first memory from EASHL was that I played a drop-in match on NHL 13 with a couple of friends. I felt that I liked the game mode from the start and I have played a lot of it since then. 
 

2. What’s the best part of playing NHL 20 for the SHL club Linkoping HC?

- There’s a lot of things that are nice with representing Linkoping, but I feel that the best part is all the support from both staff and fans that cheer for us every game.

3. Who is the loudest player in your team during the games?

- It’s different from game to game but I would say me, @ICappeI and @Eki.
 

4. Describe your perfect meal!

- Fillet of Beef, potato gratin and red wine sauce.
 

5. If you would be a manager for a day and had to pick one defender, one forward and a goalie to build a new ECL Elite team around. Which players would you choose? You can only choose one from your own team.

- I would choose @Eki as forward cause I think he is the best forward in the game and he is a person that works with everybody. As defender, I would choose @iilmarii because I think he has evolved a lot in a very short time and I think he can be one of the best in the near future. As goalie I would choose @Supreex cause regardless of what team he has played for, he has been one of the big reasons for the team performing really good. He would be an important player regardless of which team he would be playing for.
 

6. What would you rather be, an average player in the real-life Swedish SHL or the world’s best EA Sports NHL-player in both 1v1 and 6v6?

- I would rather be the best NHL-player in both 1v1 and 6v6 because of the simple reason that I am a very competitive person that always strives to be the best.
 

7.  Do you play or have you played hockey?

- I played hockey for 12 years and I quit when I was 16.
 

8.  Why did you quit?

- I got a couple of concussions during my career and I was afraid that they would do permanent damage to me, and I didn’t have the passion for hockey left.
 

9. What’s your best hockey memory?

- My best hockey memory would be when Finland won the 2016 Junior World Championships. I was watching with my family and everyone screamed with joy when Kapanen scored the game-winning goal on overtime against Russia.
 

10. Describe a normal day in Joel Tourunen’s life! 

- I get up at 05:00 and get to work that starts one hour later. I work as an electrician and work from 06:00 to 15:30. When the work is done I go home and sleep a couple of hours, then I grab something to eat and after that, I play NHL until it’s bedtime.
 

11. Pineapple or no pineapple on pizza?

- Pineapple shouldn’t be on pizza.
 

12. If you would have to spend one day playing NHL and had to listen to one song only, during the whole day, what song would you pick?

- It’s a very hard question but I would either chose The Box with Roddy Ricch or Roses (Imanbek remix) with SAINt JHN and Imanbek.
 

13. How did you come up with your PSN ID?

- From the beginning, it was my big brother that made an account that was called jtorro123. Both I and he are sometimes called Torro. When my big brother quit playing Playstation I took over his account and during the years I’ve been doing some small edits to the name, like getting rid of the numbers.
 

14. Who’s the best player in ECL according to you?

- There’s a lot of players that could be the best but I would say that @Eki is the number one right now.

15. What are your top 3 places or countries you want to visit? 

- I would like to visit USA, Italy and Nassau.
 

16. Which team will win ECL Elite?

- I believe and hope that Linkoping will win, and we will do everything to make it happen. But it will be tough against HAVU and JYP. 
 

17. Last question, who’s the greatest Swede in Linköping, you or Cappe?

- Haha, that’s a good question. Cappe is great both on and off the ice, but if Cappe were to play forward and I would play goalie, then we would be equally great . 

We thank jtorro-.- for taking the time to sit down with us for this interview. For next week we want you to choose the next player that is going to be interviewed. Please let us know which player you would like to hear more from below in the comments!


Photo credit: Elias Gammelgård

NHLGamers,

In the broadcast tonight we've got some heated action for you guys! Starting in just a few hours some of the very best will face off against each other, when Finnish esports talents HAVU Gaming and hREDS clash for the title of which org gets the bragging rights until next time. In the second matchup of the night, Lulea Hockey and BRAYCE Phantoms go head to head in a battle between two teams desperate for points.

Dynamic duo @Tougie24 and @Cyn will be casting the action tonight.

 HAVU Gaming vs hREDS 
RECORD
19-1-0 vs 10-4-2

TOP SCORER
Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha (23+34=57) vs Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen (18+17=35)

GOALTENDER
Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen (19 W, 82,43 SV%, 1,3 GAA, 5 SO) vs Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen (6 W, 72,22 SV%, 2,5 GAA, 1 SO)
 

The stakes in this one are high and they extend way beyond just points in the ECL standings. HAVU Gaming and hREDS will enter a heated battle on the ice, fighting over who gets the bragging rights between the Finnish esports orgs in the ECL. HAVU has delivered according to their usual level, which is at the very top night in and night out. Captain Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha leads the scoring way (57 points) and finds himself in third place overall for the season, but the challenge in playing HAVU is that each and every player can be a threat from pretty much any position. Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen will have a tough night in net and needs support from his defense if they are to challenge HAVU in this matchup. Interestingly enough, hREDS have chosen to switch things up tonight by including Tuukka @Tuukka.R Röpelinen at the LD spot for his first games of the season. The man is a mystery both at the position in question and in terms of form, as he has been spending his days in the service of the Finnish armed forces.

 Lulea Hockey vs BRAYCE Phantoms 
RECORD
4-10-4 vs 7-7-2

TOP SCORER
Ville @hpkfani Luukkonen (10+11=21) vs Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker (9+16=25)

GOALTENDER
Ville @Supreex Korhonen (4 W, 74,86 SV%, 2,56 GAA, 2 SO) vs Patrick @RPH_31 Braun (7 W, 73,81 SV%, 2,75 GAA, 1 SO)

The matchup between Lulea Hockey and BRAYCE Phantoms is a big one for both teams. It might not shake the Elite standings at their core regardless of the outcome, but for the teams themselves it's huge. Lulea needs the full four points to shock their abysmal season back to life and give themselves a fighting chance at both avoiding relegation and sneaking into the playoffs as one of the latter seeds. For BRAYCE, collecting four points would mean breaking a minor losing streak and putting themselves right back in the playoff hunt for seeds 5-8. Luleas main problem all season long have been scoring goals and with 12 games remaining, time is running out on getting their offensive woes (1,39 goals scored/game – last in the league) fixed. Ville @hpkfani Luukkonen leads the team in goals (10) and points (21), but he also leads the entire league in PIMs (28). Thankfully for Lulea, their PK has been one of their few strengths this season – coming in at 4h overall in the league (82,76%). For BRAYCE, the opposite rings true. With a staggering 42,86% efficiency rate, their powerplay stands as the best in the league (tied with KOVA). Leading the charge is playmaking center Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker with three PP goals. The center also leads the entire team in assists (16) and points (25).

Tune in for all the action starting tonight at 20:00 CEST over at www.twitch.tv/nhlgamer, alternatively ISTV, and Ruutu for our Finnish viewers.

NHLGamers,

A bit over half of the regular season in ECL 10 Lite is now behind and we have a vision of teams and players that are going to be strong this season. It's also clear that the race for the playoff spots is going to be extremely tight in every group and every point is important from this point on. All of the teams want to finish as high as possible in their groups to have optimal seeding for the playoffs while mid-table teams are fighting to get above the playoff line before the regular season ends. For the teams that are finishing their season at the bottom of the table it’s going to be more of a learning process and gathering that important experience for the future. However, there are still many games left and time to improve for every team regardless their current position in the standings.

We took a look at the midseason standings and stats and made a little summary of every group.

Group 1 

Current leaders SOPPAJENGI have been victorious in recent games against teams that they’ve been clear favorites to win against but they have also lost some important points against their main rivals, which could see them losing the top spot at the end of the regular season. The strongest candidates to overtake SOPPAJENGI are Hokurit, who were able to take 3 / 4 points against SOPPAJENGI when they squared off. Also one of the most positive surprises in this season so far has been Powerhouse hockey, who recently took 4/4 points from Hokurit and closed the gap between these two teams. 

In the predicted mid-table, Murohoki have taken some impressive victories but also suffered some devastating losses that could drop them out of the top 4 battle. They have played against all the top teams already and are now required to win the teams below them to secure a good position in the standings. Saucer Hockey took some vital points from Old Farts (4/4 points), Tic Tac Toes (2/4 points), and recently from Murohoki (4/4 points) which quickly turned them into the strongest playoff candidates in the mid-table. It is also expected that teams like Infamous and Empire will win the points to join the fight. Elamam Kiekko is currently heading towards another disappointing season but they have already played against most of the top teams in the group and they should be still able to gather enough points to challenge for a playoff spot at the end. Kuutamokiekko and Basic Instinct have to continue their good work in the defensive zone and take big wins from the rest of the games if they want to get to the playoffs.

There could still be a glimpse of hope for KSE Teutons to challenge for a playoff spot if they manage to get the victories from the rest of their games. Rusty Bulls (who took two points from Powerhouse hockey last night) and CapeTown Kings needs to improve a lot if they want to rise from the bottom. Game is over for Team HulluPullo.

@Nagyttaja, who joined Hokurit just before the season started has played key role for his team with league leading 44 goals in 20 games. SOPPAJENGI winger @Jondeezzis continuing from where he left off last season with an impressive 68 points (33+35) in 26 games. @Verve(Boychuk39) from Powerhouse hockey represents one of the most effective offensive defenders with 34 points (8+26) in 20 games and @Vamouxfrom Basic Instinct has currently the best save percentage in the group from active goaltenders ( 8 GP: 84,76 %)

Key team stats
Most points per game: Powerhouse hockey (1,7)
Most goals per game: Hokurit (4,41)
Least goals against per game: Saucer Hockey (2,05)
Best power play: Powerhouse hockey (32,56 %) 
Best penalty kill: Powerhouse hockey (90,32 %)

Group 2

Leader EBR eSports Official has been amazing in this season so far. In their games against 2nd placed The UnderRated they took 4 points (3-5 W, 1-0 OTW) and are heading to group winners if they continue to play the way they do right now.

Right behind The UnderRated there are six teams that are only up to 4 points apart from each other. Ducktales BK with two games less played than the others could rise to challenge The UnderRated for 2nd place in the standings. The upcoming games between The UnderRated and Ducktales BK is going to be crucial for both teams and extremely tight because Ducktales BK have seen half of their games going to overtime this season. HUIPPUPASSI who won their group last time in ECL 9 Lite had a rough start for the season but now they are finding their form and are fighting with Suomen Sonnit and Poston Fruits for the best possible position for playoffs seeding. The games between Suomen Sonnit and Poston Fruits are going to be really important for both of these teams and could decide which team will challenge for the top 3 positions and who will fight for the playoff spots at the end of the season. TanssiiTuhtienKansa and Remparts de Tours Esport are just above the playoff line so there is no room for error for any of these teams especially when last season's playoffs sensations Carolus Icemen, Hopeless Hockey Team and Syndrome are desperate to get to the right side of playoff line as well. 

In the bottom half, HockeyProfessorn HC are closest to challenging the teams above for a playoff spot. They recently took an impressive 3/4 points from The UnderRated. IK Oskarshamn,  AfroDunk, Slightly Below Average and Detroit Big Hinks need to change their course to winning ways to keep the playoff dream alive. For these teams it’s important to win all the points from other bottom teams or the gap to the top 8 teams will grow too big to catch. Last time in ECL 9 Lite, AfroDunk managed to get to the second round of the playoffs so they must be really disappointed in how the season is going so far and improvements are expected for the last half of the season.

@Keuschemisch from EBR eSports Official has been the deadliest attacker of group 2 with 59 (22+37) points after 20 games. @viba2008 from HUIPPUPASSI is the point leading defender in the group with 24 points (6+28) in 20 games and @Herra Manaatti (Ponmi) from Poston Fruits has the best save percentage ( 10 GP: 84,17 %)

Key team stats
Most points per game: EBR eSports Official (1,9)
Most goals per game: EBR eSports Official (4,15)
Least goals against per game: EBR eSports Official (1,95)
Best power play: Suomen Sonnit (43,24 %) 
Best penalty kill: The UnderRated (93,02 %)

Group 3

Sensational newcomers Piiraaka Osuus ja Nakki are currently leading the group but ECDC Memmingen eSports, who were previously known as WEREWOLVES HC are right behind them with less games played. Piiraka Osuus ja Nakki was able to beat ECDC Memmingen eSports in both games this season (3-2 W, 2-3 W) and maybe the biggest games for them are going to be the matchup against Storhamar IL Esport who also needs full points to challenge for the top position in the group. The fourth team in the top 4 currently are Nordic Nosebleed who have already improved from last season when they failed to get to the playoffs. All these four teams have started their season very well and are building a little gap to the mid-table teams. However, HV71 eSHL is still lingering with less games played and the team has found a good form with only two losses during the whole season. They are expected to join the fight for the top spot and especially their matches against ECDC Memmingen eSports and Storhamar IL Esport could decide who is going to win the group.

Speedy Bros is currently the strongest team in the mid-table with less games played than the competition. However, they have had problems in the recent games that could see them falling behind especially when they are yet to face teams like HV71 eSHL and Piiraka Osuus ja Nakki. HC SKULL TOWN who surfaced for the first time in IS CUP where they did an outstanding job by getting to the playoffs, have had a quiet start to the season but are slowly finding good form. They were able to win their main rivals DEG eSports (1-2 W, 9-2 W) and changed their course from being playoffs candidates to being a serious challenger for top 4 spots. Around the playoff line we find Grenoble BDL Esports, Clowns On Ice and Nearbird Fighters who all have had fluctuant seasons. Also DICE Hockey, Illumination and Finnish Hockey Legends are still in the race for the playoffs so it's going to be an entertaining last half of the season for group 3 too. 

At the bottom of the table we see nTice Esports and Free From Rodents, who are still searching for their winning form but most likely will not make it to the playoff fight this year. Free From Rodents managed to win 2/4 points from HV71 eSHL in their recent game that could bring some confidence back. 

@Wowa_1995 (Waldinho_95) from ECDC Memmingen eSports is leading the points statistics of group 3 with 22+31=53 points in 20 games while @Toneee9 from ECDC Memmingen eSports is the point leading defender with an impressive 8+32=40 points in 20 games. HV71 eSHL keeper @IsakTuvesson (Akoniaia) has the best saving percentage ( 6 GP: 93,1 %)

Key team stats
Most points per game: HV71 eSHL (1,79)
Most goals per game: Storhamar IL Esport (3,61)
Least goals against per game: HV71 eSHL (1,21)
Best power play: ECDC Memmingen eSports (39,53 %) 
Best penalty kill: HV71 eSHL (100 %)

Group 4

Sack Brothers are the leaders in Group 4 with less games played than Horror Hockey. As predicted, Sack Brothers have been excellent in the offensive zone with most goals scored of the teams in the league. However Sack Brothers are still facing Horror Hockey and NOVA in the final half of the season. Right behind the top 2 are Angry Cats who took big wins against NOVA recently (1-2 W, 5-2 W). GENESIS, who are the only team that have been able to win Sack Brothers this season and Sjukstugan who also were able to win NOVA twice. It is really hard to predict which of these teams could win this tough group and especially those games where they are playing against one another every point is going to be extremely important.

It seems that TeamEurope, Fysical, DIKTATUURI, Mustachios, Skelleftea AIK and ORIGINS  will fight for the playoff spots in the packed mid-table. Most likely only two of these teams will continue to the playoffs and to get there they have to be able to steal some big points from the top 6 teams as well. TeamEurope did this by winning 3/4 points against Horror Hockey in their latest matches and are now leading the playoff race.

At the bottom are Fat Burritos, YK-V Esports, Olympia and 5th Line Heroes. Playoffs are getting away from them but if some of these teams could get wins from the rest of the bottom group teams and steal some points from teams above, there could be a chance to fight for the playoff spot at the last rounds of the seasons.

@luosttin from Sack Brothers is currently leading the race for the most points on the regular season with amazing 74 points in 20 games while his teammate @Kucherov86 is at the top of the defenders stats with 8+33=41 points in 20 games. SPB_AlexZver_22 from NOVA is leading the leagues defenders goals statistics with 13 goals in 24 games. @Giinis from Angry Cats has an outstanding save percentage ( 16 GP: 91,62 %)

Key team stats
Most points per game: Sack Brothers (1,95)
Most goals per game: Angry Cats (5,25)
Least goals against per game: GENESIS (1,73)
Best power play: Angry Cats (39,22 %) 
Best penalty kill: Sjukstugan (96,77 %)

As you can see from the table, the rest of the season is going to be a hard battle right to the end for most of the teams. Everyone who has played some ECL playoffs before knows that those series can be really different from regular season games and every team have a real chance to win their opponent and move forward to the next rounds. The margins are very small this season and it’s going to be really important to keep fighting to the last whistle. We are excited to see how the table will form at the end of the season and wish the best of luck for every team in the league going forward!

NHLGamers,

With the Pro season past the halfway point, it's time to take a look at the action that's been going on in our second highest division. The competition is fiercer than ever and as we're closing in on the playoffs, the stakes will only get higher. Let's get on with our midseason report:

Top Teams

Riven Johdolla has had a tremendous season so far. They were leading Group 1 and have successfully taken command of the top three positions in the point totals department. Also, their defenders are the leading players in the defenders point totals and +/- statistics. The success of young and hungry Riven Johdolla isn't a big surprise at all. The fact that they have several players leading the statistics of their positions isn´t a coincidence and has a significant connection to the overall performance of the team success like you may expect. In the last few days, Riven Johdolla has experienced some minor fluctuations in their positioning, but looks to be heading towards the playoffs with a high group stage finish.

Team Frosty has also had a strong start in Group 1. In the games I have seen from them, their overall teamplay has been very well organized. Most of Team Frosty's games have seen very minimal scoring - both scored for and conceded.

RPEAT Esports and Leksands IF recently made an incredible climb to the top positions in the standings after having the youngsters of Riven Johdolla lead the Group 1 earlier last week. 

In Group 2 Black Horse and HanaaHC are leading the pack - as they have been doing for a while now. HanaaHC I saw last week against Shooting Stars and the strong team spirit of Hanaa was apparent as the joy those guys play with was visible through their performances. Nordic Stars and ZSC Esports are also determined to fight for the leading positions in Group 2 as we are proceeding to the second half of the regular season.

Playoff Battles

Recently I saw the games of two teams battling for playoff positions: Exen esports (Group 1) and Shooting Stars (Group 2). Both were good in their games and still have chances in their near future, but utilizing their scoring opportunities must be way more clinical than before. Differences between the teams in contention of the last playoff spots are minimal in both groups, so none of the teams around those positions can afford to drop points. Another interesting team is Vaxjö Lakers, who are also battling for playoffs in Group 2, which is quite surprising after an exciting campaign in the eSHL.

Kaupallinen Yhteistyo lost several key players recently, which has sent the team into something of a whirlwind. However, newly acquired goalie @JanneK. has been off to a hot start with the team and is a crucial component as they are battling for playoff position in Group 1. In the same group, Enigma is in pursuit of a place in the playoffs. Enigma should have been a title candidate but has surprisingly found that Pro competition wouldn't be a cakewalk for the skilled team.

Notable players

Some of the most notable players during the first half of the season has been without a doubt the attackers of Riven Johdolla, including @Vattu__, who has represented the white and blue for the last two seasons in the Lite Division. In Riven Johdolla, vattu_ seems to have found the right group of guys around him that have helped him to elevate his game to the next step. So far he has combined for nearly as many points as last season and there are still games left to go.

There have been goalies in good form in several teams including Team Frosty, Exen Esports, Riven Johdolla, and Shooting Stars. We've seen many low scoring games and despite none of few goals - there have been opportunities to score a whole bunch. One of the key goalies has been @JanneK. from Kaupallinen Yhteistyo as mentioned earlier. He is a really important player as the team is battling for a their place in the postseason in Group 1. @Nieppii from Enigma has also showed his Elite-proven skill this season. He previously represented Symphony, but has recently moved to Enigma. The team is still battling for a playoff spot and Nieppii has been a key player in that push.

In Group 2, Vaxjo Lakers LW @EDHOLMINHO has been in great form and is his teams leading scorer by a wide margin. In a somewhat underperforming team, he has been a glimpse of hope. Edholminho has maintained his level regardless of his teams performance.
 

Matchups to watch going forward

In the second half of the season, the battles for top seed will be interesting in both groups. In Group 1, Rpeat Esports and Leksands IF are scheduled to play each other on April 30th in a heated battle. On the same day there is a game between Kaupallinen Yhteistyö and Exen esports in which some important points in the battle for the last playoff spot are to be determined. we should see a low-scoring game with two teams showing a disciplined approach to the game, and on KY's side, we'll see one of the best goalies in the division. On the other hand, if we end up seeing either team in a desperate position, we might be in for a scoring explosion - you never know!

In Group 2, Nordic Stars and Black Horse are scheduled for a battle on May 4th. That is a heated rivalry, which might be deciding someone's fate in the top 3 of the group. These teams are likely to make the postseason and therefore also have a chance to force their game on their opponents a bit more.

That's going to be it for this snapshot into the action of the Pro season so far. What do you expect going forward? Let us know in the comments!
As always, play hard - have fun!

NHLGamers,

Our first broadcast of the week sees us crossing the midway point of the regular season and we've set you up with some interesting battles. In the first matchup, an underperforming Unlucky Boys HC goes up against a tough team to beat - Roots. In the second matchup, energetic KOVA Esports will take on a desperate Almost Famous.

Dynamic duo @Tougie24 and @Cyn will be casting the action tonight.
 

 Unlucky Boys HC vs Roots 
RECORD
6-8-2 vs 8-3-3

TOP SCORER
Antti @Anhel Kuru (12+7=19) vs Miko @Migo_boo Nurmi (10+11=21)

GOALTENDER
Ville @Viltzup Poutiainen (4 W, 85,19 SV%, 2 GAA, 1 SO) vs Joonas @swagx88 Kuossari (8 W, 85,55 SV%, 1,79 GAA, 2 SO)

Unlucky Boys HC have had an uphill struggle all season long. We're used to seeing them in playoff spot contention, but the ream led by centerman Antti @Anhel Kuru had a catastrophic start to the season. Familiar face Ville @Viltzup Poutiainen returned to guard the crease last week and might have been what the team needed in order to turn a corner. 4-2-0 in his first week show signs of improvement. Roots, on the other hand, have been a steady performer. The black and green have played a bunch of low-scoring games this season, a feat that can be attributed to their great and very organized game, but in their own end also to at times sensational play by goaltender Joonas @swagx88 Kuossari. In this matchup, I would keep my eye on the guys between the pipes.

 KOVA Esports vs Almost Famous 
RECORD
7-7-2 vs 3-9-2

TOP SCORER
Valeri @Valluxet Reihel (18+9=27) vs Eemi @Sokkelo__ Soikkeli (11+10=21)

GOALTENDER
Axel @MonkeyHeadAF Falck (7 W, 83,33 SV%, 2,44 GAA, 2 SO) vs Joni @Jonitski Rintamäenpää (3 W, 77,83 SV%, 3,36 GAA, 2 SO)

Both of tonight's matchups start in very similar situations. In this one, KOVA Esports has the edge as they have despite having a multitude of fresh faces in their roster, performed very well in the first half of the season. Their scoring has lied heavily on the shoulders of power duo Valeri @Valluxet Reihel and Väinö @Pikkardz Pikkarainen, but we all know that they have depth in their lineup too. Almost Famous hasn't been able to get going at all. After a turbulent offseason, the struggles have piled on as they can't seem to find consistency and have currently fallen into last place. However, their last broadcast showing resulted in 3/4 points against SJ Gaming, maybe tonight will be the turning point for their season?

Tune in for all the action starting tonight at 20:00 CEST over at www.twitch.tv/nhlgamer, alternatively ISTV, and Ruutu for our Finnish viewers.

Like we hinted at in last week’s recap, the big (h)RED machine seems to be waking up.

After opening their season uncharacteristically weak, hREDS have rattled off eight straight wins – including four consecutive wins in their last four games. The hot streak has catapulted the team into the top four, which now consists of the foursome many expected to be there: HAVU Gaming, JYP Jyvaskyla, Linköping HC, and hREDS.

A quick look at the leaderboards for individual statistics further enhance the domination by these four teams. The top six is made up of three LHC forwards and three HAVU forwards. The remaining four are two hREDS forwards and two JYP forwards. 

At the other end of the spectrum, we find Almost Famous and Luleå Hockey who both went 0-4 the past week, picking up no points in the process. Luleå is riding a nine-game losing streak overall (0-7-2) whereas aF (1-7-1) has had an increasingly tough go of things lately as well. Another team that is struggling is Vesa Pompa, one of the teams promoted from Pro. The reigning SCL champions did manage to pick up an overtime win against another Swedish team, Färjestad BK, in the NHLGamer-featured broadcast matchup between the two, but have gone 1-5-0 in their past six games and lost three out of four games the past week. 

One suspects these three teams are happy to turn the page on the past week and start a new chapter. 

When sorting by “points collected per game” for teams, we can deduce that Roots Gaming especially have been doing well beyond the top four. With a record of 4-1-1 the past week, the team has continued to build on what had already begun to look like a strong campaign. We are only at the halfway point, but Roots seems to have already positioned themselves as a sure-fire playoff team. Beyond Roots, teams Checkmate and BRAYCE Phantoms are also putting together strong seasons – both hovering above one point collected per game. 

One team that took off this week and seemed to leave a bad start behind them was Unlucky Boys HC. After losing eight of their first ten games, the team announced their intentions to climb by going 4-0-0 in the early goings of the week, defeating both Luleå Hockey and KOVA Esports without surrendering a single point. Their upward trend came to a screeching halt when they were faced with reigning champions Linköping HC yesterday, though. LHC collected all four points – further cementing themselves at the top of the standings for what seems to be another successful season. 

Newcomers Gotham Knights and GHETTO FIREBIRDS both continue to acquit themselves well at the top tier of ECL competition, tallying roughly a point per game thus far into the season. Färjestad, KOVA, and SJ Gaming have also performed adequately so far and put themselves in solid contention for a playoff spot.

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

While it is in no way enjoyable to highlight these plays, at least not for this particular writer (Editors Note: the author represents Luleå Hockey), HAVU Gaming does deserve some credit for the highlight reel-worthy goals they scored against Luleå Hockey this past week. 

Enjoy. Or don’t. I certainly won’t…

FORWARD OF THE WEEK

Paul @PleeMaker Arontie, Linköping HC

EASHL hockey is about scoring goals and as of right now, nobody does that better than Linköping HC left wing PleeMaker. With 32 goals in 14 games, he holds a commanding lead in the overall goal-scoring race – helped by his scorching performance last week where he tallied 11 (!) goals and 2 assists in just four games. With that, he is our forward of the week.

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Wille @willekunq Juntunen, HAVU Gaming

HAVU Gaming had a busy week, playing four opponents for a total of eight games. Willekunq made sure to make the most of these games, amassing 10 points (4+6), and catapulting himself up to the top of the leaderboard for defender scoring.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Ville @Viltzup Poutiainen, Unlucky Boys HC

Thrown straight into Elite by way of recruitment from ECL Pro team We Kings, “new” UB goalie Viltzup (he played for UB last season) certainly showed right away he can help the team win games. With an 85,19 save percentage, a 4-2-0 record, one shutout, and 2,00 goals against average, Viltzup is your goaltender of the week. Sure, he probably wishes he could forget about the LHC games yesterday – at least one of them – but overall, this first week for Viltzup in ECL 10 Elite was a roaring success.

NHLGamers,

Just a few weeks after the French professional team Grenoble Brûleurs de Loups entered competition, a new French organization continues the nations ECL surge. From this day onward, Hawks Olympique HC becomes Remparts de Tours Esport.

As we know, the French community is a rather small part of the NHL Gaming scene, not being as dynamic or widespread as the community in say Finland or Sweden. The fact remains that things are progressing, and they have been doing so rather quickly. In the wake of Grenoble BDL Esport, a new professional team is entering the competition. The Remparts of Tours, Division 1 club (first national level after the Magnus League) therefore become the second French club to enter into agreements with a collective of gamers and to join the ECL.

"It's a big day for the Remparts de Tours", states Stéphane Raisin, Chairman of the club. "We are proud to be the first D1 hockey club to invest in esports, the second in France. Like Grenoble, we are enthusiastically approaching this new adventure allowing us to explore an exciting territory. Our online team will be supported and considered in the exact same way as the one that thrills the Tours arena in the French championship."

Our French community members are excited but also quite surprised that things can move so quickly. "Our community has existed for several years, on the initiative of Hawks HC first and later the Cancun Pirates.", explains Yann @Virtual_Saku Maillet. "Let's say that everything really started to come together two years ago and I must admit that in recent weeks, a certain frenzy has started to surface. Almost all of us are grouped into a Facebook messenger group. Before ECL 10 we were about 40 and we are almost 80 now. It is unexpected to see this craze, but it is also a pride to see that our arguments manage to convince professional clubs and allow us to generate added visibility. This, in turn, has led to discovering new players that we did not even know a few weeks ago."
 

For the Hawks and their captain Freddy @Izzo Baribeau, it is above all a feeling of pride that prevails. “The arrival of the Remparts de Tours is excellent news for French esports, it is a continuation of Grenoble BDL Esport. Frankly, I am very proud. The whole team was immediately excited and very motivated. The project was presented to us in a very professional way, which proves that the French gaming community is taken seriously. The Remparts de Tours is a popular club with a very strong fan base, and a plan to get involved and to make the most of their notoriety in esports too. We can't wait to start under our new colors. Thanks to Yann for helping make this happen and to Kenneth @Kenu Lehtinen of NHLGamer for the help behind the scenes."
 

Remparts de Tours Esport will be playing their very first games under the new colors this evening, at 20:30 CEST against Slightly Below Average, 15th in ECL Lite Group 2. Follow the games on the Twitch channel of Remparts de Tours Esport.

NHLGamers,

We’re a passionate community of gamers and fans that are constantly growing - it’s with great pleasure we tonight announce the first Danish traditional sports club to join the ECL! Herlev Eagles will effective immediately be assuming the place of Kouvola Screaming Eagles in ECL Pro. KSE is a team with history dating back to ECL 5, when they debuted in the Lite division. The team recently gained promotion to the Pro level and has been giving competition a run for their money so far into their first season at that level.



We reached out to team captain Oliver @oSandello Sandell for some comments regarding the contract:

How was the contact with Herlev initiated and what factors attracted you to the club the most?
“Without a doubt, we can give all credit to our Danish superstar Martin @vibholm10 Vibholm. He has represented Herlev in multiple Danish championships with great success, which gave us a line of communication to the organisation. He also used to play real hockey in their second team. The rest of the team was really excited when Martin came to us with this idea of putting together the first professional Danish NHL esports team, and it all went smoothly from there. Furthermore, both sides agreed that a Danish eagle species combining with Finnish eagles could only be a good thing.”

As you'll now be representing an organisation, how do you think it will resonate with your gameplay and mentality, if at all?
“I don't think we will change anything gameplay wise. We have always prided ourselves with solid team play and will continue to play the same brand of hockey. Mentality wise this was obviously a great boost to the team morale. It feels great to know that the organisation has put faith in our talent, and we are looking forward to showing that we are worthy of their investment.”

"Our entry into esports contributes to strengthening and expanding the foundation on which we have worked purposefully to build over the past few years. It provides increased opportunities for both sponsorship revenue and creating a greater community around Herlev Eagles. This basically helps to strengthen our brand and make us even stronger." - Statement by Herlev Eagles
 

Herlev Eagles
Herlev Eagles is a Danish hockey club founded in 1968. The team has been competing at the highest tier in the nation (with some stints in lower divisions) for a majority of their history. In 2019-2020, the Eagles were on track for one of their most successful seasons in recent history, but due to the pandemic their eventual playoff push was cut short.

NHLGamers,

We're reminding you that tomorrow, April 23rd at 23:59:59 CET is the deadline for transfers in ECL Pro, Lite, and Neo. We previously had the 22nd as the last day for Pro but have decided to give Pro one more day for transfers in line with Lite and Neo. The ECL Elite transfer deadline is on Tuesday, April 28th.
 

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14.1 Transfer Deadline 

The deadline for transfers is set to 23:59 CE(S)T, on the following days: 

• ECL Elite: 28th of April 2020 
• ECL Pro: 23nd of April 2020 
• ECL Lite: 23rd of April 2020 
• ECL Neo: 23rd of April 2020 

 

Note: A player cannot leave a team after the deadline has passed (e.g. Pro and the 23nd of April), and then join a team in another league where the deadline has not (e.g. Elite and the 28th of April). 

 

Please remember to make sure your trades are in line with the rulebook before making them and check with support if you aren't sure. Remember, only one transfer per player is allowed per season - unless the player has played 0 games (overall, for any team) the entire season, which is covered in rule 14.11.

If you're a player still looking for a team or a team still looking to add to your roster, please head to the Free Agents section or the Clubs Looking For Players section on our forum.

Please post any last-minute transfers in the comments section below so everyone can enjoy them. 

The Rulebook for the ECL has been updated with several important points. Please always refer to the rulebook for the full ruleset - this news story is intended to highlight some of the additions and/or amendments to the rulebook.

Without further ado, let's jump into the new rules.

Betting

While the ECL isn't officially associated with any betting company, some companies have started offering bets on ECL Elite games. This is an honor for us, as it means our games are appreciated at the same level of seriousness as we play and organize them with. In addition to the raised importance of reporting the games and potential reschedules in a precise and timely manner, the introduction of betting poses some potential risks involving integrity.

In order to ensure the integrity, members of ECL Elite teams are hereby prohibited from betting on ECL Elite games or other ECL Elite related bets.

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13.1.5 Betting

In short: In order to ensure integrity, members of ECL Elite teams are hereby prohibited from betting on ECL Elite games, or ECL Elite related bets.

If a person (be that player, or manager, or anyone directly affiliated with a team) is found to have placed a bet on a match concerning their own team, or another, regardless of the bet placement, the respective match(es) will be overturned where applicable, and the person in question who placed the bet will be banned for a calendar year (365 days from starting ban date). This penalty is extended towards those placing bets through the use of a secondary, or third-party account.

In addition to this, we strongly advise that players discourage both friends and family from betting in order to reduce the risk of said players receiving a false positive ban.

Finally, we encourage anyone to come forward if they feel they have indisputable evidence that a certain person, or persons, have been placing bets - whether that be directly or via a third party. As always, all disputes will be handled by League Administration and we reserve full autonomy regarding possible punishment on a case-by-case basis.

ECL Elite Playoff Schedule

Below you'll find the ECL Elite Playoff Schedule and the dates for the broadcasts (starting time 20:00 CEST). The goal is to cover two of the quarterfinals, both semifinals, and the finals.

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10.5.1 ECL Elite Playoff Schedule

• Quarterfinals: 17.5 - 24.5
  • Monday 18th: Series 1 & Series 2 - Games 1 & 2
  • Wednesday 20th: Series 1 & Series 2 - Games 3 & 4
  • Thursday 21st: Games 5-7 (Where available)
  • Sunday 24th: Games 5-7 (Where available)
• Semifinals: 25.5 - 31.5
  • Monday 25th: Both series - Games 1 & 2
  • Wednesday 26th: Both series - Games 3 & 4
  • Thursday 27th: Games 5-7 (Where available)
  • Sunday 31st: Games 5-7 (Where available)
• Finals: 5.6 - 6.6
  • Friday 5th: Games 1-3
  • Saturday 6th: Games 4-7 (Where available)

 

ECL Pro, Lite & Neo Playoff Schedule

Below you'll find the playoff schedule for the rest of the divisions. Due to the overlap of the different division's playoffs, our goal is to cover all of the divisions' finals on our broadcasts.

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10.5.2 ECL Pro Playoff Schedule

• Playoffs Round 1: 10.5 - 16.5
• Quarterfinals: 17.5 - 23.5
• Semifinals: 24.5 - 30.5
• Finals: 31.5 - 6.6

10.5.3 ECL Lite Playoff Schedule

• Playoffs Round 1: 12.5 - 18.5
• Playoffs Round 2: 19.5 - 25.5
• Quarterfinals: 26.5 - 1.6
• Semifinals: 2.6 - 8.6
• Finals: 9.6 - 15.6

10.5.4 ECL Neo Playoff Schedule

• Playoffs Round 1: 10.5 - 16.5
• Playoffs Round 2: 17.5 - 23.5
• Playoffs 3: 24.5 - 30.5 • Quarterfinals: 31.5 - 6.6
• Semifinals: 7.6 - 13.6
• Finals: 14.6 - 20.6

 

Rescheduling games into the future

This is not a new rule, but something we ask teams to pay attention to. Games should never remain unplayed and unreported on a past date. If the games can't be played on the default date, discuss the new date with the opposing team's captains and use the rescheduling tool to update to the new date. This also applies to games played ahead of time - please reschedule them for the earlier date and time before playing and reporting.

This is important for e.g.:

• Betting
• Fans following your games
• League staff making sure everything is running as planned
   

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10.6 Rescheduling Tool
After teams have agreed to postpone or play a game ahead of schedule in written form, they must make use of the rescheduling tool available inside the league/tournament schedule to reflect this change on NHLGamer. To use the tool, find the affected matchup in the schedule and click the "Reschedule" button below puck drop time. Afterwards, the opponent's captains must confirm this action by visiting the main page, where they are alerted by a popup notification.

End of the regular season
 

Here you'll find the information on the last day to play your games. Any games left unplayed can end up being decided by the League Administration.

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10.4 End of Regular Season
All regular season games in ECL Elite must be finished by the 14th of May 2020. All regular season games in ECL Pro must be finished by the 7th of May 2020. All regular season games in ECL Lite must be finished by the 10th of May 2020. Finally, all regular season games in ECL Neo must be finished by the 6th of May 2020.

Instigating a fight

While we haven't been presented with any actual evidence about instigating a fight prior to a faceoff, we've been contacted by numerous teams worried about players instigating a fight before faceoffs. In order to save us all from the trouble of speculating about the topic - especially as instigating fights prior to faceoffs is generally speaking pointless - we have decided to ban this behavior.

That being said, if you can properly prove that this actually gives you a boost, please send us the evidence, as we're sure EA Sports would appreciate it.

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9.2.2 Instigating a fight in a faceoff situation
Players are strictly forbidden from instigating a fight prior to puck drop across all divisions. This is to eliminate the currently unproven, but speculated, speed boost from doing such an action.

Accidental fights

Accidental fights rarely get started - in fact, not even once per season. However, it can happen, so we decided to add it to the rulebook to describe what to do under these circumstances and what the outcome could be if the League Administration deems the "accident" intentional.

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11.8 Fighting

Players are not allowed to fight in ECL Elite & Pro. As for ECL Lite and Neo, you can fight under certain circumstances. For instance, you are not allowed to challenge a player in possession of the puck, or one that is about to pick up a loose puck. On the other hand, if a player delivers a big hit, gets the puck and the fight challenge comes up, the opposing team can take the fight, because the player delivering the hit is regarded as initiating the fight challenge. Initiating a fight with a player that is not in possession of the puck or in proximity of the puck is allowed.

In the event that a fight occurs in Elite or Pro, teams are asked to treat the game as though a player was disconnected as dictated by rule 11.11. Once the game has been completed, teams must make sure to flag the incident to LA via the support tool. If the fight is deemed to have been accidental in nature by LA, then no disciplinary action will be taken. If however, it is deemed that the fight was on purpose, then the game where the incident took place will be forfeited by the offending player’s team. In addition to this, the player in question will be suspended at minimum for 2 games.

Reporting game immediately after game

As mentioned earlier in this article, there are more eyes on the ECL and more teams in the ECL than ever before. This is why it's crucial that games are reported at the very latest within 24 hours of the game. It is good practice to report the games by the end of the evening, though. 

ECL Elite games must be reported directly after the game. This improves the experience for betting and allows our articles and broadcasts to always work with the most up to date information. Our broadcasts actually get the up to date numbers immediately after reporting now.

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12.2 Submission Deadline 
All match reports must be submitted within 24 hours of the game being completed, but in general teams are expected to submit the stats immediately. In case of any issues please contact the support team as soon as possible. 
Elite teams must they submit the game report immediately upon the game finishing

Winning team reports games

This is not a new rule, but something many seem to have a misconception of due to memories of ECL seasons in the past. The winning team is responsible for reporting the games. The losing team is, however, also responsible for documenting the necessary data as a backup.

ECL Neo Playoffs

Due to the expansion of ECL Neo from 32 teams to 84 teams, we added more groups and more teams make the playoffs. Here's how it works:

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5.7 ECL Neo Playoffs

In ECL Neo, 64 teams will make the playoffs. These 64 teams will be made up of the top 7 from each of the 9 groups, with the final playoff spot being allocated to the highest team remaining ranked on PPG. As is the case with the ECL Lite, the teams will be seeded based on finishing position within their group, as well as the tiebreakers mentioned in 11.3.

 

Transfer Deadlines

We allow transfers in ECL. Transfers are like trades, but there isn't a requirement for teams to get anyone in return.

Note: The transfer deadline is just around the corner. In order to leave a team or transfer, a player has to request that the captain drops them from the roster. This is to make sure the communication is there when leaving teams - in order to not leave the old team in trouble.

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14.1 Transfer Deadline

The deadline for transfers is set to 23:59 CE(S)T, on the following days:

• ECL Elite: 28th of April 2020
• ECL Pro: 22nd of April 2020
• ECL Lite: 23rd of April 2020
• ECL Neo: 23rd of April 2020

Note: A player cannot leave a team after the deadline has passed (e.g. Pro and the 22nd of April), and then join a team in another league where the deadline has not (e.g. Elite and the 28th of April).

 

How to get help

I get messages (PM, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, PSN, email, etc) daily asking for help with a lot of ECL related questions. This applies to many other members of our staff as well. While we love to help you, when you get spammed with 30-50 messages on random platforms each day, it becomes an unmanageable task.

In order to be able to help you in a structured way, we offer our support section. Support can be accessed through the Team Tools (for captains) and through the community. Consider bookmarking this link: https://nhlgamer.com/community/support/.

Please keep in mind that while we try to reply as soon as we can, sometimes it will take a while for us to get back to you. The important part is that you report the issue and we'll help you out as soon as we can. Thank you for your patience.

We hope you found these updated rules logical and reasonable. Please let us know if there are any questions and suggestions on how you would make the rulebook even better.

UPDATE: 

21.04.2020 Updated Lite playoff specifics (5.6)

22.04.2020 Tweaked Pro transfer deadline to be in line with Lite and Neo (14.1)

NHLGamers,

After the second week of ECL 10 Elite action, we still have two teams continuing their perfect run and an expected top four to lead the pack.

The two teams in the hottest form are HAVU Gaming and JYP Jyvaskyla, who are continuing their perfect streaks with 10 and 8 wins respectively. Reigning champion Linkoping HC suffered a 2-3 loss at the hands of KOVA Esports in a somewhat surprising outcome, whereas hREDS are currently sitting at fourth place after a shaky start that they've slowly started turning around with the lead of especially wingers Joakim @Joukki Nyholm (7+10) and Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen (10+3), who really revved up their offensive engines this past week.

The most active team besides hREDS has been SJ Gaming, who are in 5th place with 13 acquired points in 12 played games. SJ is a squad that narrowly missed the playoffs in ECL 9 and has been eager to show what they are capable of in their new fresh colors. The teams performances so far have been consistently inconsistent, but staying at a point average pace of 1.1 would indicate securing a playoff spot based on earlier seasons. Teams such as KOVA Esports, BRAYCE Phantoms and Roots can be found in the middle of the pack, but in a tight division, changes will and are expected to happen quickly. 

Some interesting stories are also emerging from the bottom half of the table, where we somewhat surprisingly find a team like Unlucky Boys HC, who have arguably had a particularly difficult schedule and should improve in the coming rounds. An interesting note from Thursdays matchup against Farjestad BK is that UB recruited superstar winger Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen to fill in for their mainstay LW Joona @JimBoo Muona who had some technical difficulties. GHETTO FIREBIRDS on the other hand have expectedly had a tough time, but managed to take a number of games into overtime which would be a great thing if they could convert these into victories. The overtime curse seems to have been overturned last night when GHETTO successfully snagged their first full set of points with a 1-0 OT win and 4-2 win against Lulea Hockey, who have been underperforming to start the season.

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

On Wednesday, Roots matched up against Linkoping HC and managed to steal a point in a tight battle. Goaltender Joonas @swagx88 Kuossari kept the game even with seconds to spare with this massive save: 

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Frank @Mannheimer1938 Münch, BRAYCE Phantoms

The captain of German pride BRAYCE Phantoms has really risen to the occasion after a tough last season and some turbulence that the team has experienced. With six points in four games this past week, this experienced gamer earns himself the spot as our defender of the week.

Honorable mentions: Joel @jtorro1233 Tourunen (LHC)
 

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Joonas @swagx88 Kuossari, Roots

Swag has made a name for himself in the community by utilizing a very aggressive playing style, which once again is showcased in the performance of the week shown above. His performances this season has secured his team some important points and having a top tier backstop combined with stellar defensive play has led to only conceding 14 goals in 8 games so far.

Honorable mentions: Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos (JYP), Joonas @Jombb- Koivukoski (Gotham)

NHLGamers,

Our broadcast of the night will as per usual feature some of the very best that NHL 6v6 has to offer, this time in the form of an ECL bout at the very highest level when undefeated JYP take on the juggernaut and equally undefeated HAVU Gaming in our first matchup of the night. In our second matchup of the night, we'll see two teams who are desperately trying to jumpstart their seasons when Farjestad BK go up against GHETTO FIREBIRDS.

Dynamic duo @Tougie24 and @Cyn will be casting the action for the duration of the night.

 HAVU Gaming vs JYP Jyvaskyla 
RECORD
10-0-0 vs 10-0-0

TOP SCORER
Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha (15+18=33) vs Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola (15+10=25)

GOALTENDER
Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen (10 W, 86,21 SV%, 0,8 GAA, 5 SO) vs Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos (10 W, 89,19 SV%, 1,2 GAA, 3 SO)

This is going to be an interesting fight between the two top dogs of the division and we're expecting two tremendously skilled teams to go to war in this double-header for the top spot of the league. Both teams have shown equally strong performances as of late, but if an advantage has to be given, it would be a slight one for HAVU because of the sheer experience that their group has of playing together. JYP made some major changes to their squad in the offseason and have proven themselves to be a serious contender this time. @kriketski17 has turned out to be the perfect addition to their already strong forward core as his craftiness has been a great asset so far. 

 Farjestad BK vs GHETTO FIREBIRDS 
RECORD
3-4-1 vs 3-3-4

TOP SCORER
Sebastian @eBasstian Nagel (8+7=15) vs Jere @Jertsicc Sirviö (6+7=13)

GOALTENDER
Johan @Rundqviiist Rundqvist (3 W, 75,23 SV%, 3,38 GAA) Jere @Jeresti Kulju (3 W, 73,79 SV%, 2,7 GAA, 1 SO)

Both Farjestad BK and GHETTO FIREBIRDS can be found below the playoff line. FBK especially is expected to play better than that and needs to get their game going if they want to deliver on their promises of success. The Swedish team has experienced a great amount of player turnover and some growth should be seen as they grow together as a group. GHETTO on the other hand has been performing close to their expected level and as a club in their first Elite season, they shouldn't be feeling the pressure of having to make playoffs. Last night, they managed to snap their overtime curse and grab their first OT win against Lulea Hockey. Will GHETTO continue on their path of beating down on Swedish teams or can FBK turn the corner and start racking up some points?


Tune in for all the action starting tonight at 20:00 CEST over at www.twitch.tv/nhlgamer or IS TV and Ruutu for our Finnish viewers.

NHLGamers,

As expected, the teams predicted to finish at the top of the standings got off to a good start. Well, most of them anyway. 

Reigning champions Linköping HC (4-0-0) began their ECL 10 journey with a bit of a scare as their initial opponent, German powerhouse Brayce Phantoms, came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game and nearly took home the opening game in overtime. However, LHC’s designated goalscorer Paul @PleeMaker Arontie stepped up and made sure to secure the win. Lifted by the opening win, the team came out and secured a second one as well. Momentum is certainly a thing in hockey and judging by how LHC leveraged their opening wins into their second matchup versus one of their top competitors, it seems to be a thing in its virtual counterpart as well. Consensus top-4 team hReds didn’t know what hit them until it was too late as LHC, for lack of a better word, crushed the recent Pro champion to the tune of 7-0 and 5-1 wins. With 16 points each through the opening four games, PleeMaker (9+7) and partner-in-crime Erik @Eki Tammenpää (7+9) are right at the top of the leaderboards for player statistics.

Sitting just above the LHC forwards, notorious HAVU duo Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha with 23 points (11+12) and Risto @Dominointi Järvi with 18 points (6+12). With stats like that, it’s no surprise really to learn HAVU Gaming also opened their season with a perfect record at 6-0-0. The foes vanquished were Vesa Pompa, Almost Famous and Unlucky Boys and the opening week included dominant wins of 8-0 (vs. aF) and 7-1 (vs. UB).

Only three teams remain undefeated in the league (not counting Färjestad BK who have yet to open their season) with the third outside of LHC and HAVU being new esport signee JYP Jyvaskyla (4-0-0). Led by powerful left winger Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola and his 12 points (7+5), the team has defeated Unlucky Boys HC twice in overtime and GHETTO FIREBIRDS twice – one win coming in overtime. Even if the wins haven’t come with the dominance or flair one might have expected from JYP, opening the season with a perfect record can never be anything less than a good start.

The fourth team among the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”, hReds, hasn’t come out of the gates roaring like the other three. Disappointing losses to LHC aside, the team suffered overtime losses to SJ Gaming (3-4) and KOVA Esports (0-1) and have gone 2-2-2 to open their inaugural season in ECL Elite.

Coincidentally, SJ Gaming (4-2-0) and KOVA Esports (3-1-0) are two of the teams to have the best openings beyond the unbeaten trio. Albeit early, Checkmate (2-0-2) also deserves a mention here as the points they collected was enough to put them in 6th with the first week completed.

At the bottom of the standings we find Färjestad BK (yet to play), Luleå Hockey (0-1-1), Unlucky Boys (0-2-2) and Vesa Pompa HC (1-3-0).

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

In Thursdays matchup between Linköping HC and hREDS, @PleeMaker delivered this outstanding goal, which we name the performance of thew week.

FORWARD OF THE WEEK

Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha, HAVU Gaming

With 11 goals, 12 assist and 23 points in just six games and a five-point lead clear of the second best skater, how could this go to anyone other than the captain of HAVU Gaming? FlyerKungen continues to cement his status as the premiere point-producer in EASHL 6v6 competition right now. 

Honorable mentions: Risto @Dominointi Järvi (HAVU), Erik @Eki Tammenpää (LHC), Paul @PleeMaker Arontie (LHC), Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola (JYP).

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Aleksi @loimmu Loimuvirta, Linköping HC

No other defender has scored more than one goal thus far this season, whereas loimmu has already lit the lamp three times. Add five assists to that and you get a phenomenal start for a defender with 8 points (3+5) through 4 games.

Honorable mentions: Wille @willekunq Juntunen (HAVU), Eemil @Eemil Koski (HAVU).

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Alex @MonkeyHeadAF Falck, KOVA Esports

Making his ECL Elite debut, MonkeyHeadAF hasn’t looked out of place at all. In fact, he’s been one of KOVA’s top performers as the team got off to a solid start (3-1-0) this season. With two shutouts, a save percentage of 87,5 % and 1,25 goals allowed per game, MonkeyHeadAF has certainly made his mark on the young season.

Honorable mentions: Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos (JYP), Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen (HAVU).