End of ECL 4 is nigh, NHLGamers!
Couple more weeks and we're done - for a while. It's time again to look up what has happened in our community during past week. Like we announced couple days ago - Laser HT finally won the ECL Elite championship as they won Dynasty in Game 7 thriller. One more time on my behalf - well deserved guys, hats off!
Carlsberg HC did what pretty much everyone expected and walked to the Pro division finals as Silver Sword Griffins simply didn't have enough what it needs to beat down CAR. In the finals, CAR will be facing good old Sjukstugan which was also predicted to be one of the most biggest dogs in the Pro and here they are - going to Elite division with Carlsberg! Sjukstugan won Kattiautomaatti in the semi's and they'll face SIKA in the relegation battle for the spot in the ECL 5. SSG will face Finnish Roosters.
In the Lite, there's four teams remaining in the battle for the spots in the Pro division: DEAD END KINGS, J P T J, Hawks Hockey Club and Lavetten. It's time for last big push, guys!
Once again, best of luck to every team!
ELITE: Relegation faceoffs
SIKA vs Kattiautomaatti, ELITE relegation round, by @The_Alpha_Furyan
Cats vs. Hogs - talk about an even match-up! Legend has it the rivalry between these two franchises dates back almost a full decade, to a time where IRL meet-ups and LAN battles were the format of competition. Atleast a half-dozen years, many online matchups and the occasional thrown controller later, SIK and CAT find themselves in one of the most interesting playoff series of their careers - a battle for next seasons Elite spot.
Judging by the fact that I just recently played against CAT in the playoffs, I can tell you they are good. Damn good. Defenders Sumpi and Slaivonen are excellent puck movers and CATs offense can cause myriads of trouble for opposing teams defenders and goalie if they aren't 100% sharp, all the time (Anchorman reference, anyone?). Based solely on my experience playing them, I would say Kattiautomaatti has a very strong chance here. When you combine that with the fact that they've been in ECL action up until now and SIKA has been idle, their odds grow even stronger.
However, a little bird whispered in my ear that vSilenttio is pushing his troops hard in preparation for this matchup, which again makes me doubt the outcome of the series. If ShaneC27 and Nampa77 can score some timely goals, Anbtbl keep a clean house in center ice while Sile and Friilander protect a battling SpiderRoyal - then we have a hell of series on our hands.
Ultimately, I have to go with my gut right now in this moment... and it actually says 4-3 SIKA.
Finnish Roosters vs Silver Sword Griffins, ELITE relegation round, by @vSilenttio
What a series this'll be! Does FR have anything left after long wait as they need to beat SSG in seven games to stay in the Elite - where FR belongs to in my honest opinion. SSG then in the other hand, have fought their way this far and they gotta be the more hungry side here after everything they've gone through past months. They just dont want to give up, which will be the biggest factor here. Which team has the more willpower and grit to make it out alive from this series? FR has lost some big names during past season but they still have guys like johtaja699, Janikka and Jparola taking care of their legacy. SSG does have also some good names, and I would also say that they have the momentum here as they have been playing big games all Spring.
What if it's battle of individuals after all as I see both teams being strong with the teamplay stuff - although I gotta admit that I see SSG having the edge in that one. So let's make up some pairs for this one which are going to solve the winner here: johtaja699 vs. xLVxRitchey, ktewjh vs. pelimies80 & JParola vs. elvijs99. Then the goalies. SSG's Kefleri has stepped up big time this season and meanwhile FR has lost their #1 goalie to who-knows-where (OODAP), the old legendary mascot of FR, jyrkkis_ started to play between the pipes and the winner from this series will be the team with better goaltending - and because of that I see SSG taking the biggest victory of their career here from rusty Roosters as they beat them in Game 7.
Finnish Roosters projected line-up:
JParola - johtaja699 - zton93
NeonHum - ktewjh
jyrkkis_
Silver Sword Griffins projected line-up:
Elvijs99 - xLVxRitchey - ProMinx24
Entii112 - Pelimies80
Kefleri
PRO
Carlsberg HC vs Sjukstugan, PRO division final, by @nylanderi
So the Pro Division’s grand final is here! It's a rivalry matchup: Sweden vs. Finland, Filariou vs. Joukki13 & LastMandalorian vs. Zande95. The best of the best from the Pro Division come together for one final clash this season. This is also a matchup that has some history as these two teams played each other deep in the playoffs in ECL 1, where Car managed to escape with a 4-3 series win.
Sjukstugan projected lineup:
Filariou - patovic_ - lBjonol
The_Alpha_Furyan - Gustafsson7
LastMandalorian
Sjukstugan is known for its tight defense and really fast paced and straightforward offense. It all comes down to how well 112's defense manage to play against Carlsberg offense. Sjukstugan is probably not going to have the puck as much as they want so their forwards need to capitalize on their chances. LastMandalorian is also gonna have bunch of work ahead of him from Cars shooters.
Carlsberg HC projected lineup:
joukki13 - Mikaasi - Vatalisti
janzuh - fbi andy
zande95
I actually heard some rumours that Carlsbers captain and leader Patzlaf wont be playing in the finals. Regardless, Car have a very strong team that is known for their lightning quick passing game. They need to handle the puck with care in the offensive zone, so 112 wont get those dangerous counter attacks.
My prediction for this series is 4-2 to Carlsberg HC.
LITE
Hawks Hockey Club vs Lavetten, LITE division semifinal, by vSilenttio
The stakes are surely high now - aren' they? First of all I gotta admit that I have never faced Hawks in the EASHL this year so it's pretty hard to say anything about them. All that I have heard and red about them is that people never kind of believed that they would even play these games but here they are - facing the new-old swedish team with few common names for me atleast. Pulverapa hasn't played that much this season but I did actually watch 3-4 games from Lavetten's previous series against EN HUND and was surprised to see him in Lavetten's line-up. Hope so we can see more of him in this series & in the finals as I predict that Lavetten wins this one thanks to typical, swedish style of playing with some bigger names (pulverapa, Esdor15) making sure things are going their way. 4-3 Lavetten.
DEAD END KINGS vs J P T J, LITE division semifinal
These guys have already played almost the whole series, and it's 2-2 while I'm writing and yeah - it seems even! Kings, team that some people would have wanted to see in Pro division, has come this far to face one of the most skilled offensive teams in Lite, J P T J. Now all they gotta do is just to prove that they belong there, and you know what - I'm 100% sure that these guys, led by superstar-Nephenzy and skilled forward windblad, will take their spot in the Pro divison next season. But still then again when you think J P T J as an team, one mistake here and there from Kings and boom - J P T J goes to the Lite finals. Ugh, really hard to say anything but if I had to - I'd go with DEAD END KINGS here taking this battle 4-3.
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