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SportsGamers, With the new ECL '23 Winter season at the doorstep, we are happy to announce the first-ever ECL 1v1. In true ECL fashion, this league is for all the best European gamers to test their skills against their peers, and ultimately compete for a great prize pool and the European Championship League title. Description ECL 1v1 is for players who want to test their skills against the best of the best in competitive play. The ECL 1v1 Winter season features four qualifiers, leading to group play with the top 128 players of these qualifiers involved. The top 64 of the group stage will continue to determine the best of the best in the best-of-three playoffs with a prize pool totaling 2500€. Taking part in the ECL 1v1 seasons requires the purchase of the ECL '23 Player License. Format The league is played in three stages: Stage 1: Qualifier stage (BO1, single elimination) - Four qualifiers open to anyone, the top 32 players from each Qualifier advance to stage 2, with seeding baskets for stage 2 being determined by qualifier rank. Stage 2: Group play (BO1) - The top 128 players will be seeded into eight groups with 16 players each, the 8 best will advance to the playoffs from each group. Stage 3: Playoffs (BO3, single elimination) - The Semifinals and Finals will be played live at the SportsGamer offices in Espoo, Finland January 13th, 2023. ECL '23 Winter: 1v1 Schedule Qualifier 1 Sign up period 15.-25.11.2022 Qualifiers (BO1) Saturday 26.11. RO128: 16:00CET RO64: 17:00CET RO32: 17:30CET Sunday 27.11. RO16: 15:00CET RO8: 15:30CET RO4: 16:00CET RO2: 16:30CET Qualifier 2 Sign up period 15.- 3.12.2022 12:00CET Qualifiers (BO1) Saturday 3.12. RO64: 17:00CET RO32: 18:00CET RO16: 18:30CET RO8: 19:00CET Sunday 4.12. RO4: 16:00CET RO2: 16:30CET Qualifier 3 Sign up period 15.-9.12.2022 Qualifiers (BO1) Saturday 10.12. RO512: 16:00CET RO256: 17:00CET RO128: 17:30CET RO64: 18:00CET RO32: 18:30CET Sunday 11.12 RO16: 15:00CET Quarterfinals: 15:30CET Semifinals: 16:00CET Finals: 27.11. 16:30CET Qualifier 4 Sign up period 15.11-16.12.2022 Qualifiers (BO1) Saturday 17.12 RO512: 16:00CET RO256: 17:00CET RO128: 17:30CET RO64: 18:00CET RO32: 18:30CET Sunday 18.12 RO16: 15:00CET Quarterfinals: 15:30CET Semifinals: 16:00CET Finals: 16:30CET TOP 128 Group Play (BO1) Tuesday 27.12. R1: 18:00 R2: 18:30 R3: 19:00 R4: 19:30 Thursday 29.12. R5: 18:00 R6: 18:30 R7: 19:00 R8: 19:30 Friday 30.12. R9: 18:00 R10: 18:30 R11: 19:00 R12: 19:30 Tuesday 3.1. R13: 18:00 R14: 18:30 R15: 19:00 Playoffs (BO3) Friday 6.1. RO64: 18:00CET RO32: 19:30CET Sunday 8.1. RO16: 15:00CET Quarterfinals: 16:30CET Friday 13.1. @ the SportsGamer studio in Espoo, Finland Semifinals: 18:00CET Finals: 20:00CET

Welcome back to SportsGamer, North America! With the NHL esports competitive season ramping up, the time has now come for us to return to North American soil and launch one of the most exciting leagues of the year. The NACL is making a return for its third season, now following a similar system to that of the ECL with a Winter and a Spring season over the course of a competitive year. A lot of time has passed since the last NACL season, when Vertigo hoisted the cup back in May of 2020. Since then, a lot has changed and new contenders have emerged, who will be the ones to rise to the top and play their way to the fabled World Finals? NACL '23 Winter will be completely free-to-play and no license will be required to participate. The Winter season will be played in one division featuring crossplay and cross-console availability. Please note that the entire team must be on the same console. Leading into the Spring season we are looking to implement a divisional system similar to that of the ECL and gradually monetize the league. NACL Winter will serve as a ranking basis for future tournaments and seasons, so this is where teams can make their mark and solidify their position in the divisional ladder. For the most effective communication over the course of the season, and quick access to all news related to the league, join the SportsGamer Discord here! Remember to assign a NACL role for yourself to be able to access the league channel. Introducing the biggest combined prize pool in NHL 6v6 history NACL '23 Winter will be featuring one division with a prize pool of 6 000€, with an additional 6 000€ up for grabs in the World Finals. In total, the ECL, NACL and the World Finals feature a prize pool of 36 000€ (just under 37 000 USD with today's exchange rates), which is the highest combined prize pool in NHL 6v6 history! The NACL is our North American counterpart to our longest running league - the ECL. With two seasons of experience in the North American market in the rearview, we have taken a step back and evaluated our successes and shortcomings for a new and improved approach. NACL offers 6v6 competition for both Xbox and PlayStation teams in order to secure a possibility for everyone to participate. Regional restrictions: NACL is a North American tournament format, however, we do not necessarily exclude players located in Europe, or Asia. A North American server will always be used. In case of severe connection issues, we reserve the right to exclude teams or players. Teams must be based in North America. Individual requirements: Each player needs to have an account at SportsGamer.GG and create their personal player card. Rules: The NACL ‘23 Winter ruleset will follow the same foundation as the ECL. The updated rulebook will be available before the season. World Finals Qualifier: The winner of the NACL will face off against the European champions in Helsinki, Finland! Flights from an international airport and lodging will be covered for the six members who will be playing. Please have your passport ready should your team qualify. (If a player on the qualifying team is under the age of 18, they will be required to bring along a parent/guardian at their own expense) Format NACL '23 Winter will be played in one division open for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S teams. In the regular season teams will be split into groups, where every team faces each other in a double-header. The amount of groups and how many teams will qualify for the playoffs will depend on number of signups. Playoffs will be best-of-seven series in every round. The Challenge System (top seeds choose their opponents) will be used for the first round of the Playoffs. In case the Playoff format is set up where the top seeds receive a first round bye, the Challenge System will be used in the second round instead. NACL features default gamedays on Thursday and Sunday with two weekly broadcasts on the SportsGamer Twitch-channel over the course of the entire season. Teams that will not be featured in a broadcast on any given week will be allowed to flexibly reschedule their games in cooperation with their opponents. Schedule Sign-up period: 11.24.2022-12.8.2022 Regular season: 12.11.2022-1.5.2023 Playoffs: 1.12.2023-2.12.2022 World Finals: 2.25.2023 @ Assembly Winter 2023 in Helsinki, Finland Regular Season broadcasts will begin at 10pm EST. On Thursdays one 9pm featured matchup will be moved to 11pm for broadcast purposes. All Playoff rounds will be played best-of-7. NACL Playoff broadcasts will begin at 9pm EST. *While sign-ups are separate for both consoles, NACL '23 Winter will be played cross-platform. As the first ever World Finals in the history of 6v6 NHL esports, we ask that you support the event as best you can on social media, Twitch broadcasts, and however else you can so we all can do our best and make this become an even bigger event in the future! Please be sure to tag @SportsGamerGG and use the #NACL23Winter, #RoadToHelsinki and #SGWorldFinalsin all your social media communication.

SportsGamer will be attending Assembly Winter 2023 with not one, but two great events this February! Assembly Winter 2023 will once again be one of the biggest gaming and LAN-events in Finland and while fans around the country will be gearing up to meet some of their favorite streamers and game with their friends, we are looking to bring some international color to the big stage in the form of the ECL '23 Winter Finals and the World Finals on the same weekend! The event will be hosted in the legendary Messukeskus in Helsinki, where some of the greatest teams in European NHL esports have hoisted trophies, such as the IS Cup 3 trophy by FILADELPHIA and the FCL 2019 trophy by HAVU Gaming. Will your team be next up to go for ultimate glory? Lassi Nummi, CEO of Assembly states: “We are happy to welcome all NHL esports players to Assembly Winter 2023 to enjoy the unique atmosphere of Assembly Festival and compete in front of a LIVE audience. The tournament will add great value and diversity to the esports program of the Festival. Assembly is the biggest gaming event in Finland and we are expecting around 15 000 visitors to attend our Winter 2023 Event.” This upcoming February, the greatest European teams will clash on Friday, the 24th in a head-to-head battle for the ECL '23 Winter Championship. Out of these two, the winner will advance to meet the future NACL Champion at the World Finals played on Saturday, February 25th, 2023. This is the first time in NHL esports history an American team faces off against a European team in a live setting, and we're expecting fireworks right from the get-go in this series that has been brewing for a long time already. On top of the ECL '23 Winter Finals and the World Finals, Assembly Winter 2023 has a lot more to offer. The massive LAN festival features the biggest LAN area in Finland, two event stages, several esports tournaments, an open play area, an EXPO area and so much more! The event spans over the course of four days from the 23rd of February to the 26th of February. Assembly features some of the biggest esports and streaming personalities in Finland, many of them with an international following, so this is an event you surely won't want to miss! Interested in seeing the Finals live in Helsinki? So are we! That's why we are extremely happy to be able to provide all ECL Player License holders with the following exclusive discounts for Assembly Winter 2023 tickets: 50% discount for single day ticket (normal price from 20€ / discounted 10€) 50% discount for four day ticket (includes usage of sleeping area) (normal price from 40€ / discounted 20€) 50% discount for four day LAN ticket (BYOC, includes usage of sleeping area) (normal price from 89€ / discounted 44,5€) If you are planning on attending the event, please let us know by filling in this form, we'll try our best to provide you with some more exclusive deals related to travel and accommodation to and at the venue. Information about Assembly Winter 2023 Festival can be found at the Festival website: https://party.assembly.org/en/winter23.

Lots of news are here along with the new ECL season, as always - bigger and better than ever before. This season we will also be able to realize a long-time community dream by organizing the first ever 6v6 World Finals! The ECL is back, and this time we’re in for a wild ride, leading up to the World Finals! Yes, you read that right - this season, we’ll have our ECL ‘23 Winter Champion go head-to-head with the NACL Champion in a World Finals event live at Assembly Winter 2023 in Helsinki. The event hosted in Messukeskus of the Finnish capital is the same venue where so many legendary moments have taken place. FILADELPHIA hoisted the trophy to cap off the unbelievable IS Cup 3 Finals, whereas HAVU Gaming celebrated their FCL 2019 victory at the very same spot. Who will be the next team to hoist the trophy in Helsinki and are you ready to ramp things up to the next level? The ECL has established itself as the superior European NHL esports league and the objective is to continue solidifying that position with even bigger and better things in the future without forgetting our trademark quality. The new season ramps up the heat in several ways and we're extremely happy to announce a new record high prize pool of up to 28 000€ for only the Winter Season spread out across the divisions. Let’s also take a look at some of the other news our next season brings. Introducing ECL 1v1 The first and most visible change will be the introduction of the all new 1v1 European Championship League. This is the new 1v1 league to rule them all in the European market, with the ultimate prize being the 1v1 European Championship. The format is designed to follow the true and tested format of our national 1v1 competitions, and as this falls under the ECL umbrella, you can also expect big production and a hefty prize pool to go along with it. Changes to licenses The ECL has been on a steady growth trajectory over the past few years and we’re keen on continuing that trend. In order to help with that ambition, we will be introducing player licenses, and increasing team license fees for the upcoming ECL. The new ECL Player License will cost 20€ and allow for participation in both the ECL 6v6 and 1v1 leagues for the full ECL ‘23 year including both the ECL '23 Winter and Spring seasons. This license will grant you access to compete in the most prestigious and biggest competitive NHL esports league in Europe. An ECL season spans over the course of two to three months and guarantees a minimum of roughly 20 games of competition on the 6v6 side*, whereas the 1v1 league adds - at the very least - the opportunity to participate in four single-elimination qualifier events that are used to qualify the top 128 players that move forward to the group stage. Starting this ECL Winter season, ECL Neo will continue being available at no license fee for teams wishing to get a taste of competitive virtual hockey, whereas all other divisions are subject to a team license fee. The license is exponentially higher at higher levels of competition, given the increased spotlight and additional content around the divisions in question. Each team can name up to 3 backup players (outside of the primary 6) that can help the team out and play up to 10 games without having to own the player license. The ECL ‘23 Player License can be purchased during the season if a backup wants to play more games than expected. ECL Neo will remain free to play, with no player license required to compete, however To uphold the integrity of ECL Neo as the beginner level, we reserve the right to deny teams to participate in cases where they are clearly above the amateur level, as it could significantly impact the experience of what ECL Neo is intended for. The ECL ‘23 Player License can be purchased by an ECL Neo player if they want to participate in ECL 1v1, benefit from the additional advantages that come with the license (more on this later), or simply as a form of supporting the league. License fees will be allocated to fund prize pools and developing operations, such as our broadcasts, live productions and promoting the league. *Based on the minimum amount of games played in a starting role in the ECL '22 Spring: Core regular season. ECL Legacy for PlayStation 4 As the ECL is moving over to new generation consoles, we realize that a number of teams have still chosen to continue playing on the previous generation. In order to satisfy their need for competitive action, we will be hosting an ECL Legacy league that will be based on our ECL ruleset. ECL Legacy will be open for all PlayStation 4 teams, only requiring a player license. Taking the next steps for the ECL into a more professional direction has been a long time coming already, and it has been an inevitable step to take in our journey to developing the league and platform as a whole. The league has been active since 2015 and ran without profit every season. Since the start, we’ve grown from a 50 team single division into a five division league with around 300 active teams, which has led to the requirements of the team increasing. These changes allow us to focus on core operations and develop even further, with the first step being the all new ECL 1v1. The ECL is the pinnacle of European NHL esports - a league where all the best European NHL gamers compete against each other in both EASHL (6v6) and Online Versus (1v1) for the European Championship title. ECL 6v6 currently features five divisions, so action is guaranteed for everyone regardless of skill level and experience! Basic information/requirements of ECL: Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format, however, we do not necessarily exclude players located in North America or Asia. A European server will always be used. In case of severe connection issues, we reserve the right to exclude teams or players. Individual requirements: Each player needs to have an account at SportsGamer.GG and create their personal player card. ECL licenses: Teams in ECL Elite & ECL Pro, ECL Lite and ECL Core will require their respective ECL ‘23 Winter team licenses in order to play. In addition, every player needs to have a valid ECL ‘23 Winter Player License before taking the ice. Rules: The ECL ‘23 Winter ruleset will follow the same foundation as the previous season. The updated rulebook will be available before the season. The divisions framework for the ECL ‘23 season will follow the same logic as for previous seasons. We will have a total of five divisions with the following team allocation: Elite 16 teams, Pro 32 teams, Lite 64 teams, Core 128 teams and Neo 32+ teams. Please refer to this ECL Ranking in order to understand which teams are eligible to sign up for each division. Wildcard teams: 14.-19.11.2022 ⚠️ ECL Lite Qualifier: 14.-22.11.2022 ⚠️ ECL Pro Qualifier: 14.-22.11.2022 ⚠️ ECL Neo: 14.11.-8.12.2022 ECL Core: 14.11.-8.12.2022 ECL Lite: 14.-30.11.2022 ECL Pro: 14.-30.11.2022 ECL Elite: 14.-30.11.2022 *Signups will close at 23:59 CET on the last day mentioned unless otherwise specified. Schedule Qualifiers: 24.11-7.12.2022 ⚠️ Season duration: 11.12.2022-1.3.2023 Signups are open right now, so now is time to brace for that final push in building your teams! Get your team together and sign up for the biggest event of the year! For our North American members who are eagerly waiting for the NACL announcement, we can reveal that it is in the works and will be dropping within the coming days. Read more about specific division schedules, prize pools and more: ECL '23 Winter Wildcard ECL '23 Winter Lite & Pro Qualifiers ECL '23 Winter Neo ECL '23 Winter Core ECL '23 Winter Lite ECL '23 Winter Pro ECL '23 Winter Elite ECL '23 Winter 1v1 Purchase Licenses Don't have a team yet? Team looking for additions to your roster? If you are a free agent looking to be picked up, please head over here. If you are representing a team looking for players, please head over here. Did your team sign with an organization that is represented in the game and needs in-game unlocks? Fill in this form. (Only if your organization has unlockables available in NHL 23)

The NHL esports winter season brings some exciting times for our community. This winter, SportsGamer will host the first-ever 6v6 NHL Esports World Finals, where the reigning ECL '23 Winter Champion will be taking on the reigning North American Champion! Both the ECL '23 Winter season and the next NACL season will be played leading up to the World Finals, so the stakes are now higher than ever before. The first-ever 6v6 World Finals will take place on February 25th at Assembly Winter 2023 in Helsinki. This will be the first time in NHL esports history a European team faces off against a North American team in a live setting. History will be made and one team will gain the right to call themselves the 2023 NHL 6v6 World Champions. What is the ECL? The ECL is the pinnacle of European NHL esports - a league where all the best European NHL gamers compete against each other in both EASHL (6v6) and Online Versus (1v1) for European Championship League titles. ECL v6 currently features five divisions, so enjoyable games are guaranteed for everyone regardless of skill level and experience! Sign-ups are open until December 8, 2022 - read more What is the NACL? The NACL is our North American counterpart to our longest running league - the ECL. With two seasons of experience in the North American market in the rearview, we have taken a step back and evaluated our successes and shortcomings for a new and improved approach. NACL offers 6v6 competition for both Xbox and PlayStation teams in order to secure a possibility for everyone to participate. Sign-ups are open until December 8, 2022 - read more About SportsGamer SportsGamer is deeply rooted in the EA Sports NHL series and has built a strong community around the game. In recent years, the platform has branched out into other sports gaming titles, all the while staying true to its roots. Some of SportsGamer's most notable products include the European Championship League, and several national leagues revolving around the NHL game series. Stay tuned for announcements regarding our upcoming events in the next few weeks.

SportsGamers, Manos capped off their NHL 22 season in great fashion by securing their first ever SCL 6v6 Championship in a Finals series against the experienced Falun Coal Miners. The series was expected to be a tough battle, but eventually Manos were just too strong and ran away with the games in a sweep. Adam @esdor Ericson reached out to Melvin @Melguss Gustafsson after the finals for a few comments on their success: You had an amazing scoring explosion in the second period of game 2, what happened there? "Just quality by me, and by the entire team, nothing else to it." You managed to stay efficient with your scoring chances throughout, what's your secret? "We're the best team in Sweden, and honestly it's not a huge surprise that we came away with the win in the end. It's what we expected since the start, and finishing on a high note feels great." You really showed what you can do in the Finals, what are your thoughts on that? "It was almost too easy. We have so much depth in the roster with @Klangen and @Frompa-, just to mention a few guys. It's been magical." Manos' Championship roster: GOALTENDERS #3 Viktor @Klangen Klang #38 Erik @MrAllsvenskan Rotsenius DEFENSEMEN #27 Samuel @EDHOLMEN3 Edholm (A) #72 Adam @Frompa- Fromholz #89 Putte @Putteekiing Unasin FORWARDS #2 Johannes @Hockeyjohannes Hultmark (C) #4 Mikkel @Birkedal96 Birkedal (A) #31 Melvin @Melguss Gustafsson #91 Fredrik @Kattenj Jansson Let's take a look at Manos' road to the Championship: Group Stage: 12-0-0 in Group 3 (seed #2) Round 1 vs TROJANS (15) 3-0 Quarterfinals vs Garotta Di Ansjovis (7) 3-0 Semifinals vs Sankens Soldater (3) 3-1 Finals vs Falun Coal Miners (4) 3-0 Congratulations to Manos for their victory and thanks to all participating teams! We hope your transition to NHL 23 has been great and wish to see you all again soon!

SportsGamers, A couple of weeks ago, we truly witnessed greatness at work, when Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund continued his dominant reign over the Swedish 1v1 NHL community. The superstar hailing from the small hockey town Örnsköldsvik has with his most recent Championship now secured four consecutive SCL titles, not letting anyone else get a taste of the gold since the inaugural season of the national league. In the Finals, Eken managed to dismantle Robin @Rubituss Söderqvist in convincing manner with a 3-0 sweep, earning him an undefeated run on his way to the title. First of all, congratulations on the title. How did the Finals series go in your opinion? "The first game was very tight and I wasn't really haoppy with my performance there. Rubituss got too much space in my zone and I had trouble setting up my defense. Moving on, I made some strategic changes and played more aggressively in the second and third game, which yielded results for me. The last two games were the style of play I like to employ and I'm very happy with how I could control those." It looked like your defensive game really ended up winning you the Championship there, right? "You could say that, Rubituss had some great plays in the first game, which I'm not really happy about giving up, but I'm happy with my ability to adjust going into games two and three." How does it feel going into every series with the pressure to win? "It feels like that's been the case in every SCL thus far. It might sound a bit cocky, but I've grown used to it. Usually I'm a bit nervous going into games, but when the puck drops, I get in my zone and manage to turn everything into positives." What are some tips you'd give to players out there aspiring to reach your level? "Definitely analyze your game. I recommend recording some gameplay and looking back at it in order to understand what to improve moving forward. Play the best players you can as much as possible, and watch other players play on streams. Finally of course, practice a lot." Let's take a look back at @Eken45jr's road to the Championship: Group stage record: Bye RO32 Bye RO16 vs @DAFA_03 3-0 Quarterfinals vs @eBasstian 3-0 Semifinals vs @Ted Kempe (Smayk99) 3-0 Finals vs @Rubituss 3-0 The top 3 of the 2022 SCL 1v1 are: 🥇 Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund 🥈 Robin @Rubituss Södervqist 🥉 Ted @Ted Kempe (Smayk99) Kempe​​​​​​​ Once more, congratulations to Eken on his tremendous feat and thank you all for participating. We hope to see you again for the SCL next year! 

EASHL Thursday's is a new collaboration between SportsGamer and EA Sports, throwing some of the most liked Finnish celebrities into some virtual hockey action, getting to know the people and showing just how much fun the most social gaming experience EA Sports NHL has to offer can be.  EASHL Thursday's gathers the most well liked Finnish celebrities for some EASHL action and relays their personalities and reactions directly to your screens at home. At it's best, EASHL is the most social gaming experience EA Sports NHL has to offer with all players, including the goaltender being human controlled. Players get to express their personalities by customizing their in-game avatars and their team branding freely according to their own liking. This makes for the ultimate teamplay experience with the social aspect highly present. The first EASHL Thursday's will air tonight at 18:00 EEST at www.twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG, featuring record selling pop duo JVG consisting of Jare Brand and Ville Galle, rising star Ege Zulu, producer Niko Karlsson, Joonas "Mäk Gälis" Galle and Youtuber Jaakko Parkkali. Now your team can challenge the celebrity teams each Thursday, the only thing you need is five friends that are willing to join you! Sign up to be a challenger using this form.

SportsGamers, We're hoping you are as excited as we are for the SCL 6v6 Finals this evening! After a very strong performance by Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund last night in the 1v1 Finals, we're eagerly waiting to see if either team will be able to pull off a similar feat, or if this series could end up going all the way. The action will be casted by your favorite Swedish commentator Adam @esdor Ericson and we'll be going live at 19:30 CEST! Join us at www.twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG as always. Falun Coal Miners  (4) vs Manos  (2) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) André @Foppatofflan Liljegren 12 GP, 9+21=30 vs Johannes @Hockeyjohannes Hultmark 8 GP, 11+12=23 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Ville @Supreex Korhonen 11 GP, 8 W, 81,82 SV%, 1,64 GAA, 2 SO vs Erik @MrAllsvenskan Rotsenius 8 GP, 7 W, 83,81 SV%, 2,13 GAA, 0 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 13-1-0 vs 12-0-0 It's going to be tough to call a winner in this series. We're seeing the highly prestigious and experienced Falun Coal Miners with a combined over 1500 ECL Elite games under their belts - a number that doesn't even come close to sniffing. The Coal Miners also have experience together from an extended period of time, although they've been broken up at times and this SCL has been something of a coming home party for some of these players. In the Semifinals against Skutebrygga, the Coal Miners stumbled a bit early on, but then took a commanding lead in the series. Despite the game 5 series finish, it was never really in doubt for the squad, and they are now looking for a second consecutive title for some of their players.  Manos, on the other hand also have several experienced gamers in their ranks, and they all possess a truly astonishing amount of potential that hasn't been fully reached yet. We're talking about the kinds of Mikkel @Birkedal96 Birkedal, Melvin @Melguss Gustafsson, and even Samuel @EDHOLMEN3 Edholm, who are just some of the central pieces for Manos in their run to the Finals. All of these players have been fringe Elite players for quite some time already, and are on the brink of breaking through to the next level. In their latest matchup against Sankens Soldater in the Semifinals, Manos really showcased their ability to lock things down against an offensive powerhouse and came away with the series win as a result of four very tightly contested battles. Next, they'll have to pull off a similar feat against some of the games greatest passers in André @Foppatofflan Liljegren and Anton @antoniomannen004 Svensander.  Prediction: Falun Coal Miners in 5.

SportsGamers, The time has come to once and for all cap off the competitive NHL 22 season and we're doing that by heading into the weekend with the SCL 1v1 Finals tonight, and the 6v6 Finals tomorrow. These games feature some top tier talent and we guarantee action-packed broadcasts that you won't want to miss. Both events will be broadcast live in Swedish at www.twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG with Adam @esdor Ericson in the booth! Action starts at 19:00 CEST tonight. The 1v1 Finals tonight will feature two great players who have made a name for themselves in the Swedish community over the past few years. Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund is the defending triple Champion and the only player to ever get a taste of the 1v1 gold in the SCL. He won his first ever SCL trophy in Uppsala back in the spring of 2019, and has been on a successful journey ever since. He will be challenged by Robin @Rubituss Söderqvist, who actually also was at the first ever SCL Finals in Uppsala, and played Eken in the Finals. The duo has clashed on several occasions over the years and while that has built a mutual respect, this is also a rivalry between two fierce competitors.  (7) Robin @Rubituss Söderqvist vs (1) Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund "We've played each other a couple of times over the years in the SCL, and Eken has always came away with the victory in the past. I'm definitely the underdog in this series especially since Eken now has three consecutive Championships. Since we've played each other many times in the past, I think we've got a good idea of how the opponent plays, but in NHL 22 I don't think we've even clashed, so it's going to be great to finish off NHL 22 with this series. My best weapon against Eken is going to be my defensive game and the calmness and routine I've build over the years." - @Rubituss "I think there's definitely some press on me to defend the title, but often it just pushes me to go the extra mile and makes me play even better. Me and Rubituss have played each other a couple of times in HUT this year, I don't remember how those games went but it seems like he's really found his form towards the end of the season, so it's going to be a fun matchup. I'd say his strengths are on the offensive, a great goal scorer for sure. I'd be dumb to let you in on what I've got planned for the evening, but I'll keep it simple and if I can play at my best level, I'll be tough to beat." - @Eken45jr

SportsGamers, The 2022 SCL Semifinals are already underway, but we're coming at you with a preview for the remainder of the playoff round. Skutebrygga and Falun Coal Miners got the action started on Monday evening, and the series will be finished tonight starting 20:30 CEST. Manos and Sankens Soldater will also take the ice tonight on the SportsGamer broadcast, and they'll continue on Thursday evening. Skutebrygga  (1) vs Falun Coal Miners  (4) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Philip @Strumpan87 Ström 8 GP, 14+10=24 vs André @Foppatofflan Liljegren 9 GP, 6+19=25 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Benjamin @benjamint737 Tallgren 8 GP, 7 W, 85,94 SV%, 1,13 GAA, 4 SO vs Ville @Supreex Korhonen 8 GP, 6 W, 79,17 SV%, 1,88 GAA, 0 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 10-0-0 vs 13-1-0 Skutebrygga was the only team left in the tournament to sport an undefeated record coming into the Semifinals, but on Monday evening, the Coal Miners ended up being the first team to hand them a loss. The series continues tonight and currently the teams stand even, so we're essentially going to see a best of three between two very capable squads.  Both of these teams are very efficient with their chances, so the series will definitely not be easy on either goaltender and it might very well come down to which defense manages to smother the oppositions chances better. You'd expect the more experienced Falun Coal Miners to have an advantage in the defensive game due to their extremely versatile lineup and vast experience together, but Skutebrygga has proven to be a very well versed team themselves. Their roster consisting of some of the most exciting up-and-coming players in the scene has really gelled over the course of the tournament and could go on to do great things. Prediction: Falun Coal Miners in 5. Manos  (2) vs Sankens Soldater  (3) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Johannes @Hockeyjohannes Hultmark 6 GP, 10+12=22 vs Casper @ICappeI Lundgren 8 GP, 12+8=20 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Erik @MrAllsvenskan Rotsenius 6 GP, 6 W, 80,77 SV%, 2,5 GAA, 0 SO vs Johan @McSavid Rundqvist 6 GP, 4 W, 86,52 SV%, 2 GAA, 2 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 12-0-0 vs 10-2-2 When accounting for games played, @Hockeyjohannes is the most efficient scorer in the SCL playoffs thus far, and is on a great run together with his team. The guy is usually known for playing the LD spot for Växjö Lakers, who recently secured a spot in the ECL Elite division, but now he's managed to successfully step up to the left wing, flanking Melvin @Melguss Gustafsson and Mikkel @Birkedal96 Birkedal. Manos is first and foremost a very offensively skilled team, like many of the most successful clubs this year in the SCL.  This is going to be an interesting battle between two goaltenders that have the ability to go on impressive hot streaks and have done so in the past. On the flipside, they also have the tendency to fall off for short periods, so we'll have to hope that come puck drop, these guys can bring their best and really show up in an entertaining way.  Prediction: Manos in 5. 

SportsGamers, Finally, it's time for the best teams to clash in a tough Finals series to cap off the eHSM 2022 season. On Friday, we witnessed Jere @jxrska Laukka take the community by storm and hoisting the 1v1 trophy, now GOONS has the opportunity to pull a similar feat against hREDS, but do they have what it takes? Join us for the Bronze series between #1 seed FILADELPHIA and #2 seed Tunnel Vision first, starting at 18:30 EEST over at www.twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG as usual. After the bronze series, we'll drop the puck for the Finals. Your hosts for the night will be Arttu Hämäläinen and Julius Sorjonen. hREDS  (3) vs GOONS  (4) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen 15 GP, 23+41=64 vs Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen 16 GP, 28+33=61 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Oskari @SibeIius Grönroos 15 GP, 15 W, 79,81 SV%, 1,4 GAA, 5 SO vs Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen 16 GP, 15 W, 76,87 SV%, 1,94 GAA, 1 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 16-0-0 vs 15-1-0 With the level of competition in the eHSM this year, it's rather incredible that hREDS have made it thus far on an unbeaten streak. They're currently 31 games deep into eHSM action and if we'll count their last competitive victory in the ECL '22 Spring Finals, that makes it 32 games. We haven't checked the record books, but that's an impressive feat and speaks volumes of just how good this team is. In addition to that, they even switched up their lineup mid-playoffs. Albeit it being their true and tested long-time centerman Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen joining them on leave from his military service, the team and the man himself took the assignment in stride and didn't miss a beat on their march towards the trophy. Going into Sunday, we'll have to wonder if we'll see Beniittto back in the lineup or not, and if Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen gets the call back, what is his form and motivation to do his best for a team that just benched him the previous week? GOONS have showed everyone that they are very close to the Championship team level at the moment, if not the best team in the tournament on their best days. However, in comparison to hREDS, they do suffer a bit from occasional inconsistency. Their semifinals victory against defending champions FILADELPHIA came with relative ease and despite being put on the back foot at times, they've always managed to bounce back. GOONS is a resilient team with all the skill to match their opponent, all they need to do now is get into that Championship headspace and claim the trophy, it's there for the taking tonight. Ever since his triumph with SAWO ESPORTS in ECL '22 Spring, Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila has looked like a different player on the ice, in a good sense. He is able to take charge on the ice and set the tone with confidence, helped by the X-Factor all of his teammates seem to possess. The goaltending duel is going to be interesting to watch, wunderkind and former cover gamer Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen has recent Finals experience from this summer, whereas the experienced Oskari @SibeIius Grönroos was part of a declining HAVU Gaming squad for a few seasons, and is now re-emerging as a top tier goaltender for a Championship caliber team.  Prediction: hREDS wins it in 4.

SportsGamers, We'll be finishing off the week by celebrating the eHSM 2022 Finals this weekend, in both the 1v1 and 6v6 game modes. We'll start off on Friday evening with some of the best 1v1 players in the world going at it from the semifinals onwards, after which Sunday will offer some great 6v6 action between FILADELPHIA and Tunnel Vision in the bronze series and hREDS vs GOONS in the Finals. A lot of cash is up for grabs along with the titles this weekend, so we know these players are coming to give their all in every game - the stakes are very high! The 1v1 Finals broadcast kicks off at 17:30 EEST today, on Friday, September 30th. Follow along with all the action at www.twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG as usual. Arttu Hämäläinen will be your host and caster for the evening! Without further ado, let's take a look at the 1v1 matchups on tap tonight with some comments from each player:  (13) Jere @jxrska Laukka vs (1) Erik @Eki Tammenpää     The defending Champion @Eki is going against a challenger in this semifinals series. @jxrska has been in great form throughout NHL 22 and was very close to qualifying for team Finland in the IIHF eWorld Championships in the summer, so he is a force to be reckoned with even for the experienced former GWC Champion.    "Facing Arttu @Artuzio Mustila in the quarterfinals couldn't have given me a better preparation for these games. He's always such a tough opponent and has a similar competitive mindset to mine. I know I'm coming into the semifinals in good form and although Jerska is a player that's a bit tough to get a read on, I feel like I have the mental edge simply due to my experience. I know he likes to cycle the puck and generate chances out of the corners, so that's what I need to look out for." - @Eki   "I'd say my strengths is my counter-attacking game and being constantly dangerous in the offensive zone. I haven't had that much time to practice, but as the tournament progressed I've been able to get a few games in here and there. My best weapon against Eki will be trying to keep my defense tight and strike with my counter attacks. The challenge is as big as they come, I have no pressure on my side." - @jxrska     (12) Jimi @jamal-_- Rönkkönen (9) Väinö @Pikkardz Pikkarainen     Both players in this series have risen through the ranks over the duration of NHL 22. Despite his young age, @Pikkardz has, however already been a fringe top player in Finland for quite some time, but has really came into his own over the past year with this game. @J-_-Jamaltheman has a similar story, but he is more of a new acquaintance. The offensively skilled player made himself known by clinching a spot at the EU GWC Finals, and seems to continue that form into the eHSM.   "I've been on a grind throughout NHL 22 and the thing I've been able to improve the most is consistency. Results have followed. We've only played each other a couple of times but I think he's the best offensive player in Europe. I'm going to counter him with strong defense to move on to the finals." - @Pikkardz "I don't think my play utilizes any meta and I haven't had that much time to practice lately, but I think one of my strengths in NHL 22 has been puck movement and it's worked to this point. Pikkarii is a very skilled player and is very dangerous from his office behind the net. We've played each other a few times and the games have always been tight, so I'm hoping for that trend to continue. I'm just going to stay patient with my game and trust the process, that's what got me far in the GWC." - @J-_-Jamaltheman

SportsGamers, FIFA 23 is already available for those who pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition, or through EA Play Early Access and we've seen plenty of you get going with your FUT squads already. That's why we decided to try to help out some of you new gamers with this quick beginners guide to some of the cards you might want to keep your eyes peeled for when navigating through the packs or the transfer market. As you'd imagine, the cards that will work well for you highly depend on your playstyle, and we'll try to focus on a few different options for you to choose from. In recent years, most players have definitely gravitated towards cards with high pace and dribbling, which makes these cards feel smooth in gameplay and often better than their overall would suggest. Regardless of what your personal preference is, you'll most likely need to have some pace in your own squad in order to counter some of your opponents speedsters. In this article, we'll keep the focus on base cards, since obviously you'll see special editions and icons emerge later on in the FIFA 23 life cycle, but these are definitely some of the cards that you can go for right off the bat to make your team as competitive as possible. 90 OVR Club This year, you've got ten players in that fabled 90 OVR Club right from the get-go, with a few minor changes from last season. Most of these players are definitely very usable cards, but some will be more overpowered than others. Poster boy Kylian Mbappé is a beast with his 97 pace and 92 dribbling, which puts him above the rest at the moment. This card will cost you around 1 800 000 coins though, so you better pray to the FUT gods that you're able to get some pack luck early on. Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski are more of those strong, target finishers who you won't rely on to lead your rush, but they might be able to overpower some defenders physically and will be able to put the ball in the net at a high percentage when given a bit of space. These are players that are a bit harder to master and definitely require a different approach to the game due to their lower pace, so they can't be recommended for everyone. Mohamed Salah is a great addition to the right wing for any team, with his 90 pace and 90 dribbling, and he is significantly more affordable than Mbappé, at only around 260 000 coins at the moment. On defense, you won't need to look further than the physical presence of Virgil van Dijk, who at a price of around 200 000 coins will be an excellent backstopper for any team with his 91 defense, 86 physicality and a very decent 81 pace for the big man. Here are all of your players in the 90 OVR Club: Karim Benzema (91 OVR) Robert Lewandowski (91 OVR) Kylian Mbappe (91 OVR) Kevin De Bruyne (91 OVR) Lionel Messi (91 OVR) Mohamed Salah (90 OVR) Virgil van Dijk (90 OVR) Cristiano Ronaldo (90 OVR) Thibaut Courtois (90 OVR) Manuel Neuer (90 OVR) Now, this wouldn't be a beginners guide if we'd focus on only the top tier players, so that's why we'll continue by taking a look at some great budget options for your starting XI early on in your FUT squad building. Once you get further into the squad building process and get some more games under your belt, you'll find what kind of players work best for you. You'll also want to keep in mind that the five star weak foot and skill moves play a big role in how you can use the cards, so be on the lookout for that in any card you might want to go for! Attackers As already mentioned, the best of the best in this category is Kylian Mbappé at the moment, but at his very hefty price, he will me inaccessible for most players at the start. That's why we'll take a look at some of the more accessible and cheaper players. Speed is the common factor for all of the attackers that you should go for early on in your FUT squad building process. Some of the usual suspects in this budget category is Leicester City's Patson Daka with 90 pace at only 77 overall, but other Premier League players to be on the lookout for could be Conçalo Guedes with an 86 pace, 83 dribbling and 83 shooting. Also Liverpool's new wonderboy Darwin Núñez should be a player to keep on your shortlist with his 89 pace, 82 shooting and 86 physicality - a great overall player at a cheaper price point. Some affordable Premier League players to look for on the wing are Luis Sinisterra, Gabriel Martinelli and Christian Pulisic, all going for under 5 000 coins. Playing for La Liga's Atletic Bilbao you'll find Iñaki Williams with an astonishing 94 pace at only 81 overall, which means this guy will give you great bang for your buck at a cheaper prize. In La Liga, though, the Argentine Angel Correa is the player to target, though. At a bit of a higher prize point around 25 000 coins, you'll be able to get a very well rounded striker that will last on your team for a longer time. Barcelona's Ansu Fati is a great option to go for if you're looking for a winger to add speed on the outside. If you're looking to bring on an influx of speed at a reasonable prize, don't look any further than Union Berlin's Sheraldo Becker. At only 900 coins currently, the Surinamese striker is sporting a pace rating of 95. Midfielders Your chosen midfield players depend highly on your playstyle, but a minimum requirement should always be to have at least a bit of pace to match opposing counter attacks, while being physical enough to win ball battles. Your midfielders should be the most well rounded players on your squad and if you're playing with wide men on the side, you'll also want to add some speed on the outside. Some of the speedsters to look out for in this category are definitely Fulham FC's Daniel James with 95 pace on the right wing, or FC Nantes' Moses Simon with 90 pace on the left. To lock down the center lane, the main man to look for in an affodrable price range should be Athletic Bilbao's Muniain, who should be able to slot in at the CAM position for any team with an 87 dribbling and 82 passing. Another great option could be Roma's Lorenzo Pellegrini, who is also a more physical option if that is what you need. Sergi Darder, the center midfielder for RCD Espanyol is an excellent choice for a balanced midfield, and so is Juventus' Weston McKennie or Athletic Bilbao's De Paul. All of them hold high ratings in dribbling and physicality, while also having decent pace and passing. If you're in need of a CDM, look no further than Napoli's Zambo Anguissa, who has good size and speed for a player that will cut down opposing attacks with his 84 physicality and 81 defense. Defenders The traditional football manual calls for big, physical players on the inside with speed on the outside even at the back line, and that's what we'll try to find for you here. On the left side, one of your best bets will be Roma's Leonardo Spinazzola with his 91 pace, while simultaneously maintaining good enough defensive stats. He does go up in prize above the 10 000 coin threshold, so a more affordable similar option could be Real Betis left back Alex Moreno with 88 pace. The biggest sacrifice for the speed here is a loss in physicality, which Cádiz CF player Alfonso Espino has in abundance while being fast on the wing. On the right, a well rounded option is Fulham FC's Kevin Mbabu with 83 pace, 81 physicality and decent enough defensive stats. Once again, if you want to go for speed, look for Valencia CF left back Thierry Correia with 90 pace. At the center back position, you can't go wrong with Liverpool's towering Ibrahima Konaté. Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig will achieve similar results, albeit having to sacrifice a few inches of height. His teammate Lukas Klostermann is also a great, speedy option (86) pace for your center lane. By sacrificing a bit of speed, you could get Dortmund's Niklas Süle for your center back position, ensuring no header duels should be lost by one of the tallest and most physical players in the game. Goalkeepers For goalkeepers, you'll want to obviously get a decent sized keeper, but your most important stats to keep an eye on are diving and reflexes first, handling and positioning second. With this in mind, a great Premier League option is Everton's Jordan Pickford at a dirty cheap 600-800 coins. The Finnish favorite Lukáš Hrádecký or Wolfsburg's Koen Casteels is another excellent budget choice if you are to go for a Bundesliga side. To cap off, here's an example of what a budget starting squad might look like featuring some of the players we've highlighted. We're going with a narrow 4-1-2-1-2 formation to be able to stop quick counter attacks while simultaneously having enough men up front. This strategy sacrifices a bit on the wings and forces your full backs to jump in on the offense quite a bit, which is helped by their great pace. Most players in the squad are very affordable and can be found for below 5 000-6 000 coins at the market place, with Correa being the only exception and a card you'll want to splurge on in this lineup. What does your FUT team look like and what are some cards you are going to be on the lookout for in FIFA 23? Let us know in the comments section!

SportsGamers, The 2022 SCL 6v6 Playoffs are moving on nicely and we are already at the Quarterfinals stage with some really great matchups ahead. Some series will be kicking off in just a few hours, so let's get right down to it and preview these tough clashes.   Skutebrygga  (1) vs Sodertalje SK  (9) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) @Strumpan87 3 GP, 8+6=14 vs @BlizzakDevine 5 GP, 8+4=12 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) @benjamint737 3 GP, 3 W, 100 SV%, 0 GAA, 3 SO vs @Tauri 5 GP, 3 W, 66,67 SV%, 2,8 GAA, 0 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 10-0-0 vs 8-2-2 Skutebrygga as emerged as something of a modern Nordic superteam, including mostly Swedish players with some Norwegian spice in the mix. The team bases their game on quick puck movement and exceptionally skilled individuals, and it seems like veteran @Strumpan87 has really flourished in the playoffs thus far on the wing of @Suth98_ and @Henka0009. What you are witnessing is the coming out party of a real SCL contender, that could do great things at the European stage too if they continue treading down the same path.  Sodertalje SK is an experienced squad that has played together for an extended period of time, albeit in slightly different constellations. This SCL, they are sporting a very deep roster that allows them to look for the most favorable matchups on the ice, but could cause them to suffer in chemistry slightly. @Vesterberg89 on his RD spot will have to go against Skutebrygga top scorer and Södertälje SK alumni @Strumpan87, and will have his work cut out for him all series long.  Prediction: Skutebrygga in 3. Manos  (2) vs Garotta Di Ansjovis  (7) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) @Melguss 3 GP, 2+10=12 vs @Buffy 4 GP, 9+4=13 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) @MrAllsvenskan 3 GP, 3 W, 80 SV%, 2,33 GAA, 0 SO vs @RaNtA 4 GP, 3 W, 82,86 SV%, 1,5 GAA, 1 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 12-0-0 vs 10-2-2 Manos is an interesting squad, comprised of mostly what seems like players of Växjö Lakers HC fame, but also including some additions like @Melguss and @Putteekiing to strengthen their ranks. Manos have a very deep roster with a tremendous amount of skill, but they'll most likely start gravitating towards their final form in the hopes of a deep playoff push. Both wingers @Hockeyjohannes and @Birkedal96 are great goal scorers that have been fed all season long by centerman @Melguss, and the trend should continue in this series.  Garotta Di Ansjovis is perhaps sporting one of the more exotic names in the tournament, but they're also a considerable threat on the ice. Lead by veterans like @Buffy and @J-Foppa, the team will have the mental resilience to put up a fight against a highly skilled team that could put them on the back foot a bit. It's highly likely that Garotta will have to resort to a counter attacking strategy in order to clinch wins in this series. Prediction: Manos in 3. Sankens Soldater  (3) vs Leksands IF  (6) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) @ICappeI 3 GP, 5+5=10 vs @Bror1326 4 GP, 8+5=13 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) @Provokacija 3 GP, 3 W, 80 SV%, 0,67 GAA, 2 SO vs @Jeqque44 4 GP, 3 W, 72,22 SV%, 2,5 GAA, 1 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 13-0-1 vs 10-2-0 Sankens Soldater is bona fide superteam with a tremendous amount of prestige in their ranks, quite interestingly goaltender extraordinaire @ICappeI is making a comeback at the left wing and has done so in successful manner on the flank of @Eken45jr and @I-Maise-I. Sanken is without a doubt the more offensively capable squad in this matchup and should take the control for most of the series. Defensemen @Sebban and @Demski_ are excellent with the puck and will jump in on the offense when required as well.  What we're seeing in Leksands IF is first and foremost a great team, much alike we're used to seeing for squads lead by @iSvamp from his defensive spot. The full Swedish outfit has managed to recruit highly potential players that could be seen as unpolished gems, now working very well as a five man unit and with the skill set to be able to beat any team that comes in their way. This is the first series to start the Quarterfinals and after the first three games the series is at a 2-1 lead for Sankens Soldater. Prediction: Sankens Soldater in 5. Falun Coal Miners  (4) vs Bjorkloven Esport  (5) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) @MartindalexC 3 GP, 7+5=12 vs @Pappen 5 GP, 4+9=13 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) @Supreex 2 GP, 2 W, 90 SV%, 1 GAA, 0 SO vs @Kallmanius 5 GP, 3 W, 84,44 SV%, 1,4 GAA, 1 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 13-1-0 vs 13-1-0 We'll be in for a very tough fight between Falun Coal Miners and Björklöven Esport in this Quarterfinals matchup. The Coal Miners have made a comeback after some time and in their signature way, they are immediately competitive with a deep, experienced and highly skilled roster. @antoniomannen004 had an excellent campaign with Setelit On Ice in the eHSM and seems to continue his form also in the Coal Miners lineup alongside @MartindalexC and @Foppatofflan. Defensively, we're looking at a highly capable team with very offensively gifted defensemen, who like to jump in on the rush and shoot the puck from the point. Quite surprisingly, the Falun powerplay has been their weakest link in the playoffs, but thus far they've been able to remedy that with a high scoring 5v5 game. The Umeå outfit Björklöven Esport have some cornerstones in @Kallmanius and @Pappen, who have been with the squad for a longer time already. They're joined by a strong arsenal of gifted players and some very experienced defensemen on their back line. Especially look for the connection on offence between new recruit @Winci and @Pappen, which is one of Björklövens most dangerous weapons.  Prediction: Falun Coal Miners in 4. 

FIFA 23 brings TV screen sensation Ted Lasso to the virtual pitches, and adds AFC Richmond players together with their home stadium Nelson Road in a crossover fans of the show will love. The Sandman, Lasso Special, Pepper Shakers and the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, do these ring any bells? If not, you might have some catching up to do with Apple TV's hit show Ted Lasso, but if these names are familiar to you, you'll be pleased to hear that in FIFA 23, you'll be able to pull off these Ted Lasso trick plays with some of the AFC Richmond stars in virtual form.  Take the pitch with AFC Richmond in their signature red and blue colors with the likes of Sam Obisanya, Roy Kent and Jamie Tartt in your starting eleven and create your own story in helping the troubled club flourish once again. In addition to the colors and players, also the club's home stadium, Nelson Road will be playable in FIFA 23. We'll only have to wait and see if also the signature Jamie Tartt and Roy Kent chants from the Richmond fans will make it to the game as well.  According to EA Sports, you'll be able to select Ted Lasso himself as a playable character in your manager career mode, or swap the club AFC Richmond into your career mode in any league. Ted Lasso and Coach Beard will also be integrated into the FUT mode as character items, and some additional AFC Richmond banners and club customization items will also be available. The fictional players will most likely not make it into FUT as playable characters. This means that now is your chance to go for one of Ted Lasso's signature unorthodox tactics, or perhaps you're going to take the role of Nathan Shelley, teaching the Americans about the nuances of the false 9 or what parking the bus means in a football setting, breaking it off with AFC Richmond in order to take on them in a brewing rivalry with West Ham United? As a big fan of both the EA Sports FIFA series and the Ted Lasso series, this is a fun addition to the game that at the moment is in a good place in its development. What are your thoughts on the Ted Lasso integration?

The long awaited return of Tiger Woods to the realm of golf video games is happening in the form of PGA Tour 2K23. The arguably best golfer of all time returns together with 2K and developer HB Studios as a creative director for the PGA Tour 2K series, and fans of the series are excited to watch it unfold. The newest iteration in a long line of golf simulation games is aiming to bring the most immersive experience to date, but with a spin of arcade feel on the side. This is accomplished by authentic PGA Tour Courses, several authentic playable Pros and a multitude of sliders and settings to alter your experience when hitting the virtual green either on your own or with a bunch of friends.  Playable pros 2K22 already had a Pro roster with several of the world's best golfers going up against you in the MyCareer mode on the PGA Tour, but this year, you'll be able to actually play as these superstars of the game. The 2K23 roster includes golfers like Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Will Zalatoris and for the first time in franchise history, female stars like Brooke Henderson and Lexi Thompson. Naturally, you'll also be able to take control with poster boy Tiger Woods and in the crossover we didn't know we needed, even basketball's GOAT Michael Jordan. Now, these are only some of the characters available to play at launch and we can certainly expect more content to arrive in updates along the games lifecycle. Quite interestingly, the 2K23 launch trailer could even hint at even more cool crossovers later, as self-proclaimed golf aficionado Schoolboy Q is featured in the trailer, together with 100T co-founder and CEO Nadeshot. Naturally, all playable characters have individual abilities and traits, making each golfer feel and play different. Jon Rahm is one of the playable golfers in PGA Tour 2K23. The Topgolf experience The wildly popular Topgolf experience enters PGA Tour 2K23. For those unfamiliar with the concept, Topgolf is like a driving range out of a video game - perfect to actually be featured in one! Now you can enter the Topgolf location to hone your driving skills and precision in a set of various challenges. Traditional three click swing  The three click swing will bring back memories for those who played golf games of the late 90s and early 2000s, and it's now making a return in a reimagined way. The three click swing allows players to set power on the first click, set swing trajectory on the second click and finally impact an open or closed club face on the third click. Struggling competition 2K has had the golf video game market locked down for a few years already, and you'd imagine that having a superstar like Tiger Woods on board only makes them stronger, while simultaneously it appears main competitor EA Sports is struggling with their product. EA Sports PGA Tour was originally scheduled to release in spring 2022, but EA announced on March 22nd, that the game will be delayer by a year. EA Sports' latest golf simulation game was 2015's Rory McIlroy PGA Tour.  Three editions available for pre-order As we've seen with other sports games titles recently, also PGA Tour 2K23 offers a few different editions to choose from. The PGA Tour 2K23 Deluxe Edition and the PGA Tour 2K23 Tiger Woods Edition will grant three days early access among other perks, including some pre-order additions.  Standard Edition Pre-order bonuses Michael Jordan Bonus Pack Playable Michael Jordan 4 Common Golf Ball Sleeves Deluxe Edition Deluxe Bonus Pack 1300 VC 1 Hockey Stick Putter 1 Gold Baseball Cap 1 Gold Golf Glove 3 Rare Golf Ball Sleeves Michael Jordan Bonus Pack Playable Michael Jordan 4 Common Golf Ball Sleeves Golden Club Pack 1 Golden Driver 1 Golden Putter 4 Uncommon Golf Ball Sleeves Tiger Woods Edition Tiger Woods Edition Bonus Content 1 Tiger Woods TaylorMade Club Set 1 Tiger Woods T-Shirt 3 Epic Golf Ball Sleeves Tiger Woods Signature Sunday Pack 1 Red Polo Shirt 1 Pair of Black Pants 1 Black Hat 1 Tiger Woods Golf Shoes 1 Tiger Woods Golf Belt Tiger Bridgestone Branded Golf Balls Deluxe Bonus Pack 1300 VC 1 Hockey Stick Putter 1 Gold Baseball Cap 1 Gold Golf Glove 3 Rare Golf Ball Sleeves Michael Jordan Bonus Pack Playable Michael Jordan 4 Common Golf Ball Sleeves Golden Club Pack 1 Golden Driver 1 Golden Putter 4 Uncommon Golf Ball Sleeves

SportsGamers, Only the four best teams remain, and these are all squads we're very familiar with from their extended success at the European stages already. FILADELPHIA, GOONS, Tunnel Vision and hREDS have paved their way to the semifinals to determine who will hoist the cup in the 2022 eHockey Finnish Championships. The big question is looming, can FILADELPHIA find their competitive form to defend against the hungry squads that have pushed through the group stages and the long playoffs, while the defending champions only joined in at the playoff stage? What about the challengers Tunnel Vision, GOONS and hREDS - all of them have seen some roster changes, have they grown stronger or became weaker over time? Join in on the action Thursday evening at www.twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG to find out! FILADELPHIA  (1) vs GOONS  (4) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Paul @PleeMaker Arontie 12 GP, 19+14=33 vs Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen 12 GP, 25+26=51 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Casper @ICappeI Lundgren 12 GP, 12 W, 87,04 SV%, 1,17 GAA, 3 SO vs Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen 12 GP, 12 W, 79,12 SV%, 1,58 GAA, 1 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 0-0-0 vs 14-2-0 FILADELPHIA were able to coast their way through most of the playoffs, but their Quarterfinals series against Reality Check was their first true test. Although it seemed to look like Reality Check was even controlling pace in the series from time to time, they were not rewarded for their efforts and FILADELPHIA triumphed once again. A clean 3-1 series win for FILADELPHIA is no accident, and the black and orange were the better team by some margin, even showing some resilience to be able to win games by being opportunistic with their chances.  Their opponent GOONS made surprisingly easy work of Conquer Gaming in the Quarterfinals. A series in which GOONS opened the scoring in all three games and really never looked back. Especially Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila showed what an important cornerstone he is to the team, handling his defensive duties as he should, while simultaneously contributing offensively with seven points in the three game series. Alongside hREDS, GOONS are definitely one of the most dangerous offensive teams left in the mix. Tunnel Vision  (2) vs hREDS  (3) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Aleksi @MozjaTG Kähkönen 13 GP, 12+34=46 vs Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen 12 GP, 21+38=59 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Teemu @ITemeI Laukkanen 13 GP, 12 W, 85,5 SV%, 1,46 GAA, 1 SO vs Oskari @SibeIius Grönroos 12 GP, 12 W, 80 SV%, 1,42 GAA, 4 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 18-0-0 vs 14-2-0 This is the one we've been waiting for. Despite some roster movement on both sides, this is essentially a rematch of the ECL '22 Spring Finals. Back then, hREDS pulled the longer straw in an eventual game seven finish, could this one go all the way too? Both teams certainly seem offensively apt to take on the challenge of one another and we're not doubting their five man defense or their goaltender either. What will then be the decisive factor in this battle? As cliché as it sounds, it might be down to special teams. Out of the two teams, Tunnel Vision has managed to stay out of the box better, whereas hREDS have gone a bit more of an aggressive route. Not that it has hurt them thus far, but against a team of this caliber, you might want to be careful.  An interesting thing to keep an eye on throughout the series is also the reunion of Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen with his old teammates. The hREDS winger spent the entire ECL '22 campaign as the third piece in the excellent SAWO ESPORTS offensive trio with Aleksi @MozjaTG Kähkönen and Jere @jxrska Laukka, but has since his move to the big, bad reds been replaced by Otto @xHatsi Hämäläinen. Can the new kid on the block fill those boots? This matchup will serve as a rather concrete display.

SportsGamers, It's time to start the big games in this season of the 6v6 SCL and eventually find out the next Swedish Champion. Granit Gaming did not return to defend their trophy, so now it's up to a new challenger to claim the throne for themselves. Falun Coal Miners have made their return after a longer hiatus and retains part of the old Granit Gaming core with a strong chance to hoist the cup at the end of the season, but the likes of Skutebrygga, Manos and Sankens Soldater are making a push to challenge.  The first round of the playoffs (BO5) is to be played between Monday, 19th of September and Wednesday, 21st of September. The first round of action is certainly full of some interesting matchups and especially noteworthy is the four way rivalry that extends from group 2 with Falun Coal Miners, Nordic Nosebleed, Garotta Di Ansjovis and Carolus Icemen who all clashed in the group stage and will continue battling it out in the first playoff round. Falun Coal Miners will be going at it with Nordic Nosebleed, who interestingly enough were the only team to beat them in the group stage, and Nosebleeds experienced group is notorious for making it tough on opponents even if the situation would seem hopeless for them. Garotta Di Ansjovis shared points with Carolus Icemen in the group stage, and that series will definitely be one to watch in the first round. Elsewhere, you might want to take a look at the Purification vs Sodertalje SK-series, which could go either way. Both squads have some experienced players that have lots of skill and uncapped potential still in them. Sodertalje might have a slight edge due to their core having so much experience together.  Other takeaways include Leksands IF and their exceptional special teams play, which should be in the game notes for Style heading into the series. If Style wants to move on with the victory, playing 5v5 for as much of the series as possible would be in their favor.  Without further ado, here are your round 1 matchups: Skutebrygga  (1) vs BK Skinnarna  (16) Manos  (2) vs TROJANS  (15) Sankens Soldater  (3) vs Lulea Hockey Region  (14) Falun Coal Miners  (4) vs Nordic Nosebleed  (13) Bjorkloven Esport  (5) vs Bjohms Boys  (12) Leksands IF  (6) vs Style  (11) Garotta Di Ansjovis  (7) vs Carolus Icemen  (10) Purification  (8) vs Sodertalje SK  (9)   The Quarterfinals will feature a more detailed preview of each series with statistical comparisons. In the mean time, have fun and play hard!  

SportsGamers, The Playoffs have been flying on in fast pace and we're already at the Quarterfinals stage. The eight best teams in Finland remain and now it's time to battle it out to see who can seriously challenge for the throne that FILADELPHIA are defending. This round offers several matchups that go in the category of David vs Goliath tales, but we're never opposed to a good upset story. You'll be able to follow along with games live at the SportsGamer Twitch-channel, as usual. The Quarterfinals are to be played between Sunday, 18th of September and Tuesday, 20th of September. FILADELPHIA (1) vs Reality Check (11) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Paul @PleeMaker Arontie 9 GP, 15+10=25 vs Harri @Pursuitti Haaksiala 9 GP, 17+10=27 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Casper @ICappeI Lundgren 9 GP, 9 W, 85,37 SV%, 1,33 GAA, 2 SO vs Sebastian @FINSeRe Remes 9 GP, 9 W, 76,92 SV%, 2,00 GAA, 1 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 0-0-0 vs 14-2-0 We'll get a preview of what's to come in the ECL '23 Winter season, as FILADELPHIA will now defend their Finnish Championship title against Reality Check, who were newly promoted to the Elite division on the ECL front. This far, FILADELPHIA has hardly been tested in this tournament and it's seemed like they've been able to coast along rather easily. While they've looked decent and won their games with relative ease, they are yet to flex their offensive muscles in the way we all know they're able to. Against Ace Hockey in Round 1 we even saw backup Mika @mikaasi Heikkilä take the ice for the three game series, and he fit in real well as the stand-in for captain Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala. Look for FILADELPHIA to start slowly revving their engines up in this series, since games are getting tougher for sure. Despite being the lowest seed still in the playoffs at this point, the Reality Check squad might still have a lot left to give. The recent ECL Elite promotees have renewed their squad slightly since moving up the ranks, and after a short adjustment period, they are now starting to look dangerous on the ice. Reality Check have had a rather favourable path through the playoffs thus far and FILADELPHIA will be their first true test, as they were able to handle Stargazing with surprising ease in round 3. Prediction: FILADELPHIA in 3. Tunnel Vision (2) vs Nemesis (7) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Jere @jxrska Laukka 9 GP, 21+19=40 vs Jere @profiilipakki Kangasniemi 9 GP, 11+8=19 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Teemu @ITemeI Laukkanen 9 GP, 9 W, 87,5 SV%, 2,33 GAA, 1 SO vs @Pasi (Pasi-Fism) 9 GP, 9 W, 90,11 SV%, 1,00 GAA, 3 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 18-0-0 vs 14-2-0 Here's two teams who have never before clashed in a competitive setting, and it'll be an interesting one to see how their styles will end up matching up against each others. Tunnel Vision have been on a tear throughout the eHSM and their numbers look great all around the ice. The currently undefeated squad is looking like a strong candidate to make a finals appearance already and there's no doubting that, to be honest. Their familiar duo Aleksi @MozjaTG Kähkönen and Jere @jxrska Laukka are shouldering most of the burden up front, while new recruit Otto @xHatsi Hämäläinen is catching up with them little by little. If they're able to find that perfect synergy in time for the biggest games, Tunnel Vision could be the team to look out for. Nemesis is a massive surprise to be seen at this stage of the tournament. The team consists of players who have had very limited postseason success at high levels in the past, but they've elevated their game to a great extent and on top of that, bringing in defenseman Max @Toneee9 Tonitz on an unbelievable hot streak (GCL 6v6, GCL Cup & GCL 1v1 Champion) has turned out to be an excellent move for them. Nemesis will need to really rally around goaltender @Pasi in order to stop the offensive onslaught of Tunnel Vision in order to have a chance in this series. Prediction: Tunnel Vision in 3. hREDS (3) vs Setelit On Ice (6) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen 9 GP, 16+31=47 vs Anton @antoniomannen004 Svensander 11 GP, 14+16=30 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Oskari @SibeIius Grönroos 9 GP, 9 W, 81,36 SV%, 1,22 GAA, 4 SO vs Tomi @Mestari tikku Heikkilä 11 GP, 9 W, 89,25 SV%, 0,91 GAA, 5 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 16-0-0 vs 14-1-1 We're quite used to seeing hREDS firing on all cylinders and quite honestly, that's what they've been doing all throughout the eHSM. They seem unstoppable at the moment with their offense being very balanced and hardly missing their long-time centerman Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen. This is a team that poses a danger from all areas of the ice and have the defensive ability to shut down anything their opponent throws at them. Setelit On Ice have impressed throughout the tournament. Their opportunistic approach to offense works wonders in combination with an excellent trap defense, which suffocated YMCA completely in their round 3 matchup. An undeniable fact is also that goaltender Tomi@Mestari tikku Heikkilä has risen from seemingly nowhere to being one of the greatest netminding sensations the eHSM has ever seen. Excellent goaltending performances rarely come without the help of the unit in front of him, but regardless here's a guy that could bail Setelit out in a tough situation. Prediction: hREDS in 3. GOONS (4) vs Conquer Gaming (5) TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen 9 GP, 22+21=43 vs Valtteri @Vire30 Vireaho 10 GP, 13+12=25 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen 9 GP, 9 W, 78,46 SV%, 1,56 GAA, 1 SO vs Axel @MonkeyHeadAF Falck 10 GP, 9 W, 75,93 SV%, 2,6 GAA, 1 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 15-1-0 vs 14-1-0 We could be in for a tough one here. While GOONS is certainly the team that historically looks stronger, and has the more accomplished players on paper, they've also struggled to break that threshold into the real top echelon of title contenders. Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen is leading his team up front and has seemingly been scoring at will from time to time. On defense, Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila is still showing that he could very well be the best all-around defenseman out there and has been able to handle his defensive duties while simultaneously putting up an astonishing 23 points from the back. Conquer Gaming is in an interesting position here, they've been one of those teams that is on everyone's radar, but never really get into the discussion of teams that are seriously challenging for those top spots. Now is their chance for a breakthrough on that front, and we're here to watch that story unfold. New signing Aaro @Ikavalko Ikävalko has fit in nicely in between Jere @Jerax13 Hällström and Valtteri @Vire30 Vireaho, who already have some great chemistry from before. We're expecting big things and that fabled next level for this trio. Prediction: GOONS in 4.

SportsGamers, With the 5th generation of consoles being out for almost two years at this point, after careful consideration and community polls we've made the decision to move to Gen 5 consoles starting with ECL '23 Winter, as announced in late July in our article about the NHL 23 Technical Test. This means in all simplicity, that future tournaments organized by SportsGamer.GG will be played on Gen 5 versions (PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X|S) of NHL 23, but we will be gauging interest for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One tournaments, and external partners can still choose to host PlayStation 4 or Xbox One tournaments at SportsGamer.GG. What it all comes down to then is, which version should you get in order to make sure you can participate in all SportsGamer.GG events? Here's a quick reminder of how the cross-play feature on NHL 23 will work: Players can play against any opposing team within their console generation, but mixed teams will not be possible. Therefore, teams must be made up of only one console generation and type in order for cross-play to work. However, keep in mind that EA Sports hasn't yet announced when exactly the cross-play feature will be implemented to the game, and it is possible that tournaments launched before then will not be able to support teams from the other platform. For ECL '23 Winter specifically, the preferred platform of choice will be PlayStation 5. We predict Xbox Series X|S teams will be able to join in on the ECL action once cross-play is confirmed to have been added to NHL 23, so hopefully by the ECL '23 Spring season at the latest. NHL 23 features two versions of the game available for Pre-order. Players will be able to opt for the standard version or the X-Factor Edition on any console. When opting which version to go for, keep in mind that while NHL 23 will include cross-play for consoles within the same generation, it does not feature cross-play between console generations. If you are planning on upgrading to a next generation console over the course of the NHL 23 life cycle, you should definitely look to go for the X-Factor Edition in order to secure double entitlement without having to buy both editions separately. The bottom line is, if you want to be able to participate in all upcoming action, we recommend still purchasing the X-Factor edition, getting you the double-entitlement. However, our own tournaments and leagues will in the future be ran on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S platforms. Here are the NHL 23 Editions available for pre-order including the pre-order perks: Standard Edition - HUT X-Factor Women's choice pack - 5 World of Chel X-Factor Zone ability unlocks - Be a Pro X-Factor slot unlocks (2), XP boost and bonus trait points - Signed Sarah Nurse World of Chel jersey X-Factor Edition - Double entitlement (Unlocks the game for both Gen 4 & Gen 5 consoles) - 3-Days early access - 4600 NHL Points - HUT X-Factor Player choice pack - HUT X-Factor Power-up starter pack - HUT X-Factor Women's choice pack - 5 World of Chel X-Factor Zone ability unlocks - Be a Pro X-Factor slot unlocks (2), XP boost and bonus trait points - Signed Sarah Nurse World of Chel jersey

SportsGamers, It's time to move on with the third  playoff round of the eHockey Finnish Championships and while we've seen some surprising results thus far, now we're really getting down to the games where true contenders will set themselves apart. The stakes are getting higher as we close in on the finals ahead. NOTE: It seems like most series have already started ahead of time, and therefore this preview scheduled to release early on the first official gameday is partially void. For future reference, try as best as you can to follow the schedule and gamedays defined in the rulebook in order to allow staff time to prepare broadcasts and other media. The third round of the playoffs (BO5) is to be played between Tuesday, 13th of September and Thursday, 15th of September. Without further ado, here are all your third round matchups: FILADELPHIA  (1) vs Bastu  (31) The sauna is ready and all heated up for the FILADELPHIA boys to step in and ramp up the heat. Bastu have been on a great push thus far in the FCL and despite some hiccups in the group stage, they've beaten some great competition along the way - GIFU Hockey and Otukset in the playoffs. Especially Santeri @Holy71 Vaaranvuo has found a new level to his game in the Bastu offense, which in turn helps his linemates produce greatly. It might be safe to say, though, that FILADELPHIA is a step above those previous opponents and will be a tough obstacle to tackle. FILADELPHIA, on the other hand have made easy work of their opponents in the first two rounds, and are now for the first time facing a team that theoretically could even steal a game if they're not careful. Some rust in their form is evident, but this is a great time to start wearing all that off.  Prediction: FILADELPHIA in 3. Tunnel Vision  (2) vs Hokurit  (21) Tunnel Vision dominated the group stage earning them the #2 seed behind only invitee FILADELPHIA, and it seems like they've continued on that path in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Quite evidently, neither Karmadillos or Hartsport United were a match for the skilled unit, and they made easy work of their opponents in some high scoring games putting forwards Jere @jxrska Laukka, Aleksi @MozjaTG Kähkönen and Otto @xHatsi Hämäläinen among the top scorers. Hokurit will be facing a great challenge, and the long-time Pro dwellers spiced up their roster with Sven @Original-SnuS Julmi and Alex @IDangledYouOut Wagner from ZSC Lions for the tournament, which has turned out to be a great fit. The pace of Tunnel Vision will most likely be a bit too much for Hokurit in this one, but if all the stars align, Hokurit might get away with one win in the series.  Prediction: Tunnel Vision in 4. hREDS  (3) vs Powerhouse HC  (19) The big, bad Reds have been chugging along nicely like the well oiled machine they are. Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen's move to center has seemed to work well for them and the unit around him is working as well as ever. Powerhouse HC have proven themselves to be a serious playoff contender and especially their display against Tohtorit in round two deserves an applause, but this will be the end of the line for them.  Prediction: hREDS in 3.  GOONS  (4) vs Gunners HC  (17) (Writer plays for Gunners HC) GOONS is a team, that for quite a while now has been at the brink of a real breakthrough. They're right outside the very top contention looking to break into the true top echelon of teams hunting for the title. This could be their time to shine. GOONS had an easy time securing the top seed in their group, after which both playoff series thus far have been over in quick fashion. Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen has been lethal up front and is finally starting to solidify himself as the true top scorer his potential has always suggested. Gunners HC is a bit of a dark horse, as the newly established team managed to secure a high seed in their group and even were able to surprise HAVU Gaming in their second round playoff matchup. Goaltender Jaakko @jaakqoo Toiviainen is on a career run in the playoffs right now and will surely raise some interest from bigger clubs moving on.  Prediction: GOONS in 3.  Conquer Gaming  (5) vs Hunters  (15) The hunter will become prey in this series between Conquer Gaming and Hunters. Conquer lives off fast puck movement and their offensive play is elite, but they could be vulnerable in their own zone. Their opponent Hunters have been able to prove themselves in this tournament and goaltender Samuli @Miettinen14 Miettinen has been on fire especially in the playoffs, with a save percentage of 89,86%. Despite their stellar defensive play, Hunters will have met their match in this series and will be overrun by Conquer's offensive power. Prediction: Conquer Gaming in 3. Setelit On Ice  (6) vs YMCA Esports  (13) Setelit On Ice have established themselves as a team to watch throughout the tournament. In fact, the team made their comeback only a few weeks before the start of the FCL and have managed to find some great form right from the get-go. A very notable performer for them is goaltender Tomi @Mestari tikku Tiirikainen, who is leading the league in playoff shutouts (five in seven games) and saving percentage (94 SV%). Naturally, this is an indication of a well working unit, that is expected to continue working in their matchup against a struggling YMCA Esports. The Elite division juggernauts YMCA Esports have been on a downwards trajectory for a while now, and it seems like they're struggling to get back to their winning ways. While they're able to win matchups with their sheer experience and core skill, they are also looking like a team not fully confident in their abilities. If they can find a way to turn the tide and win this series, they'll be on a better path, but only time will tell.  Prediction: Setelit On Ice in 5. Nemesis  (7) vs JANO  (12) Nemesis and JANO will be going at it in a very tough battle. While JANO's roster is full of experienced players who have been drifting around various teams for a while, Nemesis represents the new generation of skill players, who are looking to replace the old dogs. Perhaps not in terms of age per se, but in terms of years and seasons spent at the higher levels. Nemesis might have a slight edge in the sense that they have spent more time together as a unit, whereas JANO is a roster that was finalized only just before the tournament started. Regardless, this series will most likely come down to which team is in better form on any given day.  Prediction: JANO in 5.  Stargazing  (10) vs Reality Check  (11) There could be a rivalry brewing between Reality Check and Stargazing. The two of the faced off in a relegation matchup to cap off ECL '22 Spring, in fact. Back then, Stargazing were forced to give up their Elite spot after just one season in the European top 16, whereas Reality Check took their place. Now is a time for retribution with some slight alterations for both lineups. Miikka @xColeslaww Kolehmainen has been great for Stargazing in the playoffs and looks to lead his troops also in this series, whereas his counterpart in Reality Check is captain Harri @Pursuitti Haaksiala. These two are as evenly matched as they come, so expect a brawl to the finish line.  Prediction: Reality Check in 5. 

NBA 2K23 hits the shelves today, and the new iteration of the world's most popular basketball game brings more control to players on both ends of the court, translating to more wins and more seamless actions. Last year's NBA 2K22 was the first release of the popular basketball series fully geared towards the next gen market, and it ended up impressing the target audience. 2K Games have managed to create a highly visual gameplay experience with a storytelling perspective in their popular MyPlayer mode, all while staying true to the fundamentals of basketball. Now it's time for NBA 2K23 to one-up its predecessor and set the bar even higher for competition in the future. This year, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns will grace the cover of the game, but 2K have also taken the chance to showcase other great athletes of the sport in their special editions. WNBA superstars Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird will be on the WNBA Edition cover, whereas the legendary Michael Jordan will be featured on his own edition of the game.  Uprgaded Pro Stick for more control After their successful release last year, the developers have put their main focus into fine-tuning and balancing some of the quirks of NBA 2K22. A major issue has been trying to give players as much control as possible when handling, as well as defending in any given situation. As a solution, the Pro Stick has been upgraded and now allows for players to have more control and pull off moves like switchbacks, hop-steps and euro-steps on their way to the rim. An expansion of the dedicated dunking controls will also hope to give players more options when looking for chances to go for highlight reel plays. New Gen Badge System One of the first things many NBA 2K players have done ever since the introduction of the badge system, is heading into the MyPlayer creation zone looking for the best build to go for. In the past, certain combos have been the way to go and in the end, not much diversity has been seen on the virtual courts when it comes to the best player builds. With the revamped badge system, 2K hopes to create more viable options when creating your player build, forcing players to make some tough choices when looking for which badges to go for.  The new badges will be tiered in three tiers, with 16 badges in total for each attribute category. Lower tier badges are less powerful than the higher tier ones, but cheaper to equip. The basic idea is that you'll need to equip a certain amount of lower tier badges before gaining access to the most powerful ones. On top of the badge tiers. NBA 2K23 is introducing four unique badge slots for each attribute category called "core" badges. These will be badges that can be equipped without counting towards your total badge points. Each badge will have a certain challenge requirement you'll need to meet before being able to select it as a core badge. The Jordan Challenge The Jordan Challenge, giving players the chance to relive some of the greatest moments in the history of the game, returns since its debut back in NBA 2K11. Now with even more iconic moments to jump into, players will be able to put themselves in the shoes of His Airness and reshape history in period-specific arenas, broadcasts and environments from the '80s and '90s. Adrenaline boosts A new feature introduced to NBA 2K23 is aimed at preventing over-dribbling and brings a level of added authenticity to the game. Adrenaline boosts will be available for all players on the court, but will be limited to three boosts per possession, and will be consumed every time a player does a hard go or explosive sprint launch. This is a new take on the stamina system and definitely adds a bit of strategy to how players are going to set up their offensive plays in the future. As with dribble combos, it's important to play smart basketball and be efficient with your movement. NBA 2K23 hits the shelves today and is available in five different editions! For the time being, you will still be able to get pre-order bonuses if you make the purchase quick! NBA 2K23 Standard Edition Pre-order bonus 5,000 Virtual Currency 5,000 MyTEAM Points 10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week) A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey 95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card NBA 2K23 WNBA Edition (Available only in the US as physical copies) Pre-order bonus 5,000 Virtual Currency 5,000 MyTEAM Points 10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week) A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey 95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card Digital bonus content The NBA 2K23 WNBA Edition includes: 1 Sue Bird Jersey in The W and in MyCAREER 1 Diana Taurasi Jersey in The W and in MyCAREER NBA 2K23 Michael Jordan Edition Pre-order bonus 5,000 Virtual Currency 5,000 MyTEAM Points 10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week) A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey 95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card Digital bonus content This edition also includes NBA 2K23 for PlayStation®4. 100K Virtual Currency 10K MyTEAM Points 10 MyTEAM Tokens 23 MyTEAM Promo Packs Receive 10 when you first launch the game plus an Amethyst topper pack, then receive 2 per week for 6 weeks. Sapphire Devin Booker and Ruby Michael Jordan MyTEAM Cards 1 Free Agent Option Pack 1 Diamond Jordan Shoe 1 Ruby Coach Card Pack 10 Boosts for each MyCAREER Skill Boost type 10 Boosts for each Gatorade Boost type 1 2-Hr Double XP Coin 4 Cover Star T-Shirts 1 Backpack and Arm Sleeves Custom-designed Cover Star Skateboard NBA 2K23 Digital Deluxe Edition Pre-order bonus 5,000 Virtual Currency 5,000 MyTEAM Points 10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week) A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey 95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card Digital bonus content This edition also includes NBA 2K23 for PlayStation®4. 10K MyTEAM Points 10 MyTEAM Tokens 23 MyTEAM Promo Packs Receive 10 when you first launch the game plus an Amethyst topper pack, then receive 2 per week for 6 weeks. Sapphire Devin Booker and Ruby Michael Jordan MyTEAM Cards 1 Free Agent Option Pack 1 Diamond Jordan Shoe 1 Ruby Coach Card Pack 10 Boosts for each MyCAREER Skill Boost type 10 Boosts for each Gatorade Boost type 1 2-Hr Double XP Coin 4 Cover Star T-Shirts 1 Backpack and Arm Sleeves 1 Custom-designed Cover Star Skateboard NBA 2K23 Championship Edition Pre-order bonus 5,000 Virtual Currency 5,000 MyTEAM Points 10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week) A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey 95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card Digital bonus content This edition also includes NBA 2K23 for PlayStation®4. 12 Month NBA League Pass Subscription* 100K Virtual Currency 10% XP Boost on MyTEAM Season Progression 10K MyTEAM Points 10 MyTEAM Tokens 23 MyTEAM Promo Packs Receive 10 when you first launch the game plus an Amethyst topper pack, then receive 2 per week for 6 weeks. Sapphire Devin Booker and Ruby Michael Jordan MyTEAM Cards 1 Free Agent Option Pack 1 Diamond Jordan Shoe 1 Ruby Coach Card Pack 10% XP Boost on MyCAREER Season Progression Michael Jordan-themed Go-Kart 10 Boosts for each MyCAREER Skill Boost type 10 Boosts for each Gatorade Boost type 1 2-Hr Double XP Coin 4 Cover Star T-Shirts 1 Backpack and Arm Sleeves 1 Custom-designed Cover Star Skateboard