hifk_FANI

(1) Nordic Stars vs Hopfensmoothie HC (24) After two very different series, these two teams now face each other which should be worth watching, with the number one seed facing a team a lot further down the pecking order. The coveted number one seed always comes with the position of being the favorite in every series, and this series is no exception. With a sweep in both rounds so far Nordic Stars are the heavy favorite to take another win and advance. With the whole team scoring a lot, it will be interesting to see if someone can keep this pace up and break a record of 95 points (49+46) set by @moilanenC in the ECL 4 - Lite playoffs. For now, the duo of @Jerax13 and @Vire30 are boasting a point-per-game of 4.75 which is on pace to be a Lite record (min 6 games played). Hopfensmoothie has another upset to make, taking down seed number 2 Oldtimers, in a well-played game 7! Now they need to continue where they left off. With some great leadership and great team defense, they can take this series further than any other team has in these playoffs. With their lineup changing, this can provide a shake-up they will need, however, their captain and backbone @Original-SnuS, has played in all of their 14 games so far. Can Hopfensmoothie continue their streak of game 7s? We caught up with the Hopfensmoothie HC captain @Original-SnuS for some comments about the series. What are your plans for the high powered offense of Nordic Stars? Original-SnuS: "We just try our best on defense. Our goalie is probably the best in the Lite. With a little playoff toughness, a lot is possible. 😄" How will the servers play a role in this series? Original-SnuS: "Unfortunately, the servers play far too big a role in this game. They will have advantages and we will have them. We are used to this, but are they?" Predictions: @hifk_FANI: Nordic Stars 4-1 @Pensasmies: Nordic Stars 4-0 @Pekedipeks: Nordic Stars 4-1 @MCH_98: Nordic Stars 4-2 Player to watch: @Katunarski (3) Zenegeim vs DEG eSports (11) A defensive team vs an offensive team. Both teams surely can provide both - on Tuesday we’ll see who takes the first games when these two teams face each other. Zenegeim plays a mean style of hockey, they punish the smallest of mistakes on defense and are really dangerous on the counter-attack. With captain @Juhaniz- not providing the offense he usually did when he played winger, this can frustrate even the best of players. @rakkauspakkaus- taking the lead on offense in these playoffs, he’ll surely want more to his name in this series. Can Zenegeim overcome the German server, and advance to the next round? In a tight series, there are always good games, and not-so-good games. In this series, the team from Düsseldorf needs to string together more of those good games to have a shot at a spot in the semifinals. They’re going to need their top point producers @daaiim0n and @xxICEFORCERxx to do more than they already have in these playoffs - take this team on their backs and carry them offensively. @Meazza1704 has been great so far, with an 86,62% save percentage. If he can keep up the good work, DEG eSports will have a great chance to go through to the next round. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: Zenegeim 4-1 @Pensasmies: Zenegeim 4-1 @Pekedipeks: Zenegeim 4-2 @MCH_98: Zenegeim 4-1 Player to watch: @Esko-etikka (4) Mights vs Modo Hockey (7) This is a series that will go down as a coin flip - both teams possess the right type of style to beat one another - but as always, only one team can win. In this series, we have the privilege to witness two teams who can hold on to the puck at the right times, and not turn over the puck in situations where it’s costly. Mights took a confident 4-1 series win in their last matchup and absolutely shut down a good offensive team in Ruuti, only conceding 6 hosld in 5 games. If their defense is able to keep up the good work, it won't be a long series. @Saloust77 16 goals in these playoffs puts him in 2nd place in the scoring category - if MoDo Hockey finds a way to keep him quiet in this series, Mights might just not make it. Taking down former Pro team Pata Hellalla in a sweep, MoDo showed everybody that this is where they belong, riding a 6 game-win streak heading into this matchup, MoDo have a good momentum that might propel them into the next round. Also, a good defensive team, MoDo kept Pata Hellalla to a mere 4 goals in 4 games. Will we see any goals in this series? @MrXbox79will surely have a say in that with his 16 points (5+11), assisting him will be @Mathiasgamer_07. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 1-4 MoDo @Pensasmies: 4-1 Mights @Pekedipeks: 3-4 MoDo @MCH_98: 4-3 Mights Player to watch: @Maykan (5) BushWhackers vs Sawolanche (6) (written by @Pekedipeks) This is a matchup between two teams who both got confident series victories in the previous round. BushWhackers had no mercy in sweeping their opponent Seinäjoki Noms, and Sawolanche got a 4-1 win respectably against all our predictions versus xBOTS. In this series, we will see a matchup of two teams adapting to each other's well-organized playing structures to decide the semifinalist. However, one of the most interesting key points will be the showdown of two rock-solid goalies, @HiBaZiBa- 89,69 SV%, 5 Shutouts, 1.11 GAA and @I_TERTTU_I 88.19 SV%, 4 Shutouts, 1.42 GAA. It is also worth mentioning that in the playoffs, BushWhackers center @IJepuxI has done a better job on faceoffs (55,2%) than Sawolanche center @maffe92 (47,2%), so let's see if that affects which team will be the more aggressive side when it comes to plays directly from the puck drop. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: (plays for Bushwhackers) @Pensasmies: (plays for Bushwhackers) @Pekedipeks: 4-3 Bushwhackers @MCH_98: 4-1 Bushwhackers Player to watch: @I_LaiTi_I Follow the Playoff streams: Please post dates, times and links for streams in the comments of this news story and social media, to help everyone find your team streams. Who do you think will win each series? Let us know in the comments!

In this article, we’ll be digging deep into all of the four matchups that ECL Pro has left to offer. As usual, we will step on some toes and our predictions will cause some much-needed controversy. Which teams will advance to the semifinals? Read down below and make up your mind! SERIES 1: Falun Coal Miners (1) vs Golden Sticks (12) David vs Goliath, Rocky vs Drago, and all the stories we’ve heard of underdogs rising against the favorites. Will this be the upset of the season? Golden Sticks sure hope so, but Falun is no easy team to take down, especially in a best-of-7 series that will surely be a good one to watch. Falun surely had an easier way to the top 8 than their opponents did, beating out Vizio in a 4-0 sweep, but a few of those wins came in tight games so it wasn’t quite as easy as it may appear - this is after all the Pro playoffs. With 14 goals scored in 4 games for Falun, we know their offense is there, everybody knows they have the ability to take the edge in tight games on both ends of the ice. The difference in this series has to be which team can score first, and which team can defend their lead better. @STRANDMANNEN11 kept his scoring touch from the regular season, and put up 11 points (3+8) in 4 games vs Vizio, with his center buddy @smay96 not far behind. The experience between the pipes for both teams will be a good matchup in this series, with both @eliekamel87 and @jubex0r both having a great postseason so far. A tight series for Golden Sticks in round 1 of these playoffs surely boosts their confidence heading into the quarterfinals; they were down 3-2 in their series and managed to win both games 6 and 7. And with 7 games played, comes more points: newly acquired @LucePro is leading the team in points (5+8) in the postseason so far. He showed everyone that even in 6s he belongs in the playoffs. He can surely take his game to another level, but he’ll need the help of his teammates. @HopeaKypara99 and LucePro can make for an interesting duo on offense, but will it be enough versus the all-so-experienced defense of Falun? Tune in to find out! We caught up with the captains @LucePro of Golden Sticks and @l-Furyan-l of Falun Coal Miners and here's what they had to say: What are your opponent's biggest weaknesses? LucePro: "Falun haven’t played in a while, a week's break or so since their last game could show in the beginning, and their consistency is also a weakness we are looking to exploit." l-Furyan-l: "I don’t know if Golden Sticks really have any weaknesses per se. However, I would like to add that they do have an in-form player we absolutely need to stop; LucePro, if we want to have a chance to win we need to take him down." And how are you going to win this series? LucePro: "We’re creative in the offensive zone, and can create a lot of good chances, we defend well as a team and that is how we’re going to win this series." l-Furyan-l: "If we want to advance to the semifinals this season, we need to play our own game, dare to be ourselves, and most importantly, have fun." Predictions: @hifk_FANI Falun 4-1 @ripKeisari: Falun 4-1 @Pensasmies: Falun 4-2 A player who shouldn’t be overlooked: @jubex0r Watch the series live: twitch.tv/CoalMinersTV, twitch.tv/goldensticksnhl SERIES 2: (2) TIKI TALKvs Mustaa Kultaa (10) This series has the potential to be an interesting one, both on and off the ice. Both teams play entertaining hockey and seem to be quite active on social media. Hopefully, both teams can keep it going as this matchup sure will be an entertaining one. Mustaa Kultaa coming off their ECL '23: Spring Championship season in Lite were eliminated in the Pro Quarterfinals last season by Renascor, who we saw in ECL Elite in ECL '24: Spring. This season Mustaa Kultaa are back at it again with a successful playoff run and seeing them back in the quarterfinals this year has come to nobody's surprise. In the first round, they took down a skilled team in Otukset 4-1 and are now facing a similar opponent in TIKI TALK. it will be a test for them to see if they can make it one step further. If they want to advance to the semifinals and secure that lock for Elite qualification, either @Allupekkaz or @jaageri_ will need to stand out in a big way and carry the mantle. Will their trust in sensational rookie @LatveX in goal pay off? So far so good, as he boasts an insane 93,83 sv%, which - if he can keep it up - is certainly an ingredient for winning and potential for a record-breaking stat. TIKI TALK who undoubtedly has stuck it to those who didn't believe in them this season, by taking down a good team in Herlev Eagles, with an incredible comeback from being down 3-1 and winning the series in game 7. As per usual a goal-hungry @itspardytime leading the team in points (8+11), but now having a great player alongside him who can put up points - can @NuariJamal be the guy he needs to get back to the Elite division? We caught up with the Mustaa Kultaa captain @jaageri_ for some comments about the series. Tiki Talk were unfortunately unavailable for comment. What are your opponent's biggest weaknesses? Jaageri: "The opponent's biggest weakness is definitely defense." And how are you going to win this series? Jaageri: "We will win this series by defending the way we did in the first round. Even though TIKI TALK have a different playbook and a lot of skill, they also have a guy who isn’t afraid to “kärkkyä” (=to cherry pick), so we need to keep their breakaways to a minimum. Our strength lies in counter-attacks and we need to exploit that." Predictions: @hifk_FANI: Mustaa Kultaa 4-2 @ripKeisari: Mustaa Kultaa 4-3 @Pensasmies: Mustaa Kultaa 4-1 A player who shouldn’t be overlooked: @itspardytime Watch the series live: twitch.tv/nuarijamal-_-, twitch.tv/allupekkaz SERIES 3: Deadly Phantoms (3) vs Almost Famous (8) Both teams possess the talent, the quality, and the determination to advance from this series, but what sets these two teams apart? We can’t overlook the fact that both teams can score, and I bet both teams will prepare accordingly. One team has more experience whilst the other possesses that eagerness to compete again at this level. Deadly Phantoms have that rare ability to beat almost anybody, their style of play allows them to be able to compete with any team in this scene, it comes with its perks but also with its implications in offense. With a defense like theirs comes some outstanding goaltending from @RPH_31, a GAA of 1.00 & 92,42% save percentage, putting him in 2nd place in both categories so far in the playoffs. Forwards will need to step up in the next series if they want to advance - they can’t rely on their defenseman @xXPsykoSkillsXx to carry them for too long. After rebranding to the name Almost Famous, the team carried itself well in the regular season, and now with a solid first-round win in six games, they have a much harder task at hand in taking down a much more defense-heavy opponent. With the teams splitting the points in the regular season, this series could go either way. The question for this series will be whether Almost Famous can find a way through the German defense and score enough goals. Will the central server play a big part? Can @xrikardo55 find his groove? We’ll find out soon enough. We caught up with the Almost Famous captain @Ikavalko for some comments about the series. What are your opponent's biggest weaknesses? Ikavalko: "Wouldn’t say they have a specific weakness in their team, they don’t have too much individual talent and their gameplay goes through the blueline so we need to take advantage of that." And how are you going to win this series? Ikavalko: "By taking away their tips and rebounds." Deadly Phantoms were unfortunately unavailable for comment. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: Deadly Phantoms 4-2 @ripKeisari: Deadly Phantoms 4-3 @Pensasmies: Deadly Phantoms 4-3 A player who shouldn’t be overlooked: @Jalkkin- Watch the series live: twitch.tv/ProfaneKiss SERIES 4: (4) POGGERSvs RYHTIC(7) Both teams have a roster full of players with an extremely high knowledge of how the game mechanics work and talented goalies. Both rely on playing together as a team, and creating plays together which is why this series has the potential to be the best to watch for new players and teams, who want to rise in the ECL ladder. POGGERS have been around for a while and are now looking to get back to where they came from: ECL Elite. On their good days they can fight for a playoff spot in the highest division, but their ability to stay consistent is why they are currently playing in Pro. If @JaKurrii can get his team to play the way they need to, they’ll advance with the help of @Ghettomasi who led the team in the regular season, and now needs to get back to his regular season form. RYHTIC who took down a great team in Södertälje in the first round has a round 2 monkey on their back they really need to shake off. They are known for having a great season and making the playoffs, but not quite being able to finish the job in the end. The team is once again being led by veteran @yrjoo, and focuses on keeping games close and not giving their opponent an inch in the offensive zone. If they can stick to their game plan and keep POGGERS off the board, they might just make it to the semifinals. With @Naikou88 back in the team, and @JussinSisko being a playoff performer, this might just be the year for RYHTIC. We caught up with the captains of RYHTIC @yrjoo for some comments about the series. What are your opponent's biggest weaknesses? Yrjoo: "Has to be their inconsistency." And how are you going to win this series? Yrjoo: "By continuing where we left off versus SSK." POGGERS were unfortunately unavailable for comment. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: RYHTIC 4-3 @ripKeisari RYHTIC 4-1 @Pensasmies POGGERS 4-1 A player who shouldn’t be overlooked: @MCH_98 Watch the series live: twitch.tv/yrjoo FOLLOW THE ECL PRO PLAYOFFS LIVE You can watch live coverage of the Pro Division Quarterfinals on Twitch, YouTube, and X on Tuesday, June 4th. Additionally, you can follow the teams' own coverage using the links provided above. Who do you think will win each series? Are there any key points or factors that we may have not covered? Let us know in the comments!

Once again the regular season comes to an end and the most exciting time of the year is upon us. I couldn't be more than happy with the teams that pushed through to the playoffs and once again proved this writer wrong. In this article, we’ll go through all the matchups in round 1, see what the teams have accomplished so far and then get into the predictions of each series. ECL Pro - Round 1 official scheduled dates*: Monday 27.5 Tuesday 28.5 Thursday 30.5 *Teams can agree to play games earlier, many series are expected to start early. Falun Coal Miners (1) vs Vizio (8) With the number one seed always comes big expectations. This year is no exception with Falun beating Deadly Phantoms and TIKI TALK for that number one seed and the “Presidents' trophy”, thus gaining home advantage for the entirety of the playoffs. With a record of 20-4-1-5 and 69 points, spearheading the Falun offense this season was @STRANDMANNEN11, relatively new to the scene and scoring 32 goals in his first season is impressive, to say the least. But with the bright playoffs lights, can he do it against a team that has played together for a long time, can @Artuzio and @Jetsu28 carry this team to round 2 after barely making the playoffs? Only time will tell. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-0 Falun @yrjoo: 2-4 Vizio Deadly Phantoms (1) vs Cheeky Grinders (8) Phantoms boast quite a long history of making the playoffs, everybody knows how frustrating it is to play against this team, right? Many of us Nordic players blame the Central European servers for that, but the Phantoms' style of play has once again proven effective: they won their group and proved that server choice does not matter as much as some think, edging out a few teams who could have taken that spot. For the Phantoms their excellent defensive play stood out this season, boasting 1.67 goals allowed per game, with the goalie @RPH_31 taking a stand (SV% 84.38 and 1.79 GAA). This will be a good test for a Cheeky Grinders team that plays well against teams who are higher in the standings - they did indeed steal some points this season from difficult opponents, which is why they are in the playoffs right now. Let’s see how they match against an incredibly experienced playoff team. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-2 DPH @yrjoo: 4-1 DPH TIKI TALK (2) vs Herlev Eagles (7) Someone could have maybe predicted this series at the start of the season, but maybe the other way? Herlev had a lot of ups and downs, and TIKI TALK had an impressive regular season. This should be an interesting series - both have lots of individual talent, @itspardytime, @NuariJamal, @vibholm10, and @Spearzz_, just to name a few. But as both teams look to advance to the next round, the team who can play the more compact defense will surely advance? Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 3-4 Herlev @yrjoo: 3-4 Herlev Finnish Roosters (2) vs Golden Sticks (7) The Finnish Roosters was definitely on my personal list of teams who deserved a mention in that “could’ve been” ECL Pro mid-season report that sadly never came to fruition. The team boasts a lot of players who have been around the scene for a while, and now they are entering the playoffs with momentum against a team that was assembled not long ago. This will be an interesting series to follow for a number of reasons, but the number one thing to look out for should definitely be the offense of Golden Sticks vs the defense of Finnish Roosters. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-0 Roosters @yrjoo: 4-2 Roosters. POGGERS (3) vs NOVA (6) It's been an interesting story for both teams this season, with POGGERS having a slightly disappointing Pro regular season after being relegated and NOVA building on last season, improving their record. NOVA can only hope to beat a strong POGGERS team, who have played for a long time together and they certainly know how to win hockey games. As always the creative center @JaKurrii is a hard player to contain, with 67 points (23+44), playing with @Ghettomasi who had a great season, scoring an impressive 37 goals. Can NOVA's defense and recently acquired @PyroNiko cause an upset? Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 2-4 Nova @yrjoo: 4-2 Poggers RYHTIC (3) vs Södertälje SK (6) Both teams have had their fair share of games played in the Pro division, and now we’ll see who has more ice in their veins. With a tough season, Södertälje is looking to prove to everyone and themselves that they are better than most in this division. With the help of a couple of really great players, @amadee21 can really step up in the playoffs - a player to watch for this series! RYHTIC can surprise a lot of teams with their style of play, taking down far more skilled teams with great defense and @yrjoo always steps up in the playoffs. @JussinSisko has to be a top 3 goalie in Pro this season, with absolute monster saves, and keeping RYHTIC alive in a lot of games. Can Södertälje beat the defense of RYHTIC? Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-1 Ryhtic @yrjoo: Plays for Ryhtic Otukset (4) vs Mustaa Kultaa (5) For the first round of these playoffs, this matchup has to be the one to watch. Both teams have exceptional talent in their roster, and know the game in and out. This will be a battle of Offense vs Offense - expect a lot of goals to be scored. Mustaa Kultaa couldn't quite make Elite, and didn’t really have the regular season everyone expected, but playoffs are always a different beast. Can the king of the Lite division @Allupekkaz step up and show everyone he belongs in the Pro division - or even higher? Shoutout goes to the best goalie in the regular season @LatveX boasting a save percentage of 90%! Who knew you could even do that in an NHL video game It seems Otukset have always had roller-coaster-type seasons. Their game varies from day to day, which can be a dangerous thing in the playoffs. Will we see an improved Otukset in this series? You can always rely on @Hazard-laser when the games get tough, but will it be enough? Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 2-4 Mustaa Kultaa @yrjoo: 3-4 Mustaa Kultaa Almost Famous (4) vs Supernatural (5) This series could go either way - both teams have the ability to beat the other. Supernatural showed us that they know how to take faceoffs, with an impressive 55,63% faceoff percentage in the regular season, which could give them the edge in this series with @TackleControl in the faceoff circle. Making an impressive run in the Lite playoffs last ECL, Almost Famous now immediately made the playoffs in Pro with a good record. They can build on this momentum in these playoffs and go on a similar run this year. @Ikavalko will surely be the center of attention of the Supernatural defense. if you enjoy tight games, this will be the series for you. Predictions: @hifk_FANI: 4-2 Almost Famous @yrjoo: 2-4 Supernatural Who do you think will win each series? Are there any key points or factors that we may have not covered? Let us know in the comments! FOLLOW THE ECL PRO PLAYOFFS LIVE You can watch live coverage of the Pro Division playoffs on Twitch, YouTube and X. Coverage starts on Tuesday, May 28th.

This week we've launched the newest season of the biggest eHockey tournament in all of Europe. A lot of you (and us!) have been waiting for the season to start and now the wait is over, so fire up those smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles and start playing and watching the action! In this preview we’ll take a look at a few teams and of course, a few individuals who will be playing in the second-highest tier of the European Championship League ladder, which is the highly coveted ECL Pro. Group 1 Teams to challenge for the title: Herlev Eagles This team has taken large strides from a few years back when they scraped to make the playoffs in the Pro division, after playing Elite qualifiers just a few days ago and not quite making it must be a bitter feeling, but the Eagles are back and ready to challenge for the title with Danish superstar Vibholm leading the way in offense! Player to watch: @vibholm10 Mustaa Kultaa Another team that almost made it to Elite. This should come as no surprise as former Lite Champions are making a push for the title. With a good mix of young talent and long-time Pro veterans in their team, this squad can make some noise this season. Player to watch: @LatveX Team to make the playoffs: RYHTIC With a change in scenery for this team it parts ways with its long-time sponsor RCTIC, the team stays together for another year, always seems to make the playoffs, and challenges those top teams in Pro and Elite. Player to watch: @Limbe65 Team on the line: NOVA This Russian lead team made some noise last season with the number 8 seed and playing well in the 1st round of the playoffs. With big praise from last year's winning team Gotham, this team needs this push to get a better seed than last year. Player to watch: @Nester4343 Relegation battle: Neptune Hockey This team seems to find a new division from time to time, hopefully they can stick it to this washed up writer, and make a push for the playoffs. Neptune has struggled in the Pro division most years and this year is no exception, this team can not seem to string together enough wins to push for playoffs. Player to watch: @Zeikmaar Dark Horse: Vizio With a good-looking run in the eHockey SM (Finnish Championships) this year, Vizio has made some noise with beating some good teams this offseason and not solely relying on their captain to win them some games, but if they can't find that eHockey SM form, it can be a long season for them. Player to watch: @Jetsu28 Group 2 Teams to challenge for the title: POGGERS With a few seasons surviving in Elite, they couldnt battle Björklöven for a spot this year, former Pro champions can make a lot of teams unhappy with their veteran players still shining. Look for this team to want to make it back next season. Player to watch: @JaKurrii Södertälje SK With a new roster formed, they have that something, that flair you look for in teams that go far in the playoffs, with captain @svetidaje getting busy in the offseason and recruiting far and wide, this could be their year if they can find chemistry on the ice. Player to watch: @amadee21 Team to make the playoffs: Supernatural A team with an interesting past, saying this team has had its ups and downs is an understatement. But now they seem to have found a nice-looking roster with good players in all positions, they can surprise a lot of teams with how they approach this new season. Player to watch: @MrNipsuli Team on the line: TikiTalk With a team as legendary as this, it’s going to be a coin toss if this team makes the playoffs this season. A difficult group with a lot of experience, and their reliance on a guy that everyone knows, can make it difficult to get those important wins they need. Player to watch: @NuariJamal Relegation battle: Ice Scream While looking at a lot of talent in group 2, this team will find it very difficult to scrap together points this season, with not a lot of experience in the Pro division they will be looking to make some magic happen to avoid relegation. Player to watch: @TeemuUnderdawg Dark Horse: Otukset One might say this team has all the talent in the world to make it to the playoffs, even make a run for the title, some might say this team has a tendency to choke when games get tough, this experienced team will have to avoid a rollercoaster season, but look for them to steal some points from the top teams. Player to watch: @Roisto999 Do you agree with the predictions, or did the writer miss the net? What are your predictions for how the season will go? Let us know in the comments!

Gamers, As the ECL '24: Winter - Pro season comes to an end, we got to see some incredible storylines and some fierce newcomers. We saw an epic championship series with Gotham Knights taking Renascor to 7 games, and to make an incredible final series even more incredible, we got to enjoy a Game 7 overtime where both teams had their chances to win it all. In the end, @Borjendahlen scored a backdoor goal from a good setup. With their Championship, not only does Gotham Knights secure the largest share of the 5500€ prize pool, but also manage to gain promotion to the European Top 16 for their ECL '24 Winter campaign. The Gotham Knights displayed exceptional skill and teamwork throughout the season, securing their championship victory, their strategic plays and individual performances were commendable, showcasing their dominance in the second-best tier of ECL, now taking them to the highest level. The team’s dedication and coordination were key factors in their success, solidifying their position as a force to be reckoned with even next season in Elite. Hopefully, all other teams can take a look at how Gotham Knights got to where they are and take notes for next season! We asked the captain of the newly crowned champions, @ReDMisTi, a few questions - check out what he had to say! What was the feeling like in the party when you scored that G7 overtime goal? “The group absolutely blew up! We had a feeling we were going to win the game so when we finally did score we all had a lot to cheer for” How are you going to prepare for next season in Elite? “By the looks of it, we’ll play FCL (=eHockey SM 2024) and a few planned friendlies against some Elite teams, but before we start anything we’ll take a hard-earned break from playing” How can other teams prepare for their season to have a shot at gaining promotion to Elite like you did? “Well you must have good team spirit and build from that, play against similar skilled and better opponents, play casual games, and see what works and what doesn’t, a good example is Gifu, who made it to the semifinals.” Who surprised you the most during the season? “This is an easy one, @Sundstroom from GIFU Hockey and @Nester4343 from Nova, Sundstrom stood on his head against us and stole some wins for them in the playoffs, Elite talent no doubt. Nester was really difficult to contain, they took 2 wins from us in the regular season, and almost upset Purification in the playoffs. Special mention goes to @riegel29 from GIFU Hockey and @antonlule from Björklöven.” Gotham Knights road to the championship: #1 seed from Group 2 with the record 21-3-2-4 Round 1: vs VALCO (16) 4-0 Quarterfinals: vs Herlev Eagles (11) 4-0 Semifinals: vs GIFU Hockey (7) 4-2 Finals: vs Renascor (4) 4-3 The winning roster: GOALTENDERS 🇫🇮 #22 Juha @jubex0r Kettunen 🇸🇪 #27 Philip @Discokryckan Johansson DEFENSEMEN 🇫🇮 #63 Ilmari @iilmarii Töyrylä 🇫🇮 #85 Toni @Borjendahlen Karjaluoto FORWARDS 🇫🇮 #15 Joni @ReDMisTi Kaikkonen (C) 🇫🇮 #37 Timi @Rimpe Rimpeläinen (A) 🇫🇮 #64 Mikko @Ristimaki12 Ristimäki 🇫🇮 #88 Jere @keranee Keränen (A) On behalf of the entire SportsGamer community, we congratulate the Champions and extend a warm thank you to all participants!

SportsGamers, Get ready for an electrifying showdown in the ECL Pro final series as the Gotham Knights clash with Renascor. The two powerhouse teams bring unmatched skill and strategy to the rink, promising a nail-biting battle for supremacy. With star players on both sides, this series is bound to have fans on the edge of their seats the whole series! With high expectations from both sides to win the PRO division, who will claim the coveted championship trophy of the second highest level of European eHockey, we’ll try and take a small peek into this series beforehand and see what all the buzz is about! (1) Gotham Knights vs (4) Renascor TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Jere @keranee Keränen 14 GP, 20+18=38 vs Evgeny @Virusactive Popov 17 GP, 10+15=25 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Philip @Discokryckan Johansson 11 GP, 9 W, 87,57 SV%, 1.91 GAA, 2 SO vs Joona @Hullued Saarinen 17 GP, 12 W, 83,43 SV%, 1.76 GAA, 4 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 21-3-2-4 vs 19-3-2-6 This upcoming week we’ll see who will play in Elite next season, and who will play another series in the upcoming weeks to take that last and final step towards the highest tier of European eHockey. With all predictions this writer has seen, heard, and asked about from different tiers of ECL, every single one had the same response, “Gotham takes it”, this should serve as nothing else but hard motivation for Renascor to take the win here and show everybody they’re wrong. With an astounding 38 points (20+18) in 14 games, all eyes will be on Jere @keranee Keränen to step up and take this team back to Elite where they once upon a time had their opponent on their knees, he’ll get some much-needed help with all forwards putting up decent points this postseason. Assuming we’ll see Philip @Discokryckan Johansson in net for the final series, the goalie matchup will be fierce as outfielder-turned-goalie Joona @Hullued Saarinen, will start for Renascor and make sure his team has a fighting chance in this series. With Renascor battling it out in the semis, and proving this writer wrong with taking out Purification, they seem to have nothing to lose, other than a spot in Elite of course, this will be the ultimate test for Evgeny @Virusactive Popov who will finally have a chance to take his team the whole nine yards. If Renascor can keep the games low scoring, they will have a chance of beating the heavily favoured Gotham Knights with a few goals here and there, if Gotham gets their flow going, this will be a quick series ending in the favour of Gotham, tight defence and finishing your chances is the name of the game, whoever executes in these areas will take home that trophy. Prediction: Gotham 4-1

SportsGamers, As we approach the end of the ECL '24: Winter season, we still have the best of the ECL Pro division remaining. Four teams, two of whom will make it to the coveted final, but only one of them can be crowned champion of the Pro division. As always, the playoffs are the most exciting time of the year, and this season is no exception; underdogs prevail, and new names come up clutch for their team when they need them the most. Goalies, carrying their team. In this preview, we’ll take a look at both matchups, some of the players, and everything in between. Schedule Playoffs (BO7) Semifinals: 18.-23.1. Finals: 25.-29.1. * Promotion Battles: 1.-7.2. * Dates are subject to change as broadcast productions are confirmed. Semifinal Previews: Matchup 1 Gotham Knights (1) vs GIFU Hockey (7) In this highly anticipated semifinal matchup, GIFU Hockey and Gotham Knights are set to clash on the ice in a battle that promises to be a thrilling showcase of skill and determination. Both have worked hard enough to earn a spot in the finals, but only one of these teams can make it. Both teams have been at it for a long time. Knights under a few different names and different players. GIFU have grinded their way in Pro for a long time, and when I say long, I mean a very long time. From ECL 11 in Lite to playing Pro qualifiers not that many months ago. With a strong quarterfinal showdown by GIFU, they will take this momentum to the regular season winners and hope to ride this wave to a championship. It’s been a pleasure watching them for a long time now and seeing their success. With a little mix of that Swedish talent, they have now taken their club to a spot where they will end up with some prize money - now it’s up to them to grow the amount of the winnings. With their goalie @Sundstroom absolutely standing on his head in these playoffs for GIFU, there are not a lot of teams that can break him. An 87.84 save percentage and 1.61 goals against average is something not many can achieve in the Pro regular season, yet somehow he managed to up his game in the playoffs, with an astounding 90.23 save percentage and 1.3 goals against average so far. Don't, however, take anything away from GIFU Hockey's magnificent team defense in front of their star goalie who right now looks like a lock for playoffs MVP for GIFU Hockey. 21 points so far for all of Gifu Hockey forwards - this should come in handy when the game is on the line, as it's tough to defend a team where everybody puts up points. Let us not forget the best team in the regular season, Gotham Knights, impressive all around for this team. Most of their team have at some point in their career played at the highest level of European virtual hockey - ECL Elite. That should tell us all we need to know: they are all extremely skilled and GIFU Hockey will be walking into their toughest matchup yet so far this season. When these two teams met in the regular season both teams took home 3 points, with both games being 1 goal games. If this does not excite you, I don’t know what will! This is ECL at its best. With Gotham Knights boasting the best offense in ECL Pro this season with 107 goals, if they can break GIFU Hockey's defense, this will be a short series. With the likes of @Rimpe (Rimpe37) leading the team, and @keranee not far behind, this team is also stacked on defense with a guy most of us NHLers know, @iilmarii, 8 games, 5+17. Not only does he lead the playoffs among defencemen in points, but he is 5th in points for all skaters, yes 5th! So be sure to tune in for some great hockey between these two teams! Keys to the matchups: 1. Offense, offense, offense: Can GIFU match the offense of Gotham Knights? Most likely not, but will that stop them? Don't count on that. If they can, GIFU will take the series and advance. 2. Goalies: Specifically, the one this writer has been following these playoffs. Can he be the star we’ve seen he can be, or will the highest-scoring offense in ECL Pro finally get to him? 3. Nerves: Whose hands are shaking when it matters the most? With a tie game in game 7, who has the nerves to make that final play that takes their team to the final? Prediction: Hifk_fani: 4-2 Gotham Knights @ripKeisari: 4-1 Gotham Knights Interviews We had a chance to talk to both teams before the matchup - here's what they had to say. What are the biggest changes in your team from last season? Gotham: "We are a completely new roster coming up to this season, but we already were familiar faces and friends with each other so it was easy to start grinding together this fall." GIFU: "The team has changed quite a lot, there were a lot of twists and turns in the offseason. Three new guys were brought in over the summer, and since then we've been working together. Playing-wise, maybe the biggest change has been that we've been better with the puck and much better both on defense and offense. Overall, a pretty big change." How are you preparing for this upcoming semifinal against your opponent? Gotham: "We have a good flow going on right now so we just try to play as much as possible to keep that going." GIFU: "Gotham is by far the toughest team we played against in the regular season and we know that this is not going to be easy. It's pretty well known how they play and we'll try to hit them. But in the big picture, we will try to play with our strengths and see where it is enough." How do you feel your game compares to that of your opponent? Gotham: "GIFU plays really solid team defense with amazing goaltending. Also, they rely a lot on punishing opponents on counter attacks. We more or less like to control the puck and play as much as possible in the offensive zone. So it's gonna be an interesting series." GIFU: "Gotham likes to play a lot with the puck and they are very good at rubbing the pressure on the puck, while we play pretty straightforward. We managed to win the second game of the regular season, but it wasn't easy. Quite a lot of squatting on the defensive end. The guy plays with good composure, we could learn from it sometimes, even though it's good to be straightforward." Series predictions: Gotham: "The better team wins." GIFU: "Let's hope it will be a steady and entertaining series, it would be boring if Gotham didn't lose any games in the playoffs. G7 OT ordered! Can @ReDMisTi keep his head calm in the faceoff circle when I tie him up, and all of a sudden make a stick lift?" How to follow the series The series kicks off tonight at 19:30 CET. Gotham Knights feed: https://www.twitch.tv/redmisti GIFU Hockey feed: https://www.twitch.tv/Azzez_88 Semifinal Previews: Matchup 2 Purification (2) vs Renascor (4) One of the more defensive-minded matchups in these playoffs between Purification and Renascor will be as exciting as a masters chess match, which will be defined by the stalwart defense and special teams' play. These two teams have a lot to play for and hopefully, we’ll get a series that goes beyond 6 games. With a good regular season by Purification, they set themselves up well for the playoffs with the number 2 seed and 2.32 points per game in the regular season. Only Gotham Knights was able to beat that by a slim margin of .05 points per game and taking the number one seed. @LaxenHD is paving the way for Purification in the playoffs with a strong performance so far in these playoffs with 19 goals in only 14 games. As such he will definitely throw his hat in the ring for MVP of these playoffs if Purification can take themselves to the finals. Another impressive postseason performance should be mentioned: the guy between the pipes - @karlssonadam_ - this season for Purification. He has been stealing games and with an impressive 1.50 GAA in the regular season, it can be said if he keeps this up, it won't be long before the Elite teams come knocking. Can Purification keep up their defensive prowess? Will Laxenhd score even more goals? Renascor on the other hand has had the same core of players for a while now with talented centerman @Virusactive leading the way in the regular season. We’ll see if the rest of Renascor can step up and help out their captain. With 117 penalty minutes (3rd most of all playoff teams) in the regular season, if you in the playoffs let a team like Purification on the powerplay too often, you make winning games an awful lot harder. Hopefully, with the trusty combination of defenceman for Renascor in @Motov (motzzyy) and @Serg1vratar (nyambl4) they will take on a defense-first Purification. Can the captain of Renascor contain the sometimes overeager on offense motzzyy? Can the boys in red white and blue overcome the hard defence of Purification? Will Renascor have enough firepower to reach the final? Key to the Matchup: 1. Goalies: In my very faded memory of these two teams, whoever comes out with the better goalie in this series takes the win and advances. Cold hard nerves of the young Swede vs the older goalie for the Russians 2. Left-wingers: @Oxdoggi vs Laxenhd, both are extremely talented, both are 200-foot players with a good eye for the goal 3. Special teams: If Renascor can’t stay out of the box, this series will end fast. Predictions: hifk_fani: 4-1 Purification @ripKeisari 4-1 Purification Interviews We had a chance to talk to both teams before the matchup - here's what they had to say. What are the biggest changes in your team from last season? Purification: "We have two new players in the starting lineup, Johansson with a big push for our offense game, and Adam, one of the best goalies in the Pro League." Renascor: "We haven’t changed much, we only got another goalie, who performs as great as most goalies who play with us." How are you preparing for this upcoming semifinal against your opponent? Purification: "Just try to focus on our game and stick to our game plan." Renascor: "Some vod watching, applying the tasks." How do you feel your game compares to that of your opponent? Purification: "They play with forces and with speed and the big tipper ability. We try to play cycle hockey and controlled hockey." Renascor: "Both teams like to fast-attack opponents" Prediction? Purification: "Tight series, 4-3, game 7 and we take the W" Renascor: "Series: 4:2 Renascor" How to follow the series The series continues tonight at 21:00 CET. Purification leads 2-0. Purification feed: http://twitch.tv/PurificationNHL Renascor feed: https://www.twitch.tv/Renascor_NHL ECL '24: Winter - Pro Prize Pool: Social media: Twitter: When posting tweets of your lineups, matchups, recaps, clips, articles - or any other content you might want to create - please make sure to tag the following accounts and hashtags when possible: @SportsGamerGG #ECL24Winter #eHockey #NHL24 #esports #kouvolanlakritsi Instagram: When posting on Instagram, please make sure to tag the following accounts and hashtags when possible: @SportsGamerGG #ECL24Winter #eHockey #NHL24 #esports #kouvolanlakritsi We wish all teams the best of luck! PS: We are looking for writers: If you are interested in contributing to making the ECL coverage better, please get in touch with @Kenu.