ripKeisari

As of the mid-point of the ECL '24 Spring season, this milestone has been reached. This article is written on May 5, 2024 In the middle of the day. Due to variations in the number of games played between teams, I am using Points per Game (P/G) results when discussing regular season rankings. The teams leading the pack include Valokuitunen Esports, Straikers, Unwanted, and Tohtorit. I won't cover all teams, as time does not permit and frankly, there isn't much to say about many teams. Here are a few highlights that I find either unusual or particularly interesting from the season so far: Purification is doing well, and their 1.81 P/G is somewhat surprising to me. In reviewing the stats, @Skumboo's impressive save percentage in his rookie season stands out. If the team can improve slightly, we might see them in the playoffs in their first season, which would be an impressive feat for this young Swedish squad. Vesa Pompa – what's going on with your team? The team's stats are as follows: 5 wins and 9 losses. Vesa Pompa, having recently won the Swedish championship, should not be counted out of the playoffs yet; I believe the team will improve once they've played more games. It seems they might be missing @SebbeLarsen86, as the team’s goalkeeper has faced the most breakaways according to EA's stats. The team is also among the top four for goals allowed, with a statistic of 2.86 GA/GP. Nearly 3 goals per game is not a great performance for a top Elite team. EXEN has struggled to perform consistently at the top of the rankings, which could be attributed to their challenging schedule, facing top teams like Valokuitunen and Tunnel Vision. Additionally, they have experienced unexpected losses to teams like Goons and Heimo. These struggles might be explained by the team's adaptation period or "growing pains," especially considering that V-V @cTunkeilija Lampela is potentially playing his first season as a center, and Aleksi @Mozjayh Kähkönen is on defense. Triple-champion Mozjayh has not yet shown the same impact as seen from his time as a center, with a stats of 16gp 4+10. High on the team's internal points leaderboard is Aapeli @Lxndstrom Landström, who also won last season's Defender of the Season award. This skilled defenseman has often been high up in the points during the regular season, but personal errors cost them in the last playoffs when Vesa Pompa capitalized on these mistakes. We will soon see if lessons have been learned from last season or if similar errors continue at the same scale. Heimo – excuses or improvements? I hope this veteran squad gets their game going, and we see them in the playoffs after a long absence. @Akunkku has made a successful comeback to the scene with a performance of 16gp 14+9p, 23 points. Roots is close to making the playoffs after a long time. The return of Santeri @xleksa_ Levänen has clearly made the team more cohesive and victorious. Perhaps this is the famous Sokkelo SZN, as Mr. Eemil @sokkelo__ Soikkeli scores goals and carries the team to higher standings. Polski Boys' early season has been terrible, with 18 games and 7 wins. Star player @jm98II promised me before the season that Polski would be seen in the playoffs. If so, the team needs to step up soon. Last season showed promise, so it would be a disappointment if they regressed. Goons, I'm not even sure what to say about you. Well, you got Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola back, and 7 different guys have been rotating on the ice. Their positions have also varied. The interesting part was when we, Unwanted, played against Goons, and Teemu @tkantola Kantola only passed to Krike. It was incredibly easy to defend this, and Goons had trouble keeping the mid of the ice closed. Even though last season's top defenseman in the points leaderboard, Tuukka @KingOfApes_ Ropelinen, has been acquired, the team’s gameplay hasn't improved. Maybe it's time for Goons to call it quits and for the players to seek fortune in other teams—or leagues? Gotham Knights got Joni @ReDMisTi Kaikkonen back on the field, and the team has started to improve a bit from this. However, everyone following Elite surely expects Gotham and Renascor to be facing relegation at the end of the season. Renascor found @riegeez in Free Agents as a starter. In my view (which might be a bit biased towards Unwanted), the top Rookie of the Season candidates are Adam @karlssonadam_ Karlsson, who despite his young age has performed excellently in goal, leading in save percentage across the entire Elite at 87.69%. It would be a significant achievement to win Rookie as well as Goalie of the Season. Another Unwanted player worth mentioning in this context is Eetu @Launonexx Launonen with a stats of 18gp and 14+33, 36 points. He is also currently fifth in the points leaderboard. @R1cco, who is also not old, is part of the discussion with a save percentage of 84%. From Purification, previously mentioned Marcus @Skumboo Erevik or Max @LaxenHD Söderström could also emerge. I am not entirely sure if Oskar @x-_-BoBi-_-x Hautala can be classified as a Rookie, since he previously played 8 games in the Elite with Reality Check. Keep your eyes on the field as strategies evolve and teams battle it out for a spot in the playoffs. Stay tuned for more action, unexpected turns, and stellar performances as we continue to bring you all the developments from the ECL '24 Spring season.

In the previous Elite '24: Winter season, we witnessed a mix of triumphs, setbacks, and surprises. Ultimately, the deserving champion was hREDS (now known as Valokuitunen Esports). Tunnel Vision pushed hREDS to the limit, extending the series to a thrilling game seven. One of the most unexpected developments was Goons maintaining their status in "no man's land," avoiding relegation matches against Pro teams and thus securing their Elite spot. Now, let's shift our focus from the past to the upcoming season. Here are some notable highlights and predictions: EXEN (formerly JYP) has made strategic replacements, recruiting @xAaro89x from Heimo and @Mozjayh from the hREDS bench. This season marks Mozjayh's debut as a right defenseman, an interesting transition for a player from a triple back-to-back ECL-winning background. xAaro89x has long been hailed as a potential star capable of carrying his team deep into the playoffs, though previous seasons have fallen short of expectations. This season, EXEN must advance further than the first round, which will require significantly more impact from team captain @indi969 than last season's six playoff games of no points. Tunnel Vision faces what might be their 'last dance' as rumors suggest the team might disband with a player joining the military. They enter ECL '24 Spring with a slightly altered lineup, featuring attackers @Vattuyy, @Laiitinen, and @Pikkardz. The trio is undoubtedly talented, yet concerns linger about their defensive dedication, particularly with the introduction of a new center. However, defensemen @tomboo- and @Wengeri are exceptionally solid in their own end, perhaps compensating for any lapses up front. Valokuitunen Esports (ex-hREDS) are the favorites to win the ECL again, with star players @Beniittto and @NikkeDangles ready to dazzle. Newcomer @pikkuroger might fill @Vilupoika's shoes or possibly end up alongside @KingOfApes_ on the bench. Straikers have consistently ranked high but have yet to claim the ECL title since their last win under the FILADELPHIA banner in 2021.. New addition @temppanen, proven in 1vs1 battles but untested in 6vs6, could be the final piece they need. He joins from Mayhems, bringing a new dynamic to the team that includes strong defense and excellent goaltenders @Hansulinho and @uhNikke. Vesa Pompa – often overlooked despite consecutive semifinal appearances in the ECL. Why aren't they considered a top-four team? The issue seems to be a lack of standout individual skill, with exceptions like @antoniomannen004, who blends skill with game intelligence. Questions also surround the defense, though rookie standout @pappeen- made an impressive debut last season. Despite occasional lapses, goalie @kkostiiii remains one of the best at stopping breakaways. Having just covered my expectations for the top teams in Elite, let's now quickly explore some other intriguing teams and their acquisitions. First up, Björklöven, where @Kallmanius has really invested in building a highly competitive team. This season, the squad includes @x-_-BoBi-_-x, @vilppijoona, and @koleslaav_, with @zMikkeez and @WeDuX_ anchoring the defense. On paper, this is a skilled team. The big question mark will be how vilppijoona and @WeDuX_ manage defensively against the top teams. As a member of Unwanted, I can report that @xLeikku will not be playing next season, with @Launonexx stepping in to fill his role. Leikku has left big shoes to fill, but impressive performances are expected from the former Mustaa Kultaa captain in his standout rookie Elite season. The same goes for @karlssonadam_, who has been recruited from Purification and is gearing up for his first season in the Elite. Polski Boys’ lineup has remained unchanged. The team is counting on significant contributions from last season's Comeback Player of the Year, @jm98II, who is a key offensive force. It would be a major disappointment if they didn’t make the playoffs. Russian player @W1nchester_62 has stepped up as the first-choice goalkeeper. Purification is filled with young, hungry Swedish players, brimming with skill and the drive to grind. There have been some positional shifts from last season, with @bystrom___ moving from center to defense. The team plays fearlessly and on their best days, can challenge many of the Elite teams. This season promises intense competition and potential new champions in the Elite '24: Spring season. Keep an eye on these teams and players as they battle for supremacy in the ECL. What are your predictions for how the season will go? Let us know in the comments!

SportsGamers, The first round of the ECL '23 Spring Pro Playoffs is now in the books, and we're quickly pushing on to the Quarterfinals already! After some hard fought battles, we're now left with eight of the best teams left, and they're quite a healthy mix of squads from both regular season groups. At this point, all teams have secured a part of the prize pool, but now it's time to go for the title and increasing that cash prize! Luleå Hockey (1) vs RCTIC (15) The match between Luleå Hockey and Oskarshamn ended with Luleå winning 4-2. Luleå had already been leading the series 3-0, but faced difficulties when Oskarshamn fought back and won a couple of low-scoring games. @Janski (Jansku23) was the highest scorer in the series, while @Janne Hietala (Hiatala_) maintained an impressive 85% save percentage. Luleå is typically considered the favorite in every playoff series, but the added pressure can sometimes work against them if the game doesn't go as planned. In addition, @Migo_boo has been impressive aswell and is tied for the first place in defenders top points. RCTIC surprised everyone by defeating SIKA with a score of 4-0. SIKA failed to dominate in the offensive zone, as none of their forwards scored more than a point per game. RCTIC starts as the clear underdog in the preliminary settings, but they shouldn't be completely underestimated. Their strong defensive play can make things difficult for Luleå. @Okke40 (hifk_FANI), playing as a right wing has been particularly effective with 13 puck steals in 4 games. This allows players like @Limbe65 and @yrjoo to focus more on the attack. @Hokiboi18 has taken over as the number one goalkeeper for the team and has an impressive 92.86% save percentage, the best in the Pro league from the first round. In the upcoming match, we can expect to see a clash between individual skill and a tightly-knit team defense. The author had a casual conversation with the RCTIC right wing, @Okke40 (hifk_FANI) and here are some of their responses: How come SIKA was so bad? They weren’t bad at all, just had a hard time scoring. Luleå’s weakest link? I don’t know much about Luleå. I know that their goalie is talented. Deadly Phantoms (2) vs HV71 (8) (Written by @OGjahajaha) This is going to be a hard fought series to say the least. Both teams are highly experienced, like to play a tough defensive game and slow down the pace when beneficial for them. In a Playoff series, that's just about the recipe for success and it gets me beyond excited to watch this clash unfold. Both of their regular season games were extremely tight and saw the Phantoms come away with two wins 4-2 and 3-2. @Rayman was on his game with 3+2=5 in the double header. The Phantoms are sporting a rather deep roster with options for rotation, @xXPsykoSkillsXx and @ProfaneKiss are locks for the starting lineup, supposedly together with the experienced @gzell60. Goaltender @RPH_31 is arguably one of the best in the division and has the stats to back that up. In their first round matchup against Otukset, the Phantoms were in for an interesting battle against a highly skilled offensive minded group, which played right into their basket as a strong unit dependent on good counter attack and efficient finishing. The upcoming series against a very different style of play is going to pose a fresh challenge for the Germans. HV71 are a rather similar squad who benefit greatly off the puck possession skill of captain @Demski_, evident by the possession numbers. This team doesn't move the puck that much, but likes to wait for their opponents to overcommit and strike when they spot an opening. Much alike their German opponents, HV71 are backed up by elite goaltending in the form of @Tiipponenii (Coffelainen), who managed to record two shutouts in their six game series against Gunners HC in the first round. In general, this is going to be a battle in which both goalies will have important roles. Ahead of the next round we reached out to @ProfaneKiss for a few comments on the series: How do you think your style of play will match up against HV71? We’ve faced these guys numerous times over the years in Pro. I think we have pretty similar styles and both teams like playing within their structure. Usually the games are tight and low scoring. What did you learn from facing them in the regular season? That we have to start on time! They scored two goals early in the 1st period in both games, but luckily we managed to come back and win both. Series prediction? I expect close games and probably a tight series as well. DPH in 7. Golden Nights (3) vs Purification (7) The Golden Nights performed impressively and exploited Project X's weaknesses, winning the series 4-1. While I don't want to solely focus on @kkostiiii in every article, his outstanding 91.8% save percentage cannot be ignored. He might possibly be the best goaltender in the Pro league. @Mikka, my writer daddy, worked diligently and showcased his skills both defensively and offensively, contributing 1 goal and 7 assists in 5 games. The team's cooperation in their own end was effective, as Project X was only able to score an average of one goal per game. As suspected by the writer, the series between Purification and Pirati Chomutov was filled with goals and fast-paced attacking play. The lowest number of goals scored in a game was 4, while all other games had 5 or more goals. This is evident in the point standings of the playoffs, with all of Purification's attackers occupying the top 5 positions. The team demonstrated that despite the beginning of the playoffs, the players maintained their composure, although they now face tougher opponents. I can confidently say that the Golden Nights do not allow Purification to enter the offensive zone as easily as Pirati Chomutov does. One of Purification's greatest strengths lies in their ability to quickly turn the game around. However, if the Golden Nights become aware of this strategy, it may pose a challenge for the Purification team. There are rumors suggesting that Mikkaah always performs exceptionally well in the quarterfinals. Similarly, Purification's players have reportedly expressed their reluctance to face the Golden Nights. I had little chat with the Golden Nights Left Wing, @jm98II: How did @kkostiiii have such a good save percentage? Opponent shot from everywhere & prayed for lucky bounces. Opponent’s forwards are in top 5 positions in points. Will they continue the scoring or what do you have in mind? The “makuupaikat” are already reserved. Polski Boys (5) vs Renascor (6) Polski had a tough time in the first round against Prestige. Parked bus in the front of the net, combined with the outstanding saves by @karlsson_adam11 and quick counter-attacks, clearly exposed Polski Boys' weaknesses. While they dominated in terms of puck possession in every match, they struggled to convert their chances into goals. It will be exciting to see also what kind of tweets we will be seeing from Polski’s funniest guy, @kungenkurwa before and after the games. The author wonders why @vote_10 has had the most puck possession in the team. It's possible that there may be an error in the statistics. Renascor delivered a decisive blow to Be a Bro and won the series 4-1. Three out of the 5 games went into overtime, indicating a closely contested battle. However, Renascor managed to come out on top most of the time. Russia's Top Center, also known as @Virusactive, led by example and scored an impressive 6 goals and 10 assists in 5 games. This performance currently places him in third position in the points. @TeikDaun, the goalkeeper for Renascor, deserves recognition with an 86% save percentage. However, his level of play can vary from day to day. @maximkrinitsyn88 (fire_cats88), who played in the previous season in Neo and now in the Pro quarterfinals, might be considered Russia's most promising talent at the moment. The upcoming series is expected to be an exciting battle. Russia's two highly skilled players, @Motov and Virusactive, can pose a significant challenge for Polski’s defenders. However, Polski also has their own weapons in the form of @Brockela22 and @xSaski_. The series could go either way, and the author is interested to see if Polski’s Winchester will make an appearance in the games. If so, it would mean that the Russian team has a Finnish goalkeeper and the Finnish team has a Russian goalkeeper. Random facts/opinions/notes/questions section from round 1: @Jondeezz last FIVE playoff appearances have been first round exists (ECL 10 (Lite SOPPAJENGI) lost to HC Skull Town, ECL 22 Winter (Hokurit) lost to reality check, ECL 22 Spring (Hokurit) lost to AHJO, ECL 23 Winter (HanaaHC) lost to Nemesis, ECL 23 Spring (SIKA) lost to RCTIC), this might be some kind of record? Be a Bro, what is happening? Change your name and bring back @rakkauspakkaus- and @Janikka with his +200e controller, don’t recruit these washed up players. Gunners lead the G6 2-0, but @Zupancic_King424 (Zuppe_29) scored 2 goals 59:00 and 59:52 (on penalty kill) so I think it’s the choke of the playoffs this far. @wickmanwOw leads the penalty minutes section, 16 pim 7gp, his teammate @eBasstian close second with 13 pim. These Central Server players always reply back to you after the games, come on boys lets get some pre-game hype going, not this weak stuff. @Keuschemisch @ProfaneKiss Stay-at-home defender @vote_10 with most interceptions, 44. @Adri1_SCP with an impressive total of 8 penalties drawn. @Deathstrokeris (DeathcoreFace) wouldn’t even catch a beach ball, 67% save percentage. RCTIC has been playing better ever since SupremeJay started to cast their games. I kinda miss MANAGERI tho.

SportsGamers, It’s playoff time in the ECL season! Finally after the regular season, the real games are about to begin. I interviewed all the team captains to dig deeper into the preliminary round of the playoffs. I needed to shorten some of the answers to make it easier to read, thanks everyone who took time to answer! To allow teams to share screenshots on Twitter, I’ve added my own predictions (cold takes) for the series outcomes below. For future articles more random facts, opinions and questions that I have will be included, but for now the author ran out of time. Have a nice Playoff summer everyone who made it there! Luleå Hockey (1) – IK Oskarshamn (8) Luleå Hockey played a very good regular season with a 25-3-2 record and secured the first seed for the rest of the playoffs. The team is stacked with former Elite players and the brightest star among them, @Janski (Jansku23), did not disappoint this season either. He fell short of 100 points by six points. Also worth noting is the team's general GF/GP, which is 4.23, showcasing their potent offense. An intriguing aspect to highlight is the performance of goalkeeper @Janne Hietala (Hiatala_), who made 4 out of 7 breakaway saves. This fact is particularly interesting considering that not all breakaways are officially registered by EA. It raises the possibility that Luleå's defenders might occasionally prefer offensive plays, leading to breakaway opportunities for the opposition. IK Oskarshamn played a weaker regular season this season (1.13) according to the Points/Games estimate than last season (1.39). The departure of Nukutttaja/Nagyttaja/Hikoilija_ and its replacement in @Dehliiindidn't work out as one might have expected on paper at first. Team captain @Petter Wennerström emerged as the top scorer and spent the most time with the puck. Notably, @Discokryckan made a remarkable comeback on the ECL ice, boasting an impressive 82.93% save percentage in the regular season. 1. What do you know about your opponent? @Petter Wennerström: Luleå is a skilled team with good players in every position. They like to use their defenders in the offensive zone and get a lot of shots and deflections. @JaKurrii: We have played maybe couple of practise games against, and last time split the points in eSHL if I remember it correct. But they got to the playoffs so at least they are in decent form. 2. What is the opponent’s weakness that you try to take advantage of? @Petter Wennerström: This season they haven’t had a lot of weakness so I can’t answer that right now, let’s see if we can find their weakness. @JaKurrii: I don't think we are not that much focussing on their game, we just try to play with our own strengths and with that I mean scoring a lot of goals. 3. As a team how will you improve your game for the playoffs? @JaKurrii: We have to focus more to play like the whole 60 minutes, if we get for example great start to the game and get two or three goals lead, we got to finish the game and not let the opponent back in it. Besides that we just try to keep the same form from regular season and have fun on the ice. @Petter Wennerström: We want to get a good defensive and a lot of patience in our game plan. Get the puck going fast and do quick decisions in every situation. 4. How many games will the series take? @Petter Wennerström: 7 games. @JaKurrii: 5 games. @ripKeisari: Luleå in 4. @OGjahajaha: Luleå in 5. SIKA (1) - RCTIC (8) Sika had a consistent performance throughout the regular season. @Jondeezz and @Valluxet emerged as the team's top point-scorers. Despite @vSilenttio's lack of goals, their assist stats reflect their Elite experience. While examining the team's statistics, the only noteworthy aspect was a slightly low power play percentage of 13.33%. However, if the team can secure victories even without power play goals, then it's not a major concern. Personally, I've always viewed RCTIC as a team that excels in the playoffs rather than during the regular season. Even if they enter the playoffs with a low seed, they shouldn't be underestimated by any Pro team. The team's attackers have comparable points, and we're yet to witness @Limbe65's usual dominant performance. Will Limbe start carrying in the playoffs? We will see. This series also carries a rematch from the eHockey SM 2023 playoffs, where SIKA and RCTIC met earlier. Below are the questions for both teams. 1. What do you know about your opponent? @vSilenttio: Rctic is a gritty and experienced team, and SIKA wants to prove in this rematch that they are a better version of themselves than back then. @layout: Good team with experienced players. We have good memories playing against SIKA as we were able to eliminate them in FCL but they have made a few changes since then. 2. What is the opponent’s weakness that you try to take advantage of? @vSilenttio: RCTIC's weakness is their need for good luck and dirty bounces. So, the theme is having more puck and being more active team. @layout: Left Defender. Seriously speaking we should probably focus more on our own game. 3. As a team how will you improve your game for the playoffs? @vSilenttio: Need more consistency and balance as a team, also reduce unlucky moments. @layout: We were one of the least scoring teams in the regular season so it would not hurt to be a bit more efficient. Even though we did not concede that many goals, we still gave a lot of cheap goals to our opponents so lets try to minimize those. 4. How many games will the series take? @vSilenttio: SIKA in 7 @layout: Most likely somewhere between four and seven games. @ripKeisari: SIKA in 6. @OGjahajaha: SIKA in 6. Deadly Phantoms (2) - Otukset (7) Deadly Phantoms had an impressive regular season performance that we haven't seen in a while. @ProfaneKiss and @xXPsykoSkillsXx were the driving forces behind the team's success, leading in internal points and propelling DPH to the playoffs with a favorable seed. Additionally, the team boasts two highly reliable goaltenders, @RPH_31 and @xEispiratx . It remains to be seen which goalie will start in the playoffs. Following my previous article, Otukset managed to find their rhythm and secure a spot in the playoffs. It's safe to say that my encouraging and hope-inspiring text played a part in their success. @Valee__, the team's shining star, emerged as the team’s leading scorer in the regular season, raising the questions of a potential entry into the Elite league :D. Also the return of @theMaddias provided a much-needed boost to the team, saving @juhkis96 from a potentially embarrassing situation. This pair of matches is one of the most interesting in my papers, because the Otukset can surprise almost any team in Pro with their experience. Deadly Phantoms' two-man duo, Profanekiss and PsykoSkills can be scouted, however the Central European servers will be a factor. 1. What do you know about your opponent? @ProfaneKiss: Not many matchups in normal games, they have elite experience but so do we. @juhkis96: DPH relies on profanekiss to score goals and win games for them. 2. What is the opponent’s weakness that you try to take advantage of? @ProfaneKiss: Their bad faceoff percentage, also if it goes to G7 we will have Central Servers. @juhkis96: RD is their weakest player so we are probably going to abuse that and get easy zone entries there. 3. As a team how will you improve your game for the playoffs? @ProfaneKiss: Since the ability bans we have found a good system that we can be confident in - now it is all about execution. @juhkis96: We will try to focus more on the social media game @ripKeisari: Otukset in 6. @OGjahajaha: Phantoms in 7. Golden Nights (2) – Project X (7) Golden Nights seems to be one of the most consistent teams in all of Pro if you follow the team's power points and TWP times. Notably, they excel in both powerplay (36.36%) and penalty kill (93.75%), showcasing their effectiveness in special teams situations. Additionally, @kkostiiii stands out with an impressive save percentage of 85.71%, ranking among the top three goaltenders in the league. These achievements suggest that the team's success is not mere coincidence but rather a result of a well-balanced synergy. Project X is an interesting team because every player has at least -10 plus/minus in statistics. @JesseL2002, who holds the puck the most, is the team's brightest star, who, at least in the eHockey SM 2023 tournament, did not have any obligations in terms of defense, but was on the opposite blue line for almost the entire game. I am waiting with interest to see if the TikTok star @Easygame20 (Torvelajr__) will be the team's first goalkeeper in the playoffs or if the responsibility will go to the experienced @Hullued. 1. What is the opponent’s weakness that you try to take advantage of? @Timez: Opponent’s weakness is their defensive play. Project: - 3. As a team how will you improve your game for the playoffs? @Timez: More patience in the offensive zone and we will score more goals. Project: - 4. How many games will the series take? @Timez: 4-1 for Golden Nights Project: - @ripKeisari: Golden Nights in 6. @OGjahajaha: Golden Nights in 6. Purification (3) – Pirati Chomutov Esports (6) Purification was a small surprise for the writer to see so high, but at the same time a positive surprise to see new successful teams in the Pro league. Perhaps the focus that will set off alarm bells is the team's final 10 games before the playoffs. They have gone with a record of 4-5-1. We'll see if Pro Rookie @LaxenHD can maintain his point production at the same level as in the regular season. On the other hand, @eBasstian may be just what Purification needs to turn this series around, as he is a true ECL veteran and has been playing since ECL 1 season. Pirati Chomutov Esports is a team whose offense consists of skilled players @Adri1_SCP, @Winci and @Kumbik. Their average goal rating per game is a staggering 3.8. But as we all know in the playoffs there are usually not a lot of goals, but the games are a tight one-goal trap games, so if I were the captain of the team, I would quickly pay attention to the high average of goals conceded, 3.03. Questions: 1. What do you know about your opponent? @Kumbik: Not much, they are from Sweden. @wickmanwOw: Pirati is an offensive powerhouse who scores a lot of goals and likes to turn the play fast. 2. What is the opponent’s weakness that you try to take advantage of? @Kumbik: Their weakness could be our home games, because we are playing on central server. @wickmanwOw: Their fast paced turnovers suits us well and will probably give some high scoring games, hopefully in our favour. 3. As a team how will you improve your game for the playoffs? @Kumbik: No changes, we will keep playing the same. @wickmanwOw: - 4. How many games will the series take? @Kumbik: It can be very close. But I dont have idea. I hope that we will win. (Prediction 4-3 for us) @wickmanwOw: probably a even series, but we take it in game 7 @ripKeisari: Purification in 7. @OGjahajaha: Pirati in 6. Polski Boys (3) – Prestige (6) (Written by @OGjahajaha) Polski have been one of the most vocal ECL Pro teams on Twitter, throwing shade at their opponents right and left. Now the time has come to deliver on their promises and back up all of their talk. Lots of their game goes through left winger @punt1la98, who we can expect to push with pace up the wing and look to force the puck to the netfront from the left post. It's a trademark that Polski have set to employ with a high percentage from a majority of their zone entries this season, and that is expected to continue. If Prestige can take away that weapon in an effective manner, they will force Polski to adapt in this series. Polski has two good options to choose from in net, and most likely it could come down to availability on that front. One of the teams that were thrown in the NOT-category in the season Preview was Prestige, but they have proven us wrong with an excellent group stage performance highlighted by stellar netminding by @karlsson_adam11 and an impressive rookie season effort by winger @Jmaisema. The rookie winger, who had previously flaunted some of his scoring ability in the Lite division, slotted nicely into the top 50 scorers in the Pro division and led his team along the way. Prestige has a very balanced forward core and lots of their play is cycled thorugh their defenders, so they'll have to be weary of the quick feet and aggressive sticks of Polski's forwards. 1. What do you know about your opponent? @vote_10: We know almost nothing about the opponent (except in the Hockey Ultimate Team), but we don't think it will hurt. Jmaisema has ragged against one of our players in HUT. @karlsson_adam11: We know they are a tough team but if we play our best hockey I think we can beat them. 2. What is the opponent’s weakness that you try to take advantage of? @vote_10: We think the opponent's weaknesses are especially the defenders and inexperience. @karlsson_adam11: We have not seen them play so we have no idea we will just play our game and make the best out of it 3. As a team how will you improve your game for the playoffs? @vote_10: We need to improve the net front presence on the defensive side. Also, we could attack more from the left side. Our center could tie up less. @karlsson_adam11: We will just play our game and have focus. Predictions: @ripKeisari: Polski Boys in 4. @OGjahajaha: Polski Boys in 5. HV71 (4) – Gunners HC (5) HV71 is again one of those Pro teams where consistency can be seen in the statistics. @Demski_ and @Rubituss both have exactly 58 points and @Zupancic_King424 (Zuppe_29) has 53. Since my last post, Zuppe's assist percentage has increased significantly, so the improvement can be seen. According to my own experience, HV71's game often runs through Demski, and Demski doesn't give up the puck easily even to his own teammates. Coincidentally, he is also the winner of the internal TWP time. In addition to Demski, @Tiipponenii (Coffelainen) experience is represented in the net, who almost always plays calmly and can win games for HV with his own performance. Gunners HC moves the puck from player to player and the players have almost same amount of puck possession, resulting in a balanced time with puck distribution across the team. @OGjahajaha, @Tuulimylly91 and @Jobeyz represent the team's more experienced section and you can expect calmer solutions from them (if OGjahajaha finds the right stick soon), while the younger @Aarons and @Lotiseva are the skill packages in the team that play riskier and flashier. The team is built in an interesting way and the writer expects the series to be even. 1. What do you know about your opponent? @Aarons: We haven’t ever faced them in competitive games, but we know that they like to counter attack and have fast-paced style all around. @Rubituss: Well to be honest we dont know so much about them. But we know that they have experienced defenders that have played at a higher level before. Their forwards are pretty new names for us but they have proven themselves during their rookie season in PRO. 2. What is the opponent’s weakness that you try to take advantage of? @Aarons: They’re biggest weakness is probably they’re team defense. We will try to take advantage of it and be efficient on our scoring chances. @Demski_: Their weakness might be that they dont have the same experience as us, we have been in PRO playoffs before and the last time we were, we gained promotion to elite. 3. As a team how will you improve your game for the playoffs? @Aarons: As a team we will improve on our offense and try to be more efficient on the chances we get. We will also improve our already solid team defense. @Demski_: As a team we need to come together as we played during our winning streaks in the regular season, we cant cheat on the simple things and we cant underestimate these guys, by finishing 5th they belong in the playoffs even if they have inexperienced forwards. 4. How many games will the series take? @Aarons: The series will take 5 games. @Demski_: @ripKeisari: HV in 5. @OGjahajaha: Plays for Gunners HC Renascor (4) - Be a Bro (5) (Written by @OGjahajaha) Russian outfit Renascor were intent on making the Playoffs in their fourth consecutive Pro season, and while they have been a mainstay in the postseason action, success has managed to avoid this team. Centerman @Virusactive has developed into a bona fide top Pro player and plays a massive part in the success of his team as lots of their passing play cycles through him. Defenseman @Motov is very skilled with the puck and likes to show it - sometimes a bit too much for his own good. Renascor needs to play better as a unit in order to find success against Be a Bro. It is noteworthy that Renascor are one of the more aggressive teams in the Pro division and could put their opposing defenders under some pressure. After a difficult start to their season, Be a Bro were able to regroup and eventually settle their players in the right spots on their roster. They are still far off from the form we've seen this team in at their best, and we're doubtful this roster even has that in them, but they aren't to be discounted despite of that. @Pursuitti is a massive asset for Be a Bro, not only as their top scorer, but also as a player with extensive experience of disappointment and success in the Pro Playoffs, and now also a taste of the Elite postseason. @MCH_98 is their breakout man and will shoulder much of the responsibility to kickstart their rush and counter attacking play. 1. What do you know about your opponent? @Serg1vratar: we count them as strong and rough opponents, they have very good skilled and matured players who can turn game on their side @MCH_98: Renascor has always been in the playoffs even if their lineup has seen changes almost every season so we are expecting a tough series. 2. What is the opponent’s weakness that you try to take advantage of? @Serg1vratar: We Will try to win to outscore them pretty much @MCH_98: Fire_cats88 inexperience could be a factor the longer this series goes. 3. As a team how will you improve your game for the playoffs? @Serg1vratar: In worst case scenario we will turn in our secret weapon. @MCH_98: Regular season was our preseason as our lineup changed on the transfer deadline. So we hope to improve on all aspects of our game. 4. How many games will the series take? @Serg1vratar: Renascor in 6. @MCH_98: Bros in 6. @ripKeisari: Bros in 5. @OGjahajaha: Be a Bro advances in 6.

SportsGamers, It's time to take a look at how we have fared in the ECL '23 Spring Pro division as the season has passed it's alfway mark. Some teams have already played a majority of their games and will have to wait for others to catch up, so it makes for an interesting rest of the season for them to say the least. Please note that this article reflects the situation of the league prior to games played on Monday, May 15th. Group 1 Written by @OGjahajaha In group 1 it's looking like Luleå Hockey will run away with the top seed, while surprising newcomers Purification are in good position to at least shock the writer! Also, perhaps this finally is Valco's season!? HOT 🔥 Purification Personally, I counted Purification out of the Playoff race before the season, but they've shown that they can definitely compete at the Pro season and do what quite few newly promoted teams can do. @eBasstian has elevated the team with the experience he's bringing on board and @LaxenHD is taking big steps forward in his development. Luleå Hockey Having had a chance at Elite Qualification before the season, Luleå Hockey were one of the teams we knew to keep a look out for in Pro. This outfit has played together for quite some time already, switching between various organizations and their very familiar POGGERS brand. As a matter of fact, all of their players hold Elite experience from past seasons too, so it is definitely no surprise to see these guys fighting for the top spots in their group. At this level, Luleå is an offensive powerhouse that will be very hard to stop, and they've claimed the place of highest scoring team to show for it. @Janski (Jansku23) is by far their most productive player and is on pace to win the league scoring race by a wide margin. Project X Another newly promoted team that has managed to establish their game early on at the next level. Project X are a very well balanced team that are now looking to keep pushing with a solid core of individually talented players. Their number one star at the moment is definitely recent IIHF eWorld Champion @JesseL2002, who is also the teams most productive player on the left flank. Project X is in position to take a top 3 seed in their group, but several strong units are chasing them! NOT ❄️ Red Bull Munich eSports We didn't give Red Bull Munich much of a chance to begin with, and unfortunately their campaign in the Pro division has been a disastrous one. Despite finding ways to score and keeping up with mid-level teams in that regard, their defensive game hasn't been even close to on par for what they would need to display. I would have expected forwards @Pathen-21- and @Flo_goes_grazy to be able to help the team more and instill confidence into their team throughout, but that has not been the case this season. Neptune Hockey Neptune Hockey have put themselves in a tough situation. The team has played almost all of their games already and at the moment it looks like they'll have to wait for other teams to catch up before we can tell how it's all going to end up for them. However, the prospects of avoiding relegation is looking slim. The Neptunes have struggled mightily with scoring and they can't seem to buy a goal for the life of them at times. They'll need all they can get in their remaining few games. Bastu A team that probably were looking to compete for a Playoff spot in their second season at the Pro level, but have been tremendously disappointing. Bastu added lots of experience in the form of @Iltapeli (apetttaja) before the season, but he hasn't seemed to help them succeed in the way they wanted to. While Bastu have been able to stay effective on offense, they've struggled to tighten things up in their own end, which will be their downfall this season. They're in a pickle with 26 games already played and at this pace they could end up being relegated without help from others. Group 2 Written by @ripKeisari In the second group of Pro, everything is still wide open. Polski Boys, Golden Nights and Sika are currently fighting for the first seed, but Renascor or Gunners HC can still challenge for top spots. Below I have included the teams that are hot and cold in my books. HOT 🔥 Golden Nights Golden Nights has started the season strongly and, in my eyes, even a bit surprisingly, is leading the group at the moment. Golden Nights’ new acquisitions @jm98II, @Sagee95 and @Mikka have clearly found a common chemistry. Another positive side is @kkostiiii's good save percentage. I'm already putting some pressure on the team for the upcoming playoff summer and I say that with these showings they should do well in the playoffs and if the season doesn't end with a top 4 ranking, it's disappointment. SIKA SIKA has also started the season well and the acquisitions @jezbaru and @Jondeezz have scored a good amount of points. There is room for improvement, as their power play is only at 15%. Let's see how @vSilenttio gets the most out of his team, maybe he should pass the puck more? Since his time with puck is way above that of the next guy on the team. Polski Boys Polski Boys had some banter going on Twitter before the start of the season about how the team will win Pro. Perhaps this tactic has worked, as at the time of writing this article, the team is third in the group. We feel like the move of @Brockela22 going to center has made great impact for them. When you follow the team's points and puck losses, you get the impression that Polski likes to attack from the left side of the ice. Indicators that suggest this are @kungenkurwa's points compared to @vote_10's and @punt1la98's time with puck + shocking numbers of puck losses. These puck losses can be decisive in tight playoff games, so there might be something to improve. NOT ❄️ Arkham Asylum Arkham is such a likeable team that it pains me to trash them like this. But we must be truthful and say that although @ReDMisTi and @Juigelson have a lot of elite experience, it just doesn't seem enough at the pro level anymore. And if the team doesn't start winning, you can say goodbye to pro and drop back to Lite. As an interesting statistic fact, Juigelsson's passing percentage is 56%, so about half of his passes will go to his teammates. (Shoutout also to @Kaikkien Janoisten Sankari (Goodtobeatonttu) and @Zupancic_King424 (Zuppe_23) for similar passing percentage) Otukset @juhkis96 and his downfall can be seen in Otukset’s performance this season. He played in the Elite division for a few seasons, but always got dropped out. Maybe for a reason? Otukset could be described as a sinking ship that no one is coming to save and people are watching from the coast to see when the ship will be seen for the last time before it sinks completely. NOVA Nobody expected anything from this team, and they really didn’t deliver anything, but I guess they must be brought up here as a cold team. Anyways, they have good penalty kill numbers, so that’s something. It's looking like NOVA will need to find a new direction for their story in the Lite division next season. RANDOM FACTS, PREDICTIONS AND OPINIONS Otukset has had 8 players on the lineup and now 3 of them are gone. What went wrong? Djurgården have an average record although on paper they should be a good team. The new acquisition @sannteri can bring a boost to the team's game. Gunners HC has played surprisingly well and can challenge Pro's top teams. However, power play and penalty kill need something new, because the percentages are horrendously bad. Shoutout for @LaxenHD and @eBasstian for being 2nd and 3rd in points, a bit surprising. What happened to Dehliiin? Last season he came second in points and now just little bit over point per game. Otukset and Vizio are the only teams in the division who still haven't been able to score on the powerplay. Eisbaeren Lauf Gaming has had _10_ different players on the ice during 20 games. @Burtsi980H has the most penalties drawn in the league with 11. @Tappu still playing goalie part-time? He has the most blocked shots in the league, 39 in 18 games.