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NHLGamers, The exciting regular season of our Pro division is over for now and heads are turning towards the postseason. For some teams that might mean shifting focus towards coming tournaments, but we'll be taking a look at the ones continuing into the playoffs. It's time to take a look at the round 1 matchups and examine some key points in each one of them. As always, all series are played in best-of-7 fashion, meaning that four wins will grant access to the next round. A general impression of the first round matchups show a bunch of really evenly matched teams. One of two clear favorites can be found but overall, it's a free-for-all. Predicting eventual winners could be an impossible task, but as per usual, speculation is what we will provide. Let's see how we fare this time around and start getting ready for the playoffs of ECL 10 Pro! Leksands IF (1) vs HanaaHC (8) Leksands IF played an incredibly strong regular season throughout. HanaaHC also had a great showing but had 3 consecutive defeats at the end, which pushed them down in the standings. Maybe they jumped the gun a bit and were concentrated on the playoffs? HanaaHC has been playing very disciplined and had enough scoring power to win the tight games. The youngsters certainly do have what it takes to be successful, but it'll be exciting to see whether the sheer experience that Leksands IF has will prevail. As stated, an upset isn't out of the question and HanaaHC might steal a couple, but in the end Leksand should advance. Players to watch: @Isindar (33+33=66) Leksands IF @Hazard-laser (27+23=50) HanaaHC @Mikka (16+32=48) HanaaHC Prediction: Leksands IF in 6 Black Horse (1) vs Kaupallinen Yhteistyo (8) Both teams had good regular seasons, although KY had some interesting player turnover which might have had an effect. Neither one went on longer losing streaks. Kaupallinen Yhteistyö got a major boost since acquiring JANURI98. They are a strong team and the 8th seed can give the wrong impression about their true capabilities. In this series, we've got all the ingredients for fierce battle and I predict we can be up for an upset and see KY win the needed tight games. Black Horse has had a major weapon in their attack with experienced Wirtsuuu. It'll come down to the battle between attack and defense, but also which team will have a stronger supporting cast. Players to watch: @Tapparafan (49+29=78) Black Horse @JanneK. (11 W, 75,79 SV%, 2,8 GAA, 2 SO) Kaupallinen Yhteistyo @Krisutus (22+37=59) Kaupallinen Yhteistyo Prediction: Kaupallinen Yhteistyo in 7 Team Frosty (2) vs Sulkavan Sudet (7) Team Frosty is known for their good disciplined teamplay and great defending with the ability to win tight games. They are a big favorite in this series against Sulkavan Sudet, who had a pretty good regular season that finished with three consecutive wins. Perhaps Sudet are peaking to start the playoffs and can challenge Frosty? As said, Team Frosty gave an impression in the regular season to be able to win the low scoring games but playoffs are a different beast. On the other hand, it is a similar situation for Sulkavan Sudet. By playing a bunch of tight games and coming away on top, I'd say that Frosty are already in playoff mode and by finding that same focus, they will come out on top. Players to watch: @Naikou88 (25+26=51) Team Frosty @SpiderRoyal (22 W, 77,82 SV%, 1,9 GAA, 1 SO) Team Frosty @Oxdoggi (25+31=56) Sulkavan Sudet Prediction: Team Frosty in 7 Nordic Stars (2) vs Children of Ice (7) Both team have a high average level. Children of Ice have had a weaker season than expected whereas Nordic Stars probably performed a little better than expected. NS is one of those teams that seems to practice almost every night which could give them an advantage. Then again, Children of Ice consist of some of the most experienced players out there. I predict this series to be tighter than you might expect if you look only at the finishing positions in the regular season. Although NS is a major favorite, Children of Ice have the ability to extend this series. Players to watch: @Jerax13 (37+26=63) Nordic Stars @Jorma Parola (23+29=52) Children of Ice Prediction: Nordic Stars in 5 RPEAT Esports (3) vs Vaxjö Lakers (6) Vaxjö Lakers had a slow start to the season. However, since then they have improved their game and results tremendously. Despite their struggles, the Swedes are a high-quality team that know how to play when going into a playoff series against a viable opponent such as RPEAT Esports. Most likely, both teams will find that next gear and we'll see an all-out battle on the ice. Vaxjö Lakers HC has EDHOLMINHO as their main weapon on attack which might turn the series in their favor even if RPEAT Esports have the advantage based on regular season performances. The key players for RPEAT are Aze and Magizam, who will do all they can to stop VLH. Players to watch: @EDHOLMINHO (32+45=77) Vaxjö Lakers HC @Aze (21+25=46) RPEAT Esports @Magizam (17 W, 83,73 SV%, 1,71 GAA, 5 SO) RPEAT Esports Prediction: Vaxjö Lakers HC in 6 TIKI TALK (3) vs Blackdawgs (6) To cap off the regular season, TIKI TALK took the giant leap from 6th to 3rd place. They are in good form and a slight favorite in this series. Blackdawgs aren´t by any means without a chance in this series. They managed to win group 1 1st seed Leksands IF twice in the regular season, which shows that they have the ability to win big teams. TIKI has one of the best goalies in the Pro Division with Petterson12, who is a giant obstacle for Blackdawgs to overcome. Pettersson is the determining factor which will push TIKI to a win in this series. TIKI TALK must be aware of Blackdawgs' two top players responsible for over a total of 100 points combined: XxProArskaxX and ItzYung_Dzouvi. Players to watch: @itspardytime (39+30=69) TIKI TALK @Pettersson12 (21 W, 83,47 SV%, 2,07 GAA, 4 SO) TIKI TALK @TheArska (30+30=60) Blackdawgs @dzouvi (24+23=47) Blackdawgs Prediction: TIKI TALK in 5 Riven Johdolla (4) vs Reality Check (5) For me, this is without a doubt the series to watch in round 1. Riven Johdolla has a tremendously skilled line of attackers who all dominated the regular season in scoring statistics. They also have a very balanced team with reliable defense and a goalie that is capable of stealing games. Reality Check is a very similarily built team with equal scoring power and a capable defense. I predict a very tight series with few goals and a high likelihood of a game 7 finish. Playoffs are a different world compared to the regular season so can Riven Johdolla maintain their tremendous level in playoffs? Riven has all the chances to go through to the next round but I see Reality Check as a minor favorite in this series. The key to this series will be which offensive powerhouse can eliminate their counterpart. Players to watch: @Vattu__ (35+39=74) Riven Johdolla @BensaPoju (30+44=74) Riven Johdolla @ilikkaa (35+37=72) Riven Johdolla @jorma2001 (28+33=61) Reality Check @James (29+26=55) Reality Check @Pursuitti (20+31=51) Reality Check Prediction: Reality Check in 7 ZSC Esports (4) vs Enigma (5) In the regular season Enigmas performances were notable, having former Symphony player Nieppii lead the way for them. Although Enigma has some star players, I don't see the skill gap between these two teams as too large. Enigma left a very positive impression on me in the regular season and I wouldn't be surprised to see them advance. ZSC Esports have a special weapon in their defense. Their two go-to guys are high-scoring Bille1009 and Haldeem, who know how to quarterback plays but can also shut down the opposition. On the other hand, Enigma also has firepower in the defense with Crisu_Rottis at the forefront. We'll see if ZSC can match what Enigma throws at them in this exciting series. Players to watch: @Bille1990 (4+20=24) ZSC Esports @Haldeem (4+20=24) ZSC Esports @Nieppii (25+45=70) Enigma @Crisu_rottis (7+22=29) Enigma Prediction: Enigma in 6 As always, have fun - play hard!

NHLGamers, As I lost against @jahajaha93 in the final table of the ECL Staff Poker Event, it is I who have to present the playoffs of the second edition of ECL Neo. All joking aside, this almost new division has gathered an incredible audience. Thirty-two teams had launched the first season of Neo, half of which had entered the playoffs. This time, eighty-three teams registered, offering sixty-four seats at the forefront of the playoffs ... Absolutely extraordinary. Let's be honest, making an exhaustive presentation of this first round of playoffs is unthinkable. To try to find out more clearly, we have chosen the unstoppable option of statistics. Point by point we will draw up a Top 5 of the regular season, in the most factual way. These figures, due to the inequity of the groups, will have to be weighted. The fact remains that they still give some notable indications. Scoring leaders (Points) – Individuals 1- kim_johan, RGT - 112 points (18 games) 2- Xx_ZetterberG40, RGT - 104 points (18 games) 3- santtu3333, RGT - 88 points (18 games) 4- Pathen-21-, NC - 85 points (17 games) 5- CMB-wf-, FK - 77 points (18 games) Scoring leaders (Goals) – Individuals 1- kim_johan, RGT - 59 goals (18 games) 2- flgr93, NC - 46 goals (15 games) 3- Kihan64, POM - 46 goals (16 games) 4- otakiinnijossaat, GT - 41 goals (16 games) 5- andreaskakan, EHK - 40 goals (16 games) Scoring leaders (Assits) – individuals 1- Xx_ZetterberG40, RGT - 66 assists (18 games) 2- CMB-wf-, FK - 58 assists (18 games) 3- kim_johan, RGT - 53 assists (18 games) 4- santtu3333, RGT - 52 assists (18 games) 5- Pathen-21-, NC - 50 assists (17 games) Save percentage leaders – Individuals (10 games played at least) 1- Fcoy_faze, DIF - 89.8% (16 games) 2- l_-JigSawG-_l, SVK - 88.19% (12 games) 3- FoxGoalie, EVD - 87.66% (16 games) 4- sorkpippi, PHC - 87.12% (16 games) 5- Empuuz_24, TVS - 86.84% (10 games) GAA leaders – Individuals – Individuals (10 games played at least) 1- Fcoy_faze, DIF - 0.94 (16 games) 2- Empuuz_24, TVS - 1 (10 games) 3- FoxGoalie, EVD - 1.19 (16 games) 4- sorkpippi, PHC - 1.31 (16 games) 5- snaasigi, SFG - 1.33 (18 games) Shutout leaders – Individuals (10 games played at least) 1- FoxGoalie, EVD - 7 (16 games) 2- snaasigi, SFG - 6 (18 games) 3- Fcoy_faze, DIF - 6 (16 games) 4- Xx_sidthekid_87, RGT - 5 (18 games) 5- AltenPfleger_89, UKN - 4 (18 games) Defensemen scoring leaders (Points) – Individuals 1- Idko_5, RGT - 57 points (18 games) 2- Much1979, NC - 34 points (17 games) 3- Sirzuxie, EHK - 31 points (12 games) 4- juhkis96, POM - 31 points (16 games) 5- CuteTerminator7, RLJ - 27 points (16 games) Defensemen scoring leaders (Goals) – Individuals 1- Idko_5, RGT - 17 goals (18 games) 2- L_Karlsson97, CWC - 7 goals (6 games) 3- Anzinho8, GT - 7 goals (12 games) 4- Alessandro3891, JNS - 7 (13 games) 5- juhkis96, POM - 7 (16 games) Defensemen scoring leaders (Assists) – Individuals 1- Idko_5, RGT - 40 assists (18 games) 2- Much1979, NC - 33 assists (17 games) 3- Sirzuxie, EHK - 29 assists (12 games) 4- juhkis96, POM - 24 assists (16 games) 5- Aksuboi94, RGT - 23 assists (12 games) Power play goals leaders – Individuals 1- flgr93, NC - 9 goals (15 games) 2- JF1891, DIF - 9 goals (16 games) - Mwigh, DPS - 9 goals (16 games) 4- kim_johan, RGT - 9 goals (18 games) 5- otakiinnijossaat, GT - 8 goals (16 games) Short-handed goals leaders – Individuals 1- bambulexx, BB - 2 goals (6 games) 2- xreflex54, GFT - 2 goals (7 games) 3- Lilk1046, CHC - 2 goals (11 games) 4- echannover, FH - 2 goals (14 games) 5- Goegi91, BR - 2 goals (15 games) Game-winning goals leaders – Individuals 1- kim_johan, RGT - 9 goals (18 games) 2- otakiinnijossaat, GT - 8 goals (16 games) - Kihan64, POM - 8 goals (16 games) 4- Fuchs2534, WHC - 7 goals (15 games) 5- Zimowski95, FK - 7 goals (16 games) Hits leaders – Individuals 1- gacorigavecit17, LAT - 211 (16 games) 2- Lek3b4b, POM - 186 (16 games) 3- Bothniablod, MOI - 183 (16 games) 4- Venca29, CZL - 181 (16 games) 5- Cigi19889, HYB - 153 (16 games) Penalty box leaders – Individuals 1- bonny2275, FH - 49 PIM (14 games) 2- gandy6666cz, CSS - 47 PIM (15 games) 3- Venca29, CZL - 46 PIM (16 games) 4- LaxenHD, MHC - 42 PIM (10 games) 5- djadidai, MFZ - 38 PIM (14 games) Tripping from almost the front side leader 1- ShawnHeins44, CHC – way too much (10 games) Shooting leaders – Individuals 1- kim_johan, RGT - 128 shots (18 games) 2- otakiinnijossaat, GT - 121 shots (16 games) 3- andreaskakan, EHK - 115 shots (16 games) 4- sgt_soccer, WHC - 114 shots (16 games) 5- Chilenco, EHK - 107 shots (16 games) NHLGamer’s ECL 10 Neo regular season Awards ECL Neo MVP : Fcoy_faze, DIF Best forward : kim_johan, RGT Best defenseman : Idko_5, RGT Best goalie : Fcoy_faze, DIF Statement from Casper @ICappeI Lundgren, Cover Player of ECL 10 and goalie of Linkoping HC “I want to congratulate Fcoy_faze for being named the MVP in Neo. Being named the MVP is the biggest individual award you can win. Seeing it from a goaltender perspective it means that you have together with your teammates created the best possible opportunity for you to perform at your highest level. I had the chance to play with him recently and I was really impressed with his performance. I felt right away that this is a goalie that we will see on the biggest stage very soon. Once again congratulations with your award and good luck to you and Järnkaminerna in the playoffs!” Goals scored – Team stats 1- Ringette HC - 153 goals (18 games) 2- Niederrhein Canucks - 118 goals (18 games) 3- Pahat Pommittajat - 101 goals (16 games) 4- Bull Dozer - 97 goals (18 games) 5- Fearless Knights - 93 goals (18 games) Goal against – Team stats 1- Jarnkaminerna - 15 goals (16 games) 2- EV Duisburg - 19 goals (16 games) 3- Taavetin Starat - 20 goals (16 games) 4- Polarbears HC - 21 goals (16 games) 5- Pahat Pommittajat - 22 goals (16 games) Powerplay leaders – Team stats 1- Niederrhein Canucks - 47.83% (18 games) 2- Redlight Jokers - 41.67% (18 games) 3- ScandinavianFishingGroup - 36.36% (18 games) 4- Cancun Pirates - 35.29% (16 games) 5- Grilli Tulille - 34.62% (16 games) Penalty killing leaders – Team stats 1- Morganchipsen HC - 100% (73 PIM) 2- Honeypunch - 100% (59 PIM) 3- Dompa Poppers - 100% (56 PIM) 4- Territorio Hockey - 100% (49 PIM) 5- Ringette HC - 100% (45 PIM) Now let's move on to how the playoffs should then be played, here's a short quote from the rulebook: Here are your first round matchups: Ringette HC (1) - CSSR Legends (64) Pahat Pommittajat (2) - Support Linne (63) Taavetin Starat (3) - Territorio Hockey (62) Jarnkaminerna (4) - Bonusambers (61) Meisselit (5) - Arctic Blaze (60) ScandinavianFishingGroup (6) - HC Berlin Eagles (59) Grilli Tulille (7) - CaeSarS (58) Bahamas Mamas (8) - Hirviklubi (57) Suomen Dynamo (9) - Black Ice Guards (56) Veikkolan Veikot (10) - Latvian Warriors (55) Polarbears HC (11) - KulmalaHengaus (54) Otukset (12) - Varissuon Toverit (53) EV Duisburg (13) - Eituumielee (52) Niederrhein Canucks (14) - HC Hybridi (51) Fearless Knights (15) - ALLSTAR TAMPERE (50) Savo Bears (16) - Redlight Jokers (49) HC Grizzlies (17) - Morganchipsen HC (48) NHL4you Gaming (18) - Puliveivarit (47) Gentlemen's Club (19) - Bauer Rangers GmbH (46) Wisby Islanders (20) - BurritoBrothers (45) Masiina (21) - Red Devils HC (44) Lassen Lampaat (22) - EIS Force Hockey (43) Thunder United (23) - Honeypunch (42) Dompa Poppers (24) - Evolution HC (41) Wolfsrudel HC (25) - Vemppaosasto (40) UKnighted HC (26) - CZ JDOUCI NA SMRT SK (39) Oulunsalon Pallo (27) - Charleswood Chiefs (38) Enkoping HKS (28) - Bull Dozer (37) The Mighty Skunks (29) - Asgard prospects (36) SLOVAK VETERANS (30) - Russian Lightning (35) MAXIMUM EFFECT (31) - TeamHazard (34) Beastie Boys (32) - EBR eSports NEO (33) The series not to miss : Beastie Boys (32) - EBR eSports NEO (33) Focus on this series which seems to be announced as one of the most closed. Beastie Boys (4th seed in Group 9) and EBR eSports Neo (4th seed in Group 5) have had fairly similar trajectories in the regular season. Ten wins and six losses each, these two teams are likely to go head-to-head during this first round of playoffs. In the register of goals scored, advantage to Beastie Boys with 65 goals against 51 for EBR. On the other hand, the German team takes the advantage in defense with only 32 goals conceded against 40 against their adversaries. The two defensive special units neutralize each other by being fairly close: 89% for Beastie Boys, 85% for EBR. But the Germans are making a big difference in powerplay with 27% of advantage situations converted against 10% at Beastie Boys. NHLGamer's prediction: we will probably need a Game 5 NB: We draw your attention to the fact that all the statistics given here are for information only on the basis of the ranking elements of the NHLGamer site. A large part of them are however erroneous due to the fact that the game reports are not entered with sufficient rigor or vigilance, in particular concerning the goals scored in powerplay or shorthanded. For example, in Group 1 the NHLGamer Staff noted nearly sixty insufficiently reported goals. It is important for the game experience to be complete through reliable statistics that this part of the team coaching staff work is understood as essential. Thank you very much for your attention.

NHLGamers, We're happy to tell you all that the wonderful Drew Goldfarb has joined the commentary team for NHLGamer and will continue calling play-by-play for both the NACL and the ECL. You've already got a taste of what he is capable of but now we're hoping for a longer term partnership. Drew was kind enough to answer a few questions to help us learn more about him. Drew is a two-time EMMY-nominated sportscaster, and has been a sports fan his entire life. Goldfarb began covering sports professionally in 2007. A recipient of eight Associated Press Awards since 2010, 2015 EMMY Award nominee (NATAS Suncoast Chapter), winner of the 2018 WVBA Award for Best Sportscast, and 2019 EMMY Award nominee (NATAS Ohio Valley Chapter), he has earned recognition for his work covering sports at all levels throughout his career, including being highlighted by his alma mater, Florida State University, and by his high school during its 25th Anniversary celebration. Goldfarb has experience in reporting, anchoring, hosting, play-by-play and voiceover work. In addition, he holds a degree in Media Production from Florida State University (B.S., '10) and is highly-trained in both shooting and editing video for film, TV and news. Whether it's through work or on his own, Drew stays involved in the community, including serving as an official business sponsor of Hockey Saves, Inc. Photo credit: Jenny Leigh Congrats on being the first caster with NHL broadcasting experience to call an NHL 6v6 esports match! Did you watch any games before getting involved with NACL/NHLGamer? How was preparing for an esports match different from your other experiences. Drew: Thank you! It's an honor, and I'm happy to be a part of things! I did manage to tune in for a couple of broadcasts before I called my first game with the NACL and NHLGamer. I've definitely seen clips and videos of NHL esports games before, and I do watch a lot of game and esports streamers (on Twitch and the posted "highlights" on YouTube). Preparation started the same way for me – making a roster sheet for each team with names, numbers, stats and (if necessary) pronunciation guides. I'd say the two biggest differences for me in my prep work are the size of the rosters and the starting point. When I worked my first NHL game for FOX Sports Florida (Florida Panthers vs Pittsburgh Penguins, ironically), I had been a Panthers fan since the dawn of the franchise. That gave me a much deeper background and understanding of the history and context for every little thing a bit better than coming into a new league that I wasn't quite as familiar with (it's hard to compare anything to that, when I grew up having Florida Panthers season tickets). What are some major similarities or differences that you've found in calling virtual and traditional hockey? Are there any unique challenges that come with calling an esports match? The speed is very different, and the way the speed is different is very different. I've found that, with esports, much like the game clock, the game itself is played at a much quicker rate... almost like it's on 1.5x or 2x speed. Passes are thrown quicker, dekes and moves are performed quicker, and when one moment wraps up, the next moment arrives quicker (you don't see many non-OT situations in traditional hockey games where an odd-man rush has 3 passes, a shot, a huge save, and then immediately another odd-man rush the other way, two passes, a save, a rebound AND a goal in a matter of seconds). The biggest challenge, for me, is player identification. In traditional hockey, in addition to having a giant number on a player's back, things like stick choice, skating style, or certain equipment quirks are much more apparent from player to player. While certain things like a player not wearing a helmet or having super-bright skates do vary, they’re less clear watching a stream than being in an arena or at a rink. Also, when there are 12 player icon colors being used, the difference between brown, orange and yellow (center, left defenseman, right defenseman for the non-hosting team) can be tough to see. What were your expectations coming into your first cast (production, gameplay, co-casters, FUN)? I hope the fact that you returned to call more games for NHLGamer means we reached or even surpassed those expectations. My expectations were definitely met and then some. The graphics package, having an actual Producer/Director in voice chat with me during and between games and the amount of prep work put in for each broadcast by the NHLGamer team is incredible. I did have a blast, too, and while I knew it would be fun, it was definitely more fun than I expected. Are there any specific team(s) that you're looking forward to watching / calling in the future? I’m excited to get to see a good range of teams and styles. I like seeing variety in the teams that I see to see how many different approaches can be taken. Seeing different play types and strategies that teams develop based on their own unique build, strengths and weaknesses makes things especially interesting. I’m also a bit of a logo and uniform nut, so it’s great to see the variety in designs that teams create. After your experience calling action for the best North American and European teams, what do you think the future possibilities are for NHL 6v6 esports? I think it could really continue to grow. The prize pool being offered for the ECL Elite League is remarkable, and there’s no reason that NHL esports couldn’t get even bigger around the world. Besides your introduction (ripped from your own website), what are some other cool things we should know about you? (Ex. Word on the street is you're a wrestling fan) It is true that I’m a wrestling fan. I stopped watching for a number of years (basically high school and college), but I got back into it in early 2011 and haven’t looked back. For those curious, favorite wrestlers by era would be Bret Hart, Steve Austin, Jeff Hardy, and CM Punk (I’m counting him as the “current” era…his “pipebomb” promo is what got me back into wrestling for good). In addition to house shows, independent wrestling cards, a CMLL show in Mexico City, and WWE Raw and SmackDown episodes, I’ve attended two Royal Rumble PPVs (2006 and 2019) and went to WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans. I originally had tickets to AEW’s Double or Nothing in 2019, as well, but ended up not being able to go (still holding out some hope the 2020 edition might happen at some point here in Las Vegas). Hockey-wise, I’ve also attended two NHL Winter Classics (2010 in Boston and 2011 in Pittsburgh), three NHL Drafts (2001, 2014, 2015) and two NHL Scouting Combines (2014, 2015). I also scaled “The Torne” at the United States Military Academy alongside the 2014-15 Florida Panthers players during their preseason trip there. I was also hosting the pre- and post-game shows for the Panthers’ game that season against Washington when they set the NHL record for longest shootout, and the game against Toronto where both Panthers goalies got hurt, leading to the better understanding and implementation of the “Emergency Goalie” rule. That also led to me being able to say that I’ve made a glove save against Bill Lindsay on a shootout attempt AND that I stopped Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Potvin on a breakaway… a breakaway where he barreled into me, too. Thank you very much Drew and welcome to the NHL Esports community! Follow Drew in action together with Nick "F5Penguin" DiMeo tonight as the NACL Semifinals kick off! We're broadcasting games 1-3 between 6th Sense and BBB, starting 8:00 PM EST/2 AM CEST at www.twitch.tv/NHLGamer.

NHLGamers, We have reached the last week of the regular season in our ECL 10 Pro division. At this point it seems that Leksands IF and Black Horse are on their way to group victory while Clumsy Penguins, Bellizzi, Prowlers Esports and Me Carvoset are heading to the relegation battles. For the rest of the teams, there will be a lot at stake in the remaining matches, especially for the teams near the playoff line. Both groups will entertain us with epic battles for the last playoff spots and we decided to bring you some highlights of what to keep an eye on in the last week. Group 1 Teams that will fight for the playoff spots in group 1 are Enigma, Kaupallinen Yhteistyö, Blackdawgs, Djurgarden Hockey, MOCKBA, Cheers Hockey and The Syndicate. Even though Team Frosty are currently at 8th place, they have less games played than others and with their current form they are expected to join the battle for top 3 positions. However, as you can see from the scheme below, Team Frosty will play a key role in the playoff battle as well. Standings and the opponents for the rest of the season: 5th Enigma (26 GP, 33 pts): Djurgarden Hockey and The Syndicate 6th Kaupallinen Yhteistyo (26 GP, 33 pts): Blackdawgs and Leksands IF 7th Blackdawgs (26 GP, 32 pts): Kaupallinen Yhteistyo and Cheers Hockey _______________________________PLAYOFF LINE________________________________ 9th Djurgarden Hockey (24 GP, 28 pts): Enigma, Bellizzi and Team Frosty 10th MOCKBA (24 GP, 28 pts): The Syndicate, Leksands IF and Clumsy Penguins 11th Cheers Hockey (24 GP, 27 pts): Riven Johdolla, Team Frosty and Blackdawgs 12th The Syndicate (24 GP, 25 pts): Bellizzi, MOCKBA and Enigma Enigma will start as the favorites against both of their remaining opponents but every point is absolutely vital for Djurgarden Hockey and The Syndicate so winning won’t be easy for sure. One of the biggest matchups will be Kaupallinen Yhteistyö vs Blackdawgs. The winner of this game could secure a playoff spot and in the best/worst scenario, a shared 3 points could see both of these teams running away from the teams below the playoff line. That’s why Djurgarden Hockey, MOCKBA, Cheers Hockey and The Syndicate have to play for only for full points in the remaining matches if they want to keep the playoff dream alive. Group 2 Sulkavan Sudet, Vaxjo Lakers HC, Rookie Mistakes, Herlev Eagles and We Kings will battle for the playoff spots in the Group 2. 5th place TIKI TALK will also play a big role in the battle while 6th placed Nordic Stars should be able to gather the points from rest of their opponents and fight for a top 3 finish with HanaaHC and ZSC Esports. Standings and the opponents for the rest of the season: 5th TIKI TALK (24 GP, 35 pts): Herlev Eagles, We Kings and Vaxjo Lakers 7th Sulkavan Sudet (26 GP, 32 pts): ZSC Esports and We Kings 8th Vaxjo Lakers HC (26 GP, 32 pts): Pata Hellalla and TIKI TALK _______________________________PLAYOFF LINE________________________________ 9th Rookie Mistakes (24 GP, 28 pts): HanaaHC, Me Carvoset and Herlev Eagles 10th Herlev Eagles (24 GP, 27 pts): TIKI TALK, Company of Geeks and Rookie Mistakes 11th We Kings (24 GP, 27 pts): Prowlers Esports, TIKI TALK and Sulkavan Sudet Just like Enigma in Group 1, TIKI TALK are the favorites for their remaining matches but especially Herlev Eagles and We Kings need all the points to remain in the fight. For Vaxjo Lakers HC it’s important to win both games against Pata Hellalla and get as many points as possible against TIKI TALK to secure the playoff spot. Rookie Mistakes will play big games against HanaaHC and with wins from those matches they could really put pressure on Vaxjo Lakers HC and Sulkavan Sudet. We Kings are expected to win against Prowlers Esports and with crucial points against TIKI TALK their last matchup against Sulkavan Sudet could be decisive for who gets to the playoffs. This could be the case with Herlev Eagles and Rookie Mistakes as well if Herlev Eagles manage to get full points against Company of Geeks and steal the points from TIKI TALK. As you can see, pretty much everything is still possible in the playoff battle. The importance of the remaining matches will grow the pressure in the dressing rooms as every point will be crucial. There is no room for errors and only the strongest teams will continue to the playoffs. This will be a great week in ECL 10 Pro, we hope you enjoy it. Play hard and fair! Your ECL Pro Writing team @Oliverigood & @JakePlay77