NA NHL 20 Cup Finals Preview

It’s been an exciting summer for NHL and 6v6 competition, as the 32 best North American 6v6 teams out of 90+ teams that played in the qualifiers faced off against each other in the regular season of the Northern Arena Cup, presented by NHLGamer. These teams played 15 regular season games, and have gone through multiple best of 5 series’ against the best of the best, and we are now down to the final teams left fighting for the $6000 prize for first place, and the $10,000 total prize pool. Let’s talk about the finalists!

 New York Underdogs - Eastern Conference Champions

Record: 13-1-1

GF/GM: 4.47

GA/GM: 1.73

PP%: 41.18

PK%: 41.67

Road To The Finals: 

Quarterfinals: Defeated Long Island 6th Sense in 5 games.
Semifinals: Defeated Philadelphia Problematic in 3 games.
Conference Finals: Defeated Tampa Bay Vertigo in 3 games.

The Underdogs have not felt like underdogs in recent times, feeling more like the top of the class with their performances. Going into the regular season they did have fairly high expectations, but they managed to blow them out of the water amassing a 13-1-1 record and top seed in a top-heavy eastern conference. They haven’t looked back since, with a slight scare in the opening round, before sweeping their next 2 opponents to make it to the finals. 

To add to the already impressive feats, their series against Vertigo went to overtime in all 3 games, with them tying the game to send it to overtime in game 3 with 1 second remaining. It also happened to be Team Captain @Karmuh x 86 scoring all 3 game-winning goals, who also leads the playoffs with 4 GWG. 
 

 Seattle Entourage - Western Conference Champions

Record: 12-1-2

GF/GM: 3.33

GA/GM: 1.73

PP%: 52.17

PK%: 86.36

Road To The Finals: 

Quarterfinals: Defeated Arizona Mars in 4 games.
Semifinals: Defeated Anaheim Ducks Gaming in 5 games.
Conference Finals: Defeated San Jose Chilltown in 5 games.

The top seed in the west comes into the finals looking for their second title of the season, with their lone win being in the Caps Gaming Showcase in January. They have had a very successful run in every event, however, with multiple top 4 finishes since, but still looking for that elusive title. 

@hxndry currently leads the playoffs in scoring with 28 points in 14 games, 4 points ahead of @McFleury, whom he will be up against, and his teammate in @x Fisher 81, both with 24. You also have to talk about @Scheckel29 when you talk about Entourage, and he has certainly carried his load, facing the most shots out of any goalie in the playoffs with 138, while still posting a 1.79 GAA (4th) and an 84.66 SV% (3rd)
 

Series Prediction:

While it’s certainly going to go the distance between these two teams, I think the New York Underdogs are going to take the series in 5 games. They impressed by beating arguably the number one team in Tampa Bay Vertigo in only 3 games, not to mention they are coming off of a disappointing but solid 2nd place finish in the CBJ Summer Cup. Everyone on each team will need to be playing at their best in order to take home the title. 

X Factors for each team:
Seattle Entourage: @Regs84 (0g 16a 16p in 14 GP)

New York Underdogs: Karmuh x 86 (11g 8a 19p in 11 GP)
 

3rd Place Match Predictions:

 San Jose Chilltown vs Tampa Bay Vertigo 

10-4-1 Record 12-2-1

3.13 GF/GM 4.73

2.20 GA/GM 2.47

24.24 PP% 26.32

85.29 PK% 83.33

It’s always a tough heartbreak losing so close to the finals and so close to the trophy, but both of these teams are very solid squads and certainly deserve some credit here. They have a chance at taking $1,000 home though in the 3rd place match, so there is still something to be played for. 
Prediction: Tampa Bay Vertigo in 4.

Thanks for reading! Good luck to the remaining teams! Be sure to check out the streams and support everyone involved!