hifk_FANI

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.