Sharks Pacific Cup Second Round Preview Powered by @TakeNotes97

LFG v. Olympia


Matchup Overview:

Coming in first during the regular seasons, Olympia is certainly the favorite in this matchup. With seemingly unstoppable firepower on offense and two of the best shutdown defensemen, it will be a lot to handle for LFG. LFG is not unfamiliar with competition as they were able to beat Day One in seven games in the first round of the playoffs, but Olympia will certainly be a tougher opponent. LFG’s main focus throughout this series should be to try to shut down Olympia’s excellent offense and capitalize on their opportunities, a failure to do so will result in LFG’s demise.


Puck Possession Leader:


LFG - @l SN4KE l is the only centerman who led his team in puck possession (33:19 minutes) during the first round of playoffs. He also led his team in goals, assists, and points during the first round of the playoffs. While Day One was a good challenge, it is also important to remember that LFG will now play the team that finished first during the regular season; Olympia. @Psycelangelo and @Portorov also had around 30 minutes of puck possession during their matchup against Day One.


Olympia - @G IR ii M x was Olympia’s puck possession leader during the first round of the playoffs, but as with any team that gets to pick their opponent first, Olympia played an easier opponent. @G IR ii M x also had a passing percentage of 85.4% which is the strongest on his team. Olympia’s firepower does not come from one player, but rather a well balanced five player unit. Even though @G IR ii M x and @NeNe are leading their team in puck possession, Olympia has the least disparity in puck possession throughout their first four games.


Outcome : Olympia in 5



Catch 22 v Cohesion


Matchup Overview:

Both teams come into the series by sweeping their opponent in the first round. Cohesion finished second during the regular season, and Catch 22 did not do quite as well. The two teams are known to have good defensive systems, but Cohesion has something that Catch 22 can’t possess; experience. The series will feature @LemeIin going up against @TerryNoLOVEx who are both top players at their positions (right defenseman and left defenseman respectively). This winner of the series will be determined by which team is able to create the most offense, which is a rarity in Esports competition.


Puck Possession Leader:


Catch 22 - @TerryNoLOVEx out of no surprise was the puck possession for his team during the first round of these playoffs with a total of 25;57. Terry is a very solid defenseman and has some good offensive ability when given the puck in the offensive zone. He has a good vision of the play and can make many passes that some other players just cannot make. Although good offensively Terry can also be good defensively but can sometimes get caught up in the play which is something he is going to need to limit against a good team like Cohesion.


Cohesion - @Lemelin has led Cohesion with a total puck possession time of 27:25 and I would not be surprised to see him continue to do so throughout the second round. Lemelin leads all defense in points with 1 goal and 14 assists (15). He has a well-rounded game and will be very difficult to beat in the neutral zone for the Catch 22 forwards. Lemelin has great passing ability shown by his 89.8% passing percentage in the first round while having 25 giveaways throughout those 4 games.


Outcome: Cohesion in 7


Denial v Entourage


Matchup Overview:

The decorated Entourage will have to overcome Denial in order to win another prestigious tournament. @Hxndry’s and @x Fisher 81’s fast-paced offense will be difficult to defend for Denial’s defensemen @Mxtayer and @Desjy99. Denial’s offense is also very complete with the likes of @Groulxz and @McLxvinn leading the way. However, the main focus of this specific series is how well both teams can play as a five-man unit. Team offense and team defense will be a deciding factor of who will advance to the next round. It is also important to state that Entourage and Denial have true X-factors in net with @Scheckel29 and @MyLittleRevvy.


Puck Possession Leader:


Entourage - @Regs84 When it comes to Entourage in the first round we see that Regs consistently has the puck the most (except for the outlier in game #4 where Fisher had an outstanding 12:15 with the puck). That will not be happening this series and Regs will need to continue to set the pace for his team. Regs also have a good TA-GA balance with a small -4 difference which shows that he is very reliable with and without the puck at all times.


Denial - @Mxtayer leads every single player in puck possession time with 51:12. @Mxtayer certainly plays a large role in the outcome of games for his team but his 69 giveaways do raise a concern for me when playing a team like Entourage. The giveaways may not have hurt his team as much in the first-round matchup but may have a significant difference here against such a great team in Entourage. A plus side is that he currently has zero penalty minutes and a fair 80.7% passing. The question here is whether or not a large amount of giveaways is directly related to the high puck possession time, so we will have to wait and find out whether or not Mxtayer can control the puck and help his team win against a much tougher opponent in the second round.


Outcome: Entourage in 6


Cobra Kai v.


Matchup Overview:

This series will feature one of the most interesting matchups of the second round. @Sitful , @l1l Bones l3l , and @Jemima will be facing one of the most skilled defensive pairings of the tournament in @Hannah7Banana22 and @SweetLou9208. Cobra Kai’s offense led by @aHuff21 and @SoY LoS 19 will also be matched by two incredible two-way defensemen in @Auggy98 and @kcut. This matchup consists of two teams who absolutely want to win. Both teams are made of players filled with confidence which will surely translate into a highlight-filled series.


Puck Possession Leader:


Cobra Kai - SoY LoS 19 has led his team in puck possession and has also been a very consistent player throughout their first-round matchup. Leading his team with 12 points in their big reverse sweep against True North he will need to continue his strong play if they wish to overcome in a long seven-game series.


- Sitful has been the player with the most puck possession for with 26:49 and provides a consistent presence up the middle for this team. With only a mere 9 points through the first round, Sitful will still be relied upon to control the pace of the game up the middle against a team that can be a surprise in this series. Sitful has lots of experience and there is no question he can do just that.


Outcome: in 6


Hidden Potential v. Composure


Matchup Overview:

This matchup consists of two highly skilled teams, and it will be a hard-fought series no matter what the outcome is. The talent on both teams’ blueline is difficult to match. @TheHeroicDuck and @Remi l9l form a formidable defensive pair, but their forwards will have to go against seasoned veterans in @Odieeeeee and @officialmark07. Composure has a talent-packed team, and they play as a unit of five. The same could be said about Hidden Potential’s offense which often starts from the backend. Goaltending will be extremely important in this specific series as @x Neal x 18 x and @JmOnEy2436 will have to battle in order to claim a third-round pass.


Puck Possession Leader:


Composure - Coming out of round 1 with over nine minutes of puck possession per game is @P t P 10. This statistic appears to be better than what it should actually be because of the third game of the first round, in which @P t P 10 spent more than 20 minutes with the puck. That being stated, he is also the leader in points in the playoffs, which emphasizes that Hidden Potential should have plenty to deal with.


HP - @TheHeroicDuck led his team in puck possession with a total of 30:18 minutes, but it is not even the most impressive feature of his game. His ability to read the play and take the puck away from his opponents are what makes him a force on both ends. While @TheHeroicDuck’s puck possession numbers are good, his 21 takeaways and 48 interceptions are some of the best numbers out of the 32 teams who made the playoffs, and he only played five games.


Outcome: Composure in 7



Canadiens Esports v. Royalty


Matchup Overview:

Finishing third during the regular season gave Royalty the opportunity to pick their opponent early for the second round of the playoffs. While Canadiens Esports had a tough time getting through the well-established Instinct, they will find themself in the midst of another sturdy series against Royalty. The latter is overflowing with talent with the likes @Vaporize 17, @Artic Blur , and @XGEnErAL 420X who all have won tournaments before. Canadiens Esports also consists of a solid squad with the likes of @JerDubzz and @Kroneez leading the way. The series will certainly not be a blowout for either team, but Royalty definitely has a slight edge on paper.


Puck Possession Leader:


Canadiens - The forward turned defenseman @Kroneez led Canadiens Esports in puck possession with a total of 34:59 minutes in a hard-fought 7 game series against Instinct. Coming out of the closest first-round series, @Kroneez will have to play his best hockey against Royalty. It is also important to mention the team left-wing @JerDubzz whose 27:26 minutes with the puck is significantly higher than his linemates @Archambault and @xDubz 17. Canadiens Esports will need to control the series by possessing the puck, especially against a team that finished in the top three during the regular season.

Royalty - @Vaporize 17 was Royalty’s puck possession leader with a grand total of 24:38 minutes in 5 games. However, what is the most impressive about @Vaporize 17’s game is that he only totaled 21 giveaways in those five games. Having one of the most effective shutdown defenders in the competition makes Royalty that much tougher to play against. @Vaporize 17 will have to shine once more as his team is facing the well-rounded Canadiens Esports.


Outcome: Royalty in 6



Nemesis v. Vertigo


Matchup Overview:

Being one of the most anticipated series of the second round, it is needless to mention how well-balanced both teams are. @YungREAP x will have to go against one of the best two-way centermen in @ScaryJoeyy. Nemesis’s defensive pair consisting of @I HDC I and @Sleemn will have to face Vertigo’s high-octane offense with the like of @FlashDavin and @CaLL Me Jakoo. Nemesis will have to play their best 200 feet game to have scoring chances against one of the best goaltenders in the world @lx JoneZ xl who has a .931% save percentage in the playoffs throughout the first four games.


Puck Possession Leader:


Nemesis - @Karmuh x 86 is Nemesis’ TwP leader, but there are only a few seconds with the puck separating @YungREAPx from leading the team. @Karmuh x 86 has yet to score in the playoffs, but has put 8 assists in only 4 games against a very competent team (Freedom). @Karmuh x 86 ’ two-way game will be important throughout the series, especially considering how deadly Vertigo’s offense can be.


Vertigo - It comes to no one’s surprise that @Gwan is Vertigo’s puck possession leader. What makes Gwan special is that he is a tremendous two-way defenseman who creates offense from the back end. However, against a team like Nemesis, both of Vertigo’s defensemen will have to limit turnovers if the team wants to keep pacing their opponents with their high octane offense, which scored 15 goals in 4 playoff games.


Outcome : Vertigo in 7



Eclipse v Nationals


Matchup Overview:

The return of @Gilleh on the Esports scene has certainly paid off for Eclipse so far as they defeated Ground in Pound in only five games during the first round of playoffs. This time, they will be faced with Nationals, a skilled team who finished sixth during the regular season. Nationals is a well-rounded team led by their newly found offensive sensation @BoilyHP and one of PSN’s best defensive pairing in @DumouIin and @Blouin x 9. Eclipse does not pale in comparison with a solid defensive duo of their own in @FlowMaster Joe and @SkillzPayBills3. The goaltender situation is also interesting as National’s starter @F R i K S x 9 9 and Eclipse’s goalie @Kernsy both have a 26-14 record in the regular season and save percentages of .793 and .791 respectively. It is needless to mention that it will be a close, highlight-filled series.


Puck Possession Leader:


Eclipse - @SkillzPayBills3 comes in with an outstanding 31:57 minutes of puck possession in only 5 games. While puck possession is not the only relevant statistics, it is important to mention that he achieved such a feat against Ground & Pound which is a well-established team. Eclipse will need to reproduce their first-round magic against one of the best PSN team; Nationals.


Nationals - The up and coming @Blouin x 9 led his team by having the puck for just over 31 minutes in 5 games. Nationals finished sixth during the regular season, which also correlates with an easier first-round matchup. With that in mind, @Blouin x 9 does not lead the team in any other statistics, which shows how well-rounded the team is built. Defensemen @Blouin x 9 and @DumouIin have been staples of their team’s success and will need to continue to do so if they want success against a very motivated Eclipse.


Outcome : Nationals in 7

 

Huge Thanks to @TakeNotes97 and @Wavy Nana for making this possible!

 

Nationals in 7 this man said lmaooooooo