"I plan to watch the entire game at a sports bar with some of the other competitors," Bastounis told NHL.com. "I'm equally nervous about the Jets game as I am the NHL GWC tournament."
The double-elimination Canadian Regional starts at Sportsnet studios Friday, which means Bastounis will know whether his favorite team has advanced to the Western Conference Final before he plays his first game, against
Chris O'Donnell
of Stoney Creek, Ontario. The top two finishers will advance to the World Finals in Las Vegas on June 19.
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Like most of his fellow competitors, Bastounis has been preparing for the regional tournament by playing EA SPORTS NHL 18 every day. But he's been committed to playing against his fellow competitors, in an effort to learn their techniques and tendencies.
Jay Proulx
of Rimouski, Quebec, is the top seed in the PlayStation 4 bracket, and he's made a point to play every day and pick up some tips.
"I tested a lot of different strategies," Proulx said.
Proulx is a Montreal Canadiens fan. He'll be facing off against
Nicola Bruna
of Montreal, a fellow Canadiens fan and friend, in the quarterfinals.
"[Bruna] is one of my good online friends," Proulx said. "We have been talking for so long and are good friends. Sad that we play each other in the first round."
In addition to the trip to Vegas, each regional champion also wins a $5,000 prize. Just reaching Toronto has been a thrill for both players, but the thought of advancing further, and a share of $100,000 for the world champion, is still in the back of their heads.
"I'm very excited to compete for a chance to go to Vegas and win [the grand prize]," Bastounis said. "This is definitely a rare opportunity that doesn't come by often, and I'm ready to seize the moment."
