There are some big names missing out this week due to injuries. We hope to see those guys back in action before the playoffs begin.
No Matt Moore this week due to injury which means Grant Ament is back to his natural attack position. Ryan Aughavin is also back in the lineup for the Archers.
The league leading Archers just keep finding ways to win games and it looks like they have the number 1 seed all locked up. So, does Chris Bates sit some of his best players over the next two weeks or does he keep things the same and play it out like normal?
Rookie vs rookie at the face off spot this week. Siss dominated the match up last time around can he do it again this week?
Will anyone stop the Archers??? My guess is if anyone can, it looks like the Whips have the best chance to get the job done.
Dylan Molloy and Mark Cockerton make their first Atlas appearance this season against the Cannons. Molloy, formerly of the Chrome will be looking to produce and prove he's still a top player in the league. Also someone get Dylan Molloy some new cleats! Cockerton played for the Cannons last season, but in 2021 he played for the Atlas scoring 13 points in 9 games. Cockerton is the 3rd lefty Coach Pressler has paired with Jeff Teat this season, will this be the combination that finally creates a spark for the Atlas offense?
Myles Jones make another appearance for the Atlas after he scored a typical Myles Jones goal last week against the Waterdogs.
Gavin Adler was injured last week, so the Atlas played against the Waterdogs with only four tradition poles with SSDM Jake Richard taking runs as an emergency LSM. This week Coach Pressler has decided to run again with just four tradition poles, so I guess we'll see Richard pick up a pole.
Last week rookie John Geppert had an impressive outing for the Atlas. He had a team high 3 CT and added 2 GBs plus some solid on ball defense.
Trevor Baptiste BALLED OUT last week dominating the face-off spot and scoring three goals with ZERO turnovers back on his college field, but even those heroics weren't enough to boost the Atlas to a win. This week, like last, Trevor will face a long pole at the face-off spot. Will we see the same type of performance from TB? I'd say absolutely.
The choice to only include for tradition poles for the Atlas is a bit perplexing, even more perplexing is not including a fourth SSDM with Richard splitting his runs between pole and shorty. If you believe Curry and Costabile are capable of holding their own on the defensive side of the field then it's a good gamble, but if not...
Coach Pressler probably envisions his team having the ball off of face-offs, which means having offensive personal on the face-off wings.That means the SSDMs will do less running, but it's still a risk.
For all the turmoil surrounding the Atlas' roster moves, none of it matters if they win out this season and make the playoffs. Once in the dance anything can happen.
Adam Charalambides will make his debut for the Cannons this season with Matt Kavanagh out due to an injury he sustained last week against his former team the Redwoods. It will be interesting to see how this changes the Cannons offense which is leading the league.
The Cannons continue to rotate their poles, this week 'Old Man' Hartzell drops out and Jake Pulver drops in to the lineup. Six poles for the Cannons and four for the Atlas.
The rest of the Cannons squad is the same as last week. Mark McNeill make an appearance on the reserve roster alongside rookie Josh Stout.
Coach Towers is not a coach who's afraid to switch things up and he has done so this weekend. At attack he removes Chris Cloutier and adds Kevin Lindley to create a very young starting attack lineup: rookie, rookie, and 2nd year player with only 1 game played in his career.
Goalie Mike Adler is added to the gamely roster in place of Austin Kaut.
The rest of the Chaos roster is the same, still no Chase Fraser for the Chaos. Will he make an appearance before the season ends?
The Chrome's inexplicable struggle continues this season, last week they scored five goals against the league leading Archers. It was not a good throwback weekend for the team with the best jerseys in Denver. They even pulled goalie Sean Sconone during the second half of the game.
This week the Chrome have same roster except for one change, Sam Handley comes back in for Cole Williams. The first round rookie only has 11 points so far this season. It has not been easy sledding for the Oregon native, maybe an appearance close to home will be the boost Handley needs to jump start the Chrome.
The Chrome are not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but they will need some help to make it to the dance. As they say, It ain't over till it's over.
OWEN GRANT SIGHTING! OWEN GRANT SIGHTING! sound the alarm lads! OG makes his second appearance of the season for the 'Woods after picking up an injury earlier this season in week three. The Prince who was Promised returns! Shout out GRRM and A Song of Ice and Fire.
Speaking of knights with swords the the Redwoods' opponent this week is the worst team in the league the Chrome. Last year the Redwoods lost twice two the Chrome one of those game the Redwoods scored only three goals and PLL record low, that the 'Woods have since tied. This week they look to take their revenge.
John Sexton is sitting out this week for some much needed rest.
Will this be the second season the Redwoods finish over .500? It can happen if they win out and if they do that there's a chance to make the Championship Series (PLL's Sixes format).
Last week they looked like the Cardiac Cubs (their new nickname) after a thrilling overtime victory during throwback weekend in Denver.
The Champs got a nice win last weekend in Denver with all of their ProPios. This week they face the Chaos in Seattle. Only one change for the Dawgs this week as Jake Carraway comes in for rookie Jeff Conner.
The Dawgs are in third place, but only due to score difference, with two games left in the regular season do they have enough to reach the top spot or maybe leap over the Cannons into second place.
The attack line of Walker, Sowers, and McCardle continues to produce each one has 25 points or more this season.
So if you don't know now you know, Brendan Krebs is a baller, last week the rookie had 17 saves with a 65 save percentage. The Whips have found their man, with the absence of the injured Kyle Bernlohr.
No changes for the Whipsnakes this week and why would they change, they keep winning games.
This week they face the league leading Archers in a game that is sure to be fun to watch on ESPN 2.
'USED TO PLAY FOR'
Archers vs Whipsnakes
Will Manny former Archer. One of the biggest free agent moves of the off season was when Will Manny left the only team he's ever played for in the PLL. Manny recorded over 100 points in his four season with the Archers. This is the second time this season Manny will face his former club, in game one he had three points.
Atlas vs Cannons
Mark Cockerton former PLL and MLL Cannon. The lefty Canadian has played for both teams multiple times, but in this matchup he's a member of the Atlas. Drake Porter was also on the Cannons as a part of their training camp roster, but never saw any official game time in a Cannons jersey. Grant Amman was drafted by the Cannons this year, but never played a game for Coach Holman and company.
Cade van Two-bomb former Atlas. Cade played his first four years with the Atlas and this season he was surprisingly released by the Atlas and picked up the Cannons. This is his second game this season against the Atlas, in the first game he had 3 GBs and 1 CT. That was only his second game with the Cannons, this week things might be a little different.
Chrome vs Redwoods
Wes Berg and Romar Dennis former Chrome. Dennis and Berg played the 2019 PLL season as members of the Chrome. Dennis was traded to the Atlas after the 2019 season then this season he was traded to the 'Woods. Bergy was traded from the Chrome to the Redwoods after not playing in any games in 2019, he left the Woods for a few seasons, but he's back and making an impact now.
Chaos vs Waterdogs
Dillon Ward former Chaos. Ward was on the roster for the Chaos during the 2020 PLL bubble in Utah after leaving the MLL and entering the 2020 entry draft. He never saw any game time for the Chaos and was traded to the Waterdogs in exchange for Wes Berg and a 1st round pick. Having Blaze and Dillon on the same team meant for seven game the Chaos had the BEST goalie duo ever in the history of pro outdoor lacrosse. I don't believe I'm going out on a limb in saying that either.
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