5 Most Intriguing Group Play Matchups of PLL Championship Series

While we don’t have a full schedule for the PLL Championship Series quite yet, the league did release the group play matchups yesterday. Each of the seven teams will play four games in the span of nine days. Here are the key matchups to watch.

Whipsnakes vs. Redwoods

This is an obvious pick, but for good reason. Whipsnakes-Redwoods has been the most anticipated matchup since the Whipsnakes prevailed in overtime to claim the inaugural PLL championship last September. The Redwoods rebounded from a 9-2 second-half deficit and pulled ahead with less than two minutes to play after a Joe Walters goal. Matt Rambo then took control when he scored the tying and winning goals.

“We have been thinking about this nonstop since those moments at the end of the championship game,” Redwoods defenseman Eddy Glazener said in an interview on The Inside Feed, a PLL podcast. “I think more than anything, we’ve really embraced it and see this as a time to come together, prove our worth, and be an even better defense this upcoming season.”

Glazener and the Redwoods’ Notre Dame-centric defense will likely have to head to PLL Island without a crucial piece. Two-time Schmeisser award winner Matt Landis is on the league’s “military reserved” list due to his prior obligations with Navy Seal training. Landis’ shutdown capabilities, especially in the second-round playoff matchup against the Chaos’ Connor Fields, earned him the nickname “Landis Island.”

The Redwoods and Whipsnakes split their matchups in the regular season last year.

Redwoods vs. Chaos

While the Chaos outlasted the Redwoods twice in the 2019 regular season, the Woods proved the old adage that it’s hard to beat a team three times in one season. Tied at 6 at halftime, the Redwoods held Chaos to only one goal in the second half and pulled away to win 12-7. The performance highlighted the Redwoods’ balanced offense, since seven players — including their starting attack line of Matt Kavanagh, Jules Heningburg and Ryder Garnsey — tallied two points in the matchup. The Redwoods will add midfielder Myles Jones to that mix after trading Sergio Salcido to the Chaos in the offseason.

Besides the addition of Salcido, the Chaos’ 22-man roster will also feature Curtis Dickson and Tyson Bell, who both won the 2019 NLL championship with the Calgary Roughnecks and should mesh seamlessly with the Chaos’ heavy box influence.

“Those guys weren't in the lineup for us last year and they are two of the best players in the world,” Towers said. “To be able to have them dress for the Championship Series is a real shot in the arm for us. To be honest with you, I like our roster better than any roster on the planet.”

Archers vs. Atlas

After splitting their two regular season matchups, the Archers beat up on the Atlas in more ways than one down the stretch. Their 12-9 win over the Whipsnakes in Week 10 at Albany sealed their playoff spot. It also knocked out the Atlas. To add insult to injury, the Archers topped the Atlas 25-7 in the first draft pick game that preceded the championship at Talen Energy Stadium. Will Manny and Marcus Holman combined for 13 goals. That dominant performance also allowed Archers head coach Chris Bates to add to an already impressive attack line when he selected Penn State star Grant Ament first overall in the college draft.

On the other side, first-year head coach Ben Rubeor tabbed Rob Pannell, formerly of the MLL’s New York Lizards, with the third pick in the entry draft to bolster the Atlas’ offense. The two-time All-World attackman will join Ryan Brown, who also earned All-World honors with the 2018 U.S. national team, and Eric Law. Brown and Law each ranked in the top six in goals scored last season. They will face an Archers’ defense that gave up the fewest goals in 2019.

Chrome vs. Chaos

Although the Chrome only won two games in 2019, their victories showcased their potential. After suffering five straight losses by a combined six goals to start the season, including a Week 5 loss to the Chaos in overtime, the top-ranked offense broke through and rebounded to take down the Chaos 19-11 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.

The Chrome will likely look the most different of any team between the inaugural season and the Championship Series. Chrome’s defense, which allowed the most goals last summer, took a particularly hard hit with Joel White, Ryan Flanagan and Mike Manley among the six players from the team on the PLL’s “Excused Inactive” list. First-year head coach Tim Soudan tried to address those losses when he picked up Eli Salama, Jacob Pulver and Sam Duggan from the waiver wire. Earlier acquisitions Soudan made to rebuild the defense included James Barclay, Jesse Bernhardt, Foster Huggins, Donny Moss and Tom Rigney.

On the offensive end, they added rookie attackman Matt Gaudet through a trade with the Chaos, along with Hunter Forbes (faceoff), Brendan Kavanagh (attack) and Jesse King (midfield) all from the waiver wire.

Waterdogs vs. Archers

You could make a case that any of the Waterdogs matchups carry an added weight, since the league’s first expansion team is composed of mostly players left unprotected by their previous teams. While they avoid the Whipsnakes and Redwoods in group play, that does not ensure their path to the elimination round is any less daunting. If last season taught us anything, it’s that there are no guaranteed wins.

Waterdogs head coach Andy Copelan added former Archers Christian Cuccinello, Ben McIntosh and Dan Eipp through the expansion draft. The trio combined for 36 points in the 2019 regular season.