PLL Week 8: Playoff Picture Gets Clearer; Just One Spot Remains

This weekend’s Premier Lacrosse League action was all about throwbacks — and punching tickets to the playoffs.

After the Archers and Cannons secured spots in the postseason last week, four more teams joined the party after Week 8 — the Chaos, Redwoods, Waterdogs and Whipsnakes. For three of those teams, their fate was sealed thanks to the Archers’ 13-5 win against the Chrome. The Woods, meanwhile, had to take matters into their own hands.

As part of a wild overtime period that lasted almost six minutes, Charlie Bertrand canned a game-winner to snap a three-game losing streak. Bertrand collected a give-and-go pass from recently acquired Romar Dennis, roll dodged to his left and let one rip to earn a 16-15 win against the Cannons.

.@Cj_Berty WITH THE OT WINNER! @PLLRedwoods snap their three game losing streak! https://t.co/hCGibhbyeD pic.twitter.com/v4OqwxKVAc

— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) August 13, 2023

“I was just so happy for our guys,” Redwoods coach Nat St. Laurent told ESPN postgame. “They battled all game, and we’ve been laser focused all week. We needed that win. It was a good old-school, Redwoods tough DNA game.”

Marcus Holman scored twice in the final minutes of regulation for the Cannons to force overtime in a game that featured technical difficulties, heads flying off sticks and shorties being forced to play with poles. But the Redwoods prevailed, backed by five points from Rob Pannell and a hat trick from Wes Berg. At 4-4, the squad is still in the running for a solid seed.

THE LAST TWO BATTLING

One spot remains in the postseason, with the Atlas owning a slight inside track on the Chrome. Neither helped their chances this weekend.

In Trevor Baptiste’s return to Denver, the Atlas dropped to 2-6 largely because of Ethan Walker. Another former Pioneer, Walker notched three goals and three assists for the Waterdogs in the defending champions’ 14-11 victory.

Half of Walker’s points came in a high-flying fourth quarter which featured a combined eight goals. The Waterdogs entered the final frame up one before a 5-1 run put them in comfortable position.

The Pioneer success was a theme, as Walker was helped by two goals from Jack Hannah, while the Atlas were beneficiaries of a four-point night from Eric Law and a Baptiste performance that included three goals, 21 ground balls and 23 faceoff wins.

The Atlas also worked in Myles Jones, who they landed from the Redwoods in exchange for Dennis, and it resulted in a goal fitting for a Bull.

HIS FIRST GOAL IN ATLAS BLUE. @MylesJones_15 with a SICK twister to put the @PLLAtlas within one. pic.twitter.com/evIm02u6NF

— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) August 13, 2023

The Archers took care of business against the Chrome, marking a seventh straight defeat for Tim Soudan’s group. The Chrome’s offensive woes continued. They were held to seven or fewer goals for a third time in four outings and to five goals for a second straight week.

The Archers, meanwhile, never trailed after orchestrating a 5-0 run in the second quarter. Tom Schreiber, who led the team with six points, put an exclamation mark on the spurt with his second two-pointer of the year.

DON’T DOUBT MR. KREBS

The Whipsnakes are back to looking like a contender, even without their usual starting goaltender. As Kyle Bernlohr has missed time with injury, young Brendan Krebs has made sure the two-time champions continue to surge.

Krebs, the 6-foot-3 netminder from Manhattan, made 17 saves in the Whips’ 12-10 win against the Chaos on Friday. After Brian Minicus put the Chaos up 8-6 with seven and a half minutes remaining in the third quarter, Krebs allowed only one more goal the rest of the way. The final tally was inconsequential as well, as Troy Reh finished a two-pointer with two seconds on the clock.

That allowed the Whipsnakes to tie the score by the end of the third and go up by as much as four in the fourth quarter after a Tucker Dordevic two-pointer. The Whipsnakes have won three straight, and are now in the thick of things at 4-4.

“We didn't play a great first half,” Whipsnakes coach Jim Stagnitta said. “We were lucky. And Krebs really held it down there and made some unbelievable saves and gave us an opportunity to compete again in the second half.”

Will Manny finished with four points for the Whipsnakes, while four others had two.

NOTEWORTHY

All eight PLL teams donned “throwback” porthole jerseys this weekend, the second straight year the league turned back the clock in Denver. … In addition to bringing in Myles Jones, the Atlas picked up Dylan Molloy from the player pool. … The power couple of Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and music star Ciara watched this week’s action from the sideline. … Former Denver coach Bill Tierney joined the broadcast this weekend as the PLL played on the field of the Pioneers. … Atlas defenseman Gavin Adler was a late scratch with an injury, forcing the squad to play down a pole. … Asher Nolting, playing in his home state, had the coldest celebration of the weekend with a “too small” move. … Trevor Baptiste signed autographs in Denver’s Dick’s Sporting Goods, where PLL jerseys were sold in a retail location for the first time.

UP NEXT
ALL TIMES EASTERN

In Seattle.

Friday

Archers vs. Whipsnakes, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
Atlas vs. Cannons, 11:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

Saturday

Chrome vs. Redwoods, 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
Chaos vs. Waterdogs, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN+)