PLL Playoff Picture Taking Shape as Regular Season Nears End

Last week’s Premier Lacrosse League action in Utah might have revealed the league’s true contenders.

An injury-riddled Utah Archers season could be over after falling in both of their games against the California Redwoods and Denver Outlaws, and the Carolina Chaos finally played their first full game of the season.

The Chaos, who’ve become a notable second-half team over the years, beat the Philadelphia Waterdogs in a thrilling 15-14 overtime game on Sunday.

Let’s dig in to what those three results mean for the rest of the PLL.

A Western Conference Shakeup

There seemed to be a feeling for the majority of the season that the Archers would find a way to turn their season around, regardless of how lifeless the offense has looked at times. Rightfully so, because Utah brought back essentially the same roster it has used during its back-to-back title run.

But with attackman Matt Moore being placed on season-ending injured reserve and Tom Schreiber and Grant Ament missing half of the Archers’ most pivotal weekend of the season, among a few other injuries in key places, put an end to that discussion.

Still, Archers head coach Chris Bates would be the first to say how Utah’s issues go far beyond injuries.

“It’s been a tale of the season where there’s just momentum plays where we just dropped a couple passes [or] missed a ground ball,” Bates said. “You need those plays, and we’ve talked about Archers lacrosse, not beating ourselves, and guess what? We’re beating ourselves.” 

With just a game left in the regular season, the Archers are last in the Western Conference with a 3-6 record and minus-14 score differential. Utah has a game in hand over 3-5 California, which will face the Maryland Whipsnakes and the Cannons to end the season.

It’s an uphill climb, but Utah could still clinch a playoff berth if California loses out and the Archers win their last game against the Chaos. The Redwoods playing two other teams fighting for playoff spots in the Eastern Conference isn’t ideal, but their win over Utah on Friday should provide them some steam.

Are the Chaos title contenders?

After a plethora of roster turnover last offseason, the Chaos boasting a 4-4 record with two weeks left in the season might be one of the PLL’s biggest surprises. Rookie attackman Owen Hiltz has been arguably the most dangerous scorer in the league since starting his first career game five weeks ago.

Hiltz is first in the PLL in points per game (4.4) and goals per game (2.6) and first among rookies in assists per game (1.8).

The Syracuse alum desperately needed a partner in crime, though, and he finally got one on Sunday. Fellow rookie attackman Jackson Eicher took advantage of the Waterdogs’ banged up defense and notched a career-high six points — plus the winning goal. His six-point performance doubled his scoring total from the past four weeks.

Eicher’s 6-foot-4 frame gives him one of the league’s purest shots, but he just wasn’t producing before. Chaos beat reporter Hayden Lewis detailed how Eicher’s off-ball ability shined during the win over the Waterdogs.

If Eicher taking the next step is the last piece of the puzzle to the Chaos offense, then it might be time to loop Carolina into the championship discussion.

The Denver Outlaws are certainly the favorites to make the championship game out of the Western Conference, but the way their schedule ends could help catapult a sleeper over them.

Assuming Denver clinches the No. 1 seed out of the west with one more win, the Outlaws will have a one-month-long break from Aug. 2 to Sept. 1.