PLL Week 9 Preview: Saturday Triple-Header Headlines Denver Weekend

For the first time this season, there will be five Premier Lacrosse League games in a single weekend.

The Denver Outlaws will host their homecoming weekend at Peter Barton Stadium, but it will also be a homecoming for Philadelphia Waterdogs coach Bill Tierney and the other former Denver Pioneers on his roster.

This week, the Waterdogs and Utah Archers will also play two games, with the California Redwoods being the lone team on a bye week.

UTAH ARCHERS (4-4) AT DENVER OUTLAWS (4-3)

Friday 8 p.m. EST | Watch: ESPN+

Betting lines: Outlaws -1.5 vs. Archers; O/U 21.5 (O/U 20.5 on bet365 and Caesars)

Key storylines: The winner of the Archers-Outlaws game can take sole possession of the top spot in the Western Conference and would be in the driver’s seat for a first-round bye in the postseason. Both teams only have one more game against a West opponent after Friday’s bout, so the result of this matchup could have major ramifications on the PLL playoff picture.

When these teams last faced on opening weekend, the Archers outlasted the Outlaws in a 10-7 game, but both teams were missing some key contributors. Since then, both defenses have continued to play well, but the offenses have been productive too. Will we see a shootout or slugfest in Denver on Friday night

Players to watch: The matchup between Brennan O’Neill and Brendan Lavelle will be one to watch this weekend. Lavelle has been quietly putting together a defensive player of the year campaign and had his biggest performance last weekend, holding CJ Kirst to just one goal.

On the other end of the field are Ben Randall and JT Giles-Harris, who have arguably been the best cover defender tandem in the PLL. However, Randall struggled in his Denver debut while defending Connor Fields. Fields had two goals and an assist when guarded by Randall and scored a third goal on the power play. These key matchups between the league’s top attackmen and defenders will be fascinating to watch.

Bold prediction: The battle between the best defenses in the PLL delivers as we get the lowest-scoring game of the weekend and more than 25 combined saves between Brett Dobson and Logan McNaney.

Best bet: Under 21.5 (-125 on bet365 or Caesars)

PHILADELPHIA WATERDOGS (4-3) VS. NEW YORK ATLAS (3-5)

Friday 10:30 p.m. EST | Watch: ESPN+

Betting lines: Waterdogs -1.5 vs. Atlas; O/U 25.5

Key storylines: The New York Atlas’ season is on life support and a loss on Friday could be the final nail in their coffin. At 3-5, New York will likely need to win at least one of their two matchups with Philadelphia and hope to improve their score differential in the process.

Meanwhile, Philly is coming off a poor showing against the Archers. The Waterdogs’ offense can only do so much to mask their defensive issues and Philadelphia will now turn to rookie goaltender Sean Byrne with Matt DeLuca getting injured last weekend. The former Army netminder did decent in relief of DeLuca last week, but will have to contend with another deep offense.

Furthermore, Philly’s short-stick defensive midfield unit has been the weakest in the league, allowing opposing teams to shoot 31.7 percent on them. Can Bryan Costabile, Matt Traynor and Co. exploit the Waterdogs’ biggest weakness and save New York’s season?

Players to watch: While the game could be won at the midfield, the attack vs. defense matchups will be fun to watch. Philadelphia defender Gavin Adler faces his former team for the first time and will likely draw the Connor Shellenberger assignment. Will familiarity between the two give Adler or Shelly the edge?

On the other side of the field, how does New York contain the two-headed monster of Michael Sowers and CJ Kirst? Despite being held to just one goal last week, Kirst is still my pick for MVP. Yet, if there’s one player who I think could steal the award from him at this stage in the season, it’s his teammate.

Sowers has been overshadowed by Kirst’s dominance as a goal scorer, but there’s not doubt that Kirst has benefitted from Sowers’ balanced skill set as a passer and goal scorer. I think Sowers to win MVP is still worth a small bet at +1200 on FanDuel if you’re looking to hedge an earlier bet on Kirst.

Bold prediction: We’re treated to a back-and-forth classic that requires overtime. Kirst and Sowers both have big nights, but Costabile leads the Atlas to a victory and keeps New York’s playoff hopes alive.

Best bet: Bryan Costabile Over 2.5 Points (+136 on FanDuel)

BOSTON CANNONS (4-4) VS. CAROLINA CHAOS (3-5)

Saturday 2 p.m. EST | Watch: ESPN+

Betting lines: Cannons -1.5 vs. Chaos; O/U 25.5

Key storylines: The Carolina Chaos are another team desperate for a win. Carolina currently sits in last place in the West with a minus-15 score differential and has lost three of their last four. Another loss could put them in a big hole heading into the final stretch of the season.

The Chaos enters its second meeting with the Cannons without Jack Rowlett, who landed on the injured reserve after suffering a serious cervical strain in Carolina’s loss to Denver.

Meanwhile, Boston has been the hottest team in the league, winning three straight and scoring 15 points in each of those wins. They’ve also scored at least 10 goals in all of their games this season.

Can Cannons exploit a Chaos defense that’s missing Rowlett? Can the Chaos offense return to form and overwhelm this Boston defense?

Players to watch: Rookie Andrew McMeekin continues to have one of the most impressive seasons from a young faceoff specialist. McMeekin has faced off at above 64 percent three times this season and is averaging a point per game. He’ll have a favorable matchup against Justin Inacio, who currently ranks last among starters in faceoff percentage at 47.1 percent. While I think Joey Spallina is rightly the favorite to win 2026 PLL rookie of the year, McMeekin is worth a small bet to win the award at +1500 on DraftKings and could see his odds get much shorter after a favorable Saturday matchup.

When these teams last played, Blaze Riorden stopped 66.7 percent of the shots he faced, but left the game early with an injury. In the last two weeks, Riorden has failed to save more than 48 percent of the shots he’s seen and now will face one of the most prolific offenses in the PLL. Can Riorden rebound and keep Carolina’s playoff hopes afloat?

Bold prediction: Both Cannons and Chaos score more than a dozen goals each and combine for the highest-scoring game of the weekend in a game that’s decided in the final minutes.

Best bet: Over 25.5 (-105 on BetMGM, Caesars or FanDuel)

MARYLAND WHIPSNAKES (5-3) VS. UTAH ARCHERS (4-4)

Saturday 6:30 p.m. EST | Watch: ESPN+ 

Betting lines: Whipsnakes -1.5 vs. Archers; O/U 20.5 (21.5 on FanDuel)

Key storylines: On Saturday evening, we’re treated to a rematch of the 2024 PLL Championship and I think there’s a high probability we could see these teams meet in the final again this year. Both the Whipsnakes and Archers are on two-game win streaks and have dominated in each of their last two victories. Each has a chance to tighten their grip on the top spot in their respective divisions, making this the top game to watch this weekend.

When these teams last played, Maryland prevailed in their second game of the weekend, winning 8-5 in the lowest-scoring game of the season so far. This time around, Utah will be playing in their second game of a doubleheader. Both offenses have scored 16 or more in back-to-back weeks, but are anchored by their strong defenses. Will we see another low-scoring game or will the offenses have a day this time around?

Players to watch: Goaltenders Brett Dobson and Emmet Carroll lead the league in save percentage, with both above 57 percent on the season. Both goalies have the ability to take over a game and it will be fascinating to see which one is able to lead his team to a win on Saturday.

In April, Utah opted to draft two-way midfielder Aidan Maguire over attackman Joey Spallina and the two could be matched up with each other at points again on Saturday. Both players have had success for their respective teams, but the conversation of who deserved to be selected first overall doesn’t appear to be dying down. When these teams last faced, Spallina was held to just two points, tying a season-low for the rookie. The success or failure of both Spallina and Maguire on Saturday could add further fuel to the debate surrounding these two high draft picks.

Bold prediction: Maryland outlasts Archers in a physical battle that stays close well into the fourth quarter and sees both goaltenders make crucial saves. Emmet Carroll stops more than 70 percent of the shots he sees for the third time this season.

Best bet: Emmet Carroll Over 10.5 Saves (-102 on FanDuel)

PHILADELPHIA WATERDOGS (4-3) AT DENVER OUTLAWS (4-3)

Saturday 9 p.m. EST | Watch: ESPN2

Key storylines: The final game of the weekend is arguably another potential PLL championship matchup and features several compelling storylines.  Both teams enter the weekend at 4-3 and winning both their games could propel them to the top of the standings in their respective conferences. It’s also the first time that former first overall picks Brennan O’Neill and CJ Kirst will meet. Furthermore, it’s Outlaws defender Ben Randall’s first game against his former team after Philadelphia traded him to Denver in the offseason.

The Waterdogs’ offense is defined by its depth and has had incredibly productive outings this season. Yet, they’ve also been held to under 10 goals three times and are facing an Outlaws defense that is on par with Utah’s. Will CJ Kirst have another big performance or will Denver limit the current MVP favorite.

Players to watch: Logan McNaney and the Denver defense’s success can be summed up by McNaney’s league-leading 60.7 clean save percentage. Denver forces shots that are easy for McNaney to save and McNaney has been effective in converting those into scoring chances on the offensive end. Keep an eye on McNaney and the Outlaws’ transition game against Philly on Saturday night.

Another Outlaw to keep an eye on is rookie Nolan Byrne, who is expected to make his PLL debut. Byrne is a crafty goal scorer who’s coming off a stellar rookie season in the National Lacrosse League. Expect Byrne to be a part of some two-man play with Logan Wisnauskas and Brennan O’Neill on the left side.

Bold prediction: The Outlaws overwhelm the Waterdogs and hold CJ Kirst under four points for just the second time this season. While there are no betting odds for this game just yet, I like the Outlaws to come away with the outright win.