Brett Dobson does not like to be called unflappable.

“He makes fun of me because I call him that, but that’s what he is,” Utah Archers head coach Chris Bates said. “He gets that extra calm in big moments, and it affects our team in a really positive way.”

After an almost perfect semifinal performance between the pipes, it's hard not to call the young netminder unflappable. But whatever you want to call him, one thing is clear: Dobson is determined to keep the Archers at the top of the PLL.

Utah faced off against the Carolina Chaos in the Cash App Playoff semifinals last Saturday, and there was no shortage of narratives coming into the heavyweight matchup. However, the most prominent was the storied playoff history between the two. The Chaos had eliminated the Archers from the postseason three times since the PLL’s inception. Carolina had been Utah’s kryptonite over the years. The Archers luckily avoided Carolina last postseason and won their first Cash App Championship. 

Despite all the narratives and all the dramatics, it seemed Dobson was able to shut all the noise out, as he delivered arguably the best playoff performance in PLL history — not just among goalies, but all players. 

For over 47 minutes, Dobson and the Archers defense held the Chaos scoreless — shutting out a team that had consistently stumped them in prior postseason battles. Carolina’s lone goal in the 10-1 Utah victory came with 56 seconds remaining.

“Lights out. He gave us energy, and you’re shaking your head on the sidelines because they couldn’t find a way to get it by him,” Bates remarked postgame. “Dobber has just shown he rises to the occasion and has such a calm about him that I think it permeates our team.”

The Canadian’s calmness was evident in every step he took and save he made. His ability to react quickly and track offside shots kept the Chaos attack frustrated all game long. 

Dobson averaged 18 saves per game during the Archers’ 2023 postseason run, with a staggering 72% save rate. Saturday’s masterclass somehow made those numbers look like child’s play. 

Dobson’s only blemish came in the game’s final moments — a late goal that did little to spoil an otherwise absolutely dominant outing. He finished the day with an astonishing 94.7% save rate (18 saves). 

Bates joked about how close his goalie came to an elusive postseason shutout. “It’d be nice to shut somebody out,” the coach said, “… but we just want to play next weekend. So it wasn’t a real big focus.”

While Dobson’s play between the pipes was the focal point of the Archers’ defensive success on Long Island, the entire unit deserves its flowers — and in Archers tradition, ice cream. 

Anchored by a group of short-stick defensive midfielders who were left “on an island all day,” as Bates described, the Archers' defense took pride in winning their individual matchups and making life difficult for the Chaos offense.

“I always make the comparison to football. If you can go one-on-one as a cornerback and take a receiver out, that just helps the rest of your defense,” Bates explained. “Our shorties were outstanding, and they’ve been outstanding all year.”

As for Dobson, the second-year starter has already cemented his reputation as one of the game’s brightest stars. His blend of technical skill and composure in high-pressure moments elevated the Archers from yearly contenders to finally champions last season.

As the Archers prepare to return to Philadelphia to defend their crown, there’s a quiet confidence about the group. Having been through it before, they know what it takes to win.

“We created a culture where we want to be there at the end,” Bates said. “Last year, we climbed the mountain. This year, we knew we had the tools, but there’s nothing guaranteed. … We stuck to the plan, kept life simple, and trusted our players.”

That winning culture will be contested against the blue blood of the league in the Maryland Whipsnakes this Sunday. 

The Whipsnakes were the team to beat for the first three years of the PLL. They appeared in the title game all three seasons and took the title in 2019 and 2020. Now, they’re looking to put themselves back on top with a rookie leading their offensive efforts this time around.

Third-round draft pick TJ Malone finished the regular season tied for third in the league in points with Michael Sowers (37). He’s been everything Maryland could’ve hoped for and more as the Whipsnakes transition to a more youthful team.

In two playoff games, Malone already has nine points. He shot a combined 45% against Denver’s Owen McElroy and New York’s Liam Entenmann. 

Utah and Maryland met only once in the regular season, in a 16-11 victory for the Archers. Malone didn’t find much success shooting against Dobson — he went 2-for-8 and finished the day with four points (2G, 2A). It’ll be a battle of hot hands between the two young stars. 

With Dobson leading the charge once again, the Archers are exactly where they want to be: one win away from becoming back-to-back champions.