New York Atlas 20, Philadelphia Waterdogs 19
Paul Lamonaca: New York offense shines, prevails to close out the regular season
In the highest-scoring game in Premier Lacrosse League history, the Atlas offense exploded for 20 points Saturday afternoon in Boston, led by a seven-point performance (4G, 3A) from soon-to-be MVP finalist Connor Shellenberger.
“I think it’s an MVP season,” Trevor Baptiste said of Shellenberger’s league-leading 46-point campaign. “I think it is pretty cemented, and I think it’s so great to watch him dominate and really step into his game. A lot of times, I think it can be taken for granted all of the great plays he’s making for us with or without the ball. He is my MVP, for sure.”
Along with Shellenberger’s monster day, Jeff Teat and Bryan Costabile each finished with four points, and Reid Bowering notched a hat trick for the second straight weekend.
Rookie long-stick midfielder Michael Grace had three points (1T, 1A) to become the fourth player in league history to record 10 or more points with a long pole in a single season. Grace accomplished this feat while playing in just eight games.
It was a resurgent game for Baptiste, who not only faced off at 72% (26-for-36), but also tallied two goals, one assist and 18 ground balls. The dominant outing snapped an uncharacteristic streak of three straight games with a faceoff percentage at or under 50%.
Atlas head coach Mike Pressler praised Baptiste for being the true difference-maker.
“We’ve been together for three years now, and this was one of his best games from top to bottom on so many different levels,” Pressler said. “He’s scoring two and playing a lot of defense. … That 4-1 [deficit] turns into [an] 8-4 [lead], and that starts and ends with our success at the faceoff X.”
New York clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference when the Boston Cannons lost to the California Redwoods on Friday night, securing a first-round playoff bye for the second straight season. The Atlas will play the East’s first-round winner in the semifinals on Sept. 1.
Mike Bolger: Waterdogs clinch playoff spot in historic shootout
This game was jam-packed with storylines, from the Waterdogs’ fight for a playoff spot to it being the highest-scoring game in the history of the PLL.
“If I was a fan, I would really enjoy that one,” Philly head coach and general manager Bill Tierney said.
The Waterdogs came out firing, jumping to an early 4-1 lead with a reenergized offense that had struggled in recent weeks. However, a tough second quarter saw momentum swing toward the Atlas, fueled by faceoff struggles and costly turnovers that led to a seven-score frame for New York.
What followed was an all-out offensive explosion.
Both teams traded haymakers in a back-and-forth second half that produced some of the most dynamic play the league has seen.
CJ Kirst looked more than comfortable at attack, backing down defenders and opening up lanes for his team to capitalize on despite not touching the ball in the fourth. He ended the day with six points (3G, 3A) on 31 touches.
“Instill the confidence in those guys right?” Kieran McArdle said. “Letting them know you guys belong here, you’re here for a reason. Play your game, do your thing and as leaders we just stay calm and collected and lead the way.”
McArdle turned it on in the second half after not recording a shot or point on 11 touches in the first half. The veteran finished the day with five points (3G, 2A) on 36 touches, emphasizing the need to feed him in clutch situations.
The rest of the Waterdogs’ offense shot a scorching 41.5%, tallying 17 goals and a pair of two-pointers to stay in the fight.
Defensively, the stat sheet tells a painful story — 20 goals allowed — but the effort was undeniable.
The unit forced 11 turnovers, fought for every ground ball and played gritty all day long. Matt Whitcher led the charge with a career-best three caused turnovers.
The Waterdogs opted not to pressure the Atlas in the game’s final seconds, as they knew a one-point loss was enough to guarantee them a playoff spot thanks to score differential tiebreakers.
Now at 4-6, the Waterdogs clinched a spot in the postseason after a 2-8 campaign last year. They await the winner of Saturday night’s Whipsnakes-Cannons matchup to determine their first-round opponent.
“It’s a weird feeling,” Tierney said. “It’s like asking on Christmas for a blue bike and being pissed off because it’s red, but you still got a bike, you know?”
