Chaos Clinch Playoff Berth, Kirst Sparks Cannons Rebound in PLL Friday Night Action

Dante Williams | Ejsports

On Friday night in Premier Lacrosse League action, the Chaos Lacrosse Club delivered a signature comeback, defeating the league-leading Denver Outlaws 12–11 and clinching a spot in the PLL playoffs. Meanwhile, Colin Kirst backstopped the Boston Cannons to a 13–10 win over the Philadelphia Waterdogs, snapping a three-game losing streak and reasserting the Cannons’ postseason intentions. Chaos entered the game with two potential playoff paths. The first—relying on the Whipsnakes to beat the Redwoods—would have meant scoreboard-watching. The second, as head coach Roy Colsey noted, was “through Denver,” the more difficult path. The Chaos embraced the challenge. Early on, the Outlaws appeared unstoppable. Brennan O’Neill, Jared Bernhardt, and Dalton Young combined to give Denver an 8–3 advantage, with Mike Manley scoring a two-pointer to cap the run. However, the Chaos responded with grit and unorthodox momentum swings—living up to their name. Adam Charalambides and Ross Scott sparked the rally, while Shane Knobloch and Jackson Eicher delivered back-to-back two-pointers to even the score. Owen Hiltz, a Rookie of the Year contender, led all Chaos scorers with three goals and an assist. The Chaos defense, missing standout Jack Rowlett in the second half, stepped up and limited Denver to just two goals after halftime. Logan McNaney’s clutch save on Josh Zawada in the final minutes preserved the lead, while Hiltz’s final goal provided crucial insurance.

“We’re the Chaos, baby,” said goalie Blaze Riorden after the win, embodying the team’s unshakable identity. In the earlier game, Colin Kirst starred for the Boston Cannons, making 20 saves to help his team defeat the Waterdogs and move up in the standings. His performance doubled that of Philadelphia’s Matt DeLuca and kept a potent Waterdogs offense at bay, despite a five-goal outburst from CJ Kirst and a hat trick from Michael Sowers.

Offensively, the Cannons were more balanced. Asher Nolting had three goals and an assist, while veterans Will Manny and Marcus Holman each posted three points. Ben Ramsey and Holman both connected on two-point shots, helping Boston build a 13–6 cushion entering the final quarter. That was much more like Cannon lacrosse than how we’ve been playing lately,” said head coach Brian Holman, acknowledging the team’s return to form.

As the PLL regular season nears its conclusion, Chaos (5–4) are peaking at the right time, and the Cannons are regaining confidence. The Outlaws, now 6–3, must regroup quickly before their high-stakes Sunday matchup against the New York Atlas.