The New York Atlas completed an extraordinary comeback on Saturday, rallying from a five-goal deficit to defeat the Carolina Chaos 25-24 in the Premier Lacrosse League Championship Series held at The St. James in Springfield, Virginia. Kyle Jackson scored the winning goal with just 28 seconds left, sealing the thrilling win for New York in a game marked by dramatic momentum swings.
Key Players Fuel New York Atlas’s Offensive Surge
Matt Traynor led the charge for the Atlas with an impressive stat line of eight goals and three assists, powering the team’s offensive surge. Kyle Jackson also played a crucial role, contributing five goals and four assists before scoring the decisive game-winner. Other offensive contributors included Eric Moliver and Chris Camisio, each with two goals, alongside Brian Costabile, who scored the equalizer at 20 points early in the final quarter.
Goalkeeper Will Mark was instrumental in the comeback, bouncing back from a tough start and an injury scare to make 14 key saves, with 13 of those coming after the opening period, helping to stabilize New York’s defense as the match intensified.
Carolina Chaos Show Strong Start and Resilience in Final Minutes
Carolina’s Charlie Bertrand shined in the team’s PLL Championship Series debut by scoring six goals and adding an assist. Shane Knobloch contributed seven points, while Ross Scott added four goals, including two crucial late scores that tied the match at 24 in the closing minutes.
Christian Scarpello added offensive support with a goal and an assist, while goalie Austin Coutt made 11 stops and notably assisted on a two-point goal scored by Sergio Perkovic, who totaled three points in the game. Despite a valiant effort, the Chaos were unable to hold their lead in the final moments.
Momentum Swings Define Intense Back-and-Forth Contest
Carolina established dominance early with a 6-1 lead in the first quarter and maintained a 15-10 advantage midway through the third period. However, New York seized momentum at the start of the fourth quarter by capitalizing on a man-up situation, scoring three straight goals to take a 21-20 lead for the first time in the match. This pivotal shift set the stage for the Atlas’s eventual comeback victory.
The game remained tightly contested as Ross Scott’s final push tied the score again at 24. In the decisive sequence, Austin Coutt saved a shot by Miles Jones, but Jackson quickly recovered the rebound and scored the winning goal, completing the Atlas’s remarkable rally.
Both Teams Look Ahead to Crucial Upcoming Matches
With this outcome, the Carolina Chaos drop to 0-1 and are scheduled to face the Denver Outlaws on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET. The New York Atlas improve to 1-1 and will next play the California Redwoods on Friday at 8 p.m. ET. Both games are set to be broadcast live on ESPN+, continuing the Premier Lacrosse League’s exciting season.
