Denver barely scraped by the California Redwoods in a nail-biting 15-14 quarterfinal win Saturday night in Minneapolis, escaping what looked like a sure collapse. For most of three quarters, it felt like the old Outlaws were back, the All-Pro squad that was just one play away from a title last year. But man, that final quarter was a gut-punch, and they nearly lost it all.
First Half Firepower: An Offensive Clinic
The first half? Pure fireworks, easily one of the best displays we’ve seen from them all season. Pat Kavanagh, fresh off injured reserve, was playing at an MVP level. He racked up four of his six points, two goals and four assists, just in that first half! And his superstar teammate, Brennan O’Neill, wasn’t messing around either, bagging a hat trick early on. It was like they couldn’t miss, hitting a season-high 12 scores in a single half. Kavanagh himself said they were “in a flow” and “kind of feeling it.” You love to see it, right? Total dominance.
Second Half Struggle: The Goalie Problem and Cramping Chaos
But then the second half hit, and their offensive flow just… vanished. Hard. What happened? Well, the Redwoods made a goalie change, bringing in backup Ryan Croddick. And wouldn’t you know it, the dude got hot early, thanks to some shots that Kavanagh and coach Tim Soudan later called “ill-advised.” Denver’s attack got stifled, big time. They scored only three times in the entire second half, with just a single goal in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t just the goalie, though. Kavanagh said the team was battling cramping all over the field, too. And if that wasn’t enough drama, multiple late penalties nearly cost them everything. The Redwoods capitalized HARD, sinking four power-play goals in the fourth quarter. Ouch.
Manley’s Clutch Stop and the Road Ahead
Defensively, it was a mixed bag. JT Giles-Harris mostly kept Chris Kavanagh in check, limiting him to two goals. Logan McNaney made 15 saves, which is huge! But let’s be real, Dylan Molloy was a problem all night, absolutely shredding them for six goals. Six! Talk about having your hands full. But when it mattered most, when they absolutely needed a stop to close out the game? Mike Manley stepped up, coming through with a massive stuff on Molloy. Coach Soudan nailed it, saying Manley “had his hands full with the big boy Molloy today, and he answered at the end.” That’s clutch, man. Seriously clutch.
So, they survived. They advanced. Head coach Tim Soudan put it best: “It’s win and advance at this point of the season.” Next up, a huge showdown. The Outlaws are heading to the semifinals to face their Rocky Mountain rivals, the Utah Archers, on Monday, September 7. Denver’s got their full talent arsenal back and now a tough playoff game under their belt. Can they use the grind of this win to push for a second straight Western Conference championship? That’s the hope. Let’s see if they can play a full four-quarter game next time, because this heart attack special was way too close for comfort.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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