🤯 UPSET OF THE YEAR!?

The PLL has named a Sixes champ for the first time ever, as Chrome defeated Atlas in the Championship Series final on Sunday. Atlas was undefeated, boasting a +36 scoring differential, and was a 5.5-point favorite heading into the title fight.

So, how did Chrome pull off the upset? Let's dig in...

⚔️ How Chrome Beat Atlas

There were three major reasons why Chrome beat Atlas on Sunday:

1. Sean Sconone’s net-minding. He made 15 saves, finishing with a 45.5% save percentage. He was Chrome’s best player at this year’s Championship Series.

2. Dylan Molloy’s two-pointers. He led the team with 7 scoring points and scored all three of Chrome’s two-pointers. Two of them came in the fourth quarter.

3. Logan Wisnauskas’ clutch gene. He had a hand in the most scoring plays, with six total points (3G, 3A). This is the former Terp’s second championship in the past year.

Chrome needed all three of these factors to come together in the championship just to beat Atlas by one goal.

🥍 Romar Dennis: Sixes Cheat Code

If you built a PLL Sixes player in a lab, it would be Romar Dennis. Here’s a look at the statistical damage he did in just five games:

Total Points: 38Scoring Points: 34Two-Point Goals: 15One-Point Goals: 4Assists: 4

Dennis’ scoring point total earned him the first-ever Golden Stick Award. He looked like an NBA superstar in a lacrosse uniform. As the Sixes format continues to grow, Dennis will be the type of player every coach wants on his roster.

🐍 What Happened to The Whips?

The Whipsnakes only lost two games in all of 2022. At the Championship Series, they lost four games in as many days. And the final scores weren't even that close...

Game 1: Lost by 13 to AtlasGame 2: Lost by 3 to ArchersGame 3: Lost by 4 to ChromeGame 4: Lost by 9 to Atlas

While the Whips dominate the field game, they are NOT built for Sixes. They sorely missed their long poles, and Brad Smith was the only reliably dynamic scoring threat they had at the Championship Series.

👀 Watch The Champ Series Vlog

Here's your all-access pass to everything that led up to Chrome's title run at the 2023 PLL Championship Series:

Now, let's touch on a couple college angles...

💪 TLN Player of the Week

Maryland’s identity has gone from offensive powerhouse to defensive buzzsaw, and Brett Makar is the biggest reason why. Makar led the Terps on the road this weekend, as they held a high-powered Princeton offense to just FIVE goals.

Makar is living up to the legacy of No. 1 at Maryland through four games. He has the intangible leadership qualities and looks like the best pole in the country. So long as he’s on the field, the Terps will be serious national title contenders.

💪 Today's Insane D-III Stat

Thomas Nelson went a perfect 24-for-24 on face offs in Kenyon's season opener last week and has only lost ONE draw through his first two games. His 97.7% win rate is the best among all Division III players with more than 10 face-off attempts.

Nelson scored a goal in each of these two games and also added an assist against Capital University. He's only a sophomore and is already dominating the D-III competition.