The Carolina Chaos stunned the Denver Outlaws 12-11 on Friday night at Peter Barton Stadium, overcoming an early deficit to secure a playoff berth. The game saw the Chaos rally from a 9-5 halftime disadvantage, fueled by clutch plays in the second half.
Owen Hiltz led the charge for Carolina (5-4) with three goals and an assist. Jackson Eicher added four points, including a pivotal two-point goal that helped shift momentum in favor of the Chaos during their third-quarter surge. Shane Knobloch had three points, including another key two-pointer late in the game. Blaze Riorden anchored Carolina's defense with nine saves, six of them during a dominant second-half performance.
For Denver (6-3), Logan Wisnauskas tallied four assists and Pat Kavanagh contributed two goals and one assist. Brennan O'Neill and Jared Bernhardt each scored twice, and Mike Manley provided some spark with a rare two-point goal from long range, but the Outlaws struggled offensively after halftime as Riorden tightened up for Carolina.
Denver goaltender Logan McNaney recorded 13 saves but couldn't hold off Carolina's attack down the stretch.
The loss snapped Denver's six-game winning streak and delayed its chance to clinch first place in the Western Conference standings outright ahead of the regular-season finale Saturday against the Atlas.
Up next: The Chaos wrap up their regular season against the Utah Archers on Aug. 8 at 9 p.m. ET in Boston with a chance for the No. 2 seed in the West.
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