The Boston Cannons beat the Philadelphia Waterdogs 13-10 on Friday night in Denver as Colin Kirst made a career-high 20 saves to anchor his team's defense.
Boston (4-4) jumped out to an early lead with five goals in the first quarter and maintained its advantage through consistent scoring across the second and third periods before holding off a late surge by Philadelphia (4-5).
Offensively, Asher Nolting led the charge for the Cannons with three goals and an assist, while Marcus Holman added three points, including a two-pointer that moved him into second place in professional lacrosse history for career goals scored. Will Manny contributed four points (1 goal, 3 assists) and Coulter Mackesy chipped in two goals and an assist.
Philadelphia saw standout performances from CJ Kirst, who tallied six points on five one-point goals and one assist -- the best showing of his rookie season -- and Michael Sowers, who had three goals and an assist. Kieran McArdle added a goal and an assist.
The Waterdogs mounted a fourth-quarter comeback attempt by scoring four unanswered goals but ultimately fell short against Boston's defensive resilience led by Colin Kirst between the pipes.
Both teams now look ahead to key matchups this week as they continue their playoff pushes.
Up next: The Cannons host the California Redwoods on Friday at 6:30 p.m., and the Waterdogs face the New York Atlas on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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