The New York Atlas (7-3) narrowly defeated the Philadelphia Waterdogs (4-6) 20-19 in a thrilling regular-season finale on Saturday. The game, held at Harvard Stadium, featured an offensive explosion as both teams combined for a record-breaking 39 points. Despite the loss, the Waterdogs secured their playoff spot due to score differential.
Connor Shellenberger led the way for New York, delivering seven points with four goals and three assists. Bryan Costabile added four points, including one two-point goal that proved crucial in maintaining momentum for his team. Trevor Baptiste contributed three points and dominated faceoffs while Michael Grace chipped in with three points of his own.
For Philadelphia, CJ Kirst shined with six total points from three goals and three assists. Kieran McArdle followed closely behind with five points on three goals and two assists. Connor Kelly's late-game heroics included a pivotal two-point strike that kept the Waterdogs within reach of victory while Jimmy Freehill also added a critical two-pointer in the third quarter.
Goalkeepers Liam Entenmann of New York and Dillon Ward of Philadelphia faced relentless pressure throughout but managed double-digit saves --11 for Entenmann and 10 for Ward -- to keep their teams competitive amid constant scoring threats.
The game saw standout performances across both rosters as Jeff Teat tallied four total points (one goal, three assists) alongside Xander Dickson's hat trick performance for New York. On Philadelphia's side Mikie Schlosser scored twice while Jack Hannah netted two solo efforts to bolster their attack.
With this result locking up postseason berths based on score differential rules despite defeat, the stage now sets itself ahead toward upcoming playoffs where stakes rise even higher.
ESPN Generative AI Services creates recaps from event data and/or transcripts that are reviewed by human editors before posting; email support@espncustomercare.com for corrections.