June 5, 2025
By Sam Weiger
Games are listed in chronological order.
Philadelphia Phoenix at Montreal Royal
Friday, June 6 - 7:00 PM/ET - Watch link
The Phoenix are just a game ahead of the Royal in a brutally competitive East Division, and for Philly to hold onto their playoff spot and snap their two-game skid, they'll need a stronger performance from Scott Heyman. His individual play could very well decide the outcome of this game.
Heyman had his worst game of the season last week against the Flyers, accounting for almost one-third of Philadelphia's turnovers. His individual performance profoundly impacted the team. The Phoenix matched Carolina stride-for-stride in the first quarter when Heyman was playing well. However, his numerous errors in the second quarter seemed to affect his teammates, whose body language appeared dejected by halftime.
Philly would love for Heyman or a new hero to get them back on track on Friday, especially considering the Royal's recent strong play.
In Montreal’s two consecutive wins against New York and DC, their huck accuracy has improved. But Philly's huck defense has been stout, so it'll be interesting to see if the huck-happy Royal can rely on their deep shots to continue scoring at an unexpectedly high rate.
One Big Number:
67.96 - The Phoenix are converting a mere 67.96 percent of their red zone chances, the league's third-worst mark, and they're coming off a season-low 60 percent last week.
73.68 - Montreal is completing a stellar 73.68 percent of their hucks, the third-best rate in the UFA.
New York Empire at DC Breeze | Friday Night Frisbee (Free on YouTube)
Friday, June 6 - 7:00 PM/ET - Watch link
New York and DC, two UFA powerhouses, have made the playoffs every season since 2017. The East Division's intensified competition puts those streaks in serious jeopardy.
Back in my Week 2 preview, I flagged a major concern for DC: their struggles in the red zone without key playmakers like Jonny Malks. It's worrying that this issue still plagues them. I'm eager to see if they can finally solve this problem and establish their offensive identity as they head into the latter half of the season.
With Christian Boxley inactive again, I'm especially watching Tyler Monroe in the red zone on Friday. Monroe was a significant red zone threat for the Breeze last year, especially in the regular season, and he's definitely due for a big night on the stat sheet. He's only had one game with six or more total scores this season, compared to five in the 2024 regular season (including an eight-score outing against the Empire).
If New York’s defensive struggles persist, Monroe and the Breeze have an ideal opportunity to sharpen their red zone attack.
The Empire's red zone defense allows opponents to convert at a rate of 78.81 percent, which isn't bad, but it shows that their defense is clearly in decline. New York, who's dipped below .500 twice this season for the first time since 2018, is seeing worse defensive numbers across the board in areas like opponent hold percentage, goals against, and opponent huck percentage.
Their defensive struggles were on full display in last week's loss to the Rush, who scored 22 goals and converted on 77 percent of their O-points. Good news for the Empire, though: defensive playmakers Oliver Fay and Marques Brownlee, both inactive for that game, are expected to return.
Brownlee is, without a doubt, my player to watch on Friday night. In his last YouTube live stream appearance, he delivered video game stats: six assists, two blocks, and 267 throwing yards. What makes those assists and throwing yards truly staggering is that he achieved them all without playing a single O-point.
One Big Number:
63 - In their three losses this season, DC's red zone conversion rate has been an unimpressive 63 percent.
19.43 - New York's 19.43 goals allowed per game marks their worst defensive average in the last five years.
Salt Lake Shred at Oakland Spiders
Friday, June 6 - 9:00 PM/ET - Watch link
School's out and the college stars are here. Does this mean Oakland is about to drop back to being the third-best team in the West?
We saw what a new-look Colorado did to the Spiders last week, and it feels like Salt Lake could do the same.
Last week, the biggest game-changer was unsurprisingly the return of Will Selfridge, who completely transformed the Shred O-line with his receiving ability. Selfridge beats defenders using his ability to box out, field vision, and his speed – and he is also underrated as an efficient passer and dangerous defender.
The Spiders can't afford a repeat of last week's lackluster defensive performance. While Oakland's motivation might be a question mark with a playoff spot virtually secured, the Spiders are back home, where they typically play with far greater intensity.
One Big Number:
5 - The Spiders have been dominant at home this season, winning all three of their games by a five-goal margin (against New York and Seattle twice).
540 - Selfridge's return to play in the doubleheader saw him average 540 total yards per game.
Montreal Royal vs. Toronto Rush
Saturday, June 7 - 6:00 PM/ET - Watch link
Last week, both Canadian squads secured significant wins against East Division playoff favorites, setting the stage for a compelling matchup this Saturday.
While neither Toronto nor Montreal faced their opponents' top form, the Rush undoubtedly had the tougher matchup. Toronto's O-line, looking much improved during the current home-stand, carried the team. A major factor in the Rush's recent offensive surge is Tom Blasman's transition to the O-line; his role has expanded significantly, with his dazzling throws proving deceptive for opposing D-liners.
During Toronto's current home-stand, Arvīds Kārkliņš has been thriving on crowd energy, resulting in a boost to his performance. He recorded seven assists and a goal last week, despite being covered by Antoine Davis. Unfortunately for the Rush, Kārkliņš is expected to miss Saturday’s game, a significant blow to their O-line.
With both teams recently thriving at home, Toronto has a big advantage. The Royal are still searching for their first road win this season, putting them on the hot seat this weekend, especially since they'll be playing a tough game against Philly the night before.
One Big Number:
5.33 - In their three road losses this season, the Royal have been defeated by an average margin of 5.33 goals per game.
434.67 - Blasman is averaging 434.67 throwing yards per game in his last three games, compared to just 203 per game in his first two.
Atlanta Hustle at Carolina Flyers | Game of the Week
Saturday, June 7 - 7:00 PM/ET - Watch link
The Carolina Flyers are embarking on an improbable quest for the playoffs after starting 0-4. Their challenge is amplified by a highly motivated Hustle team, eager for redemption after losing both games of a coveted doubleheader. This intense rivalry primes their Week 7 encounter to be a truly mouthwatering battle.
The biggest question mark for me is Atlanta’s energy level; Saturday marks their ninth game of the season, and they’re coming off a grueling doubleheader against two UFA powerhouses.
Keep an eye on difference-makers Brett Hulsmeyer and Jeremy Langdon. Neither played both games of last week's doubleheader, so they're coming into this matchup with extra rest. Both of them have already had big games against the Flyers this year.
Since the Hustle's D-line doesn't have many fresh faces, I'll be watching to see if they continue to double-team at a high rate to shorten points. They found considerable success with this strategy last week.
But will double-teaming prove effective against a Flyers offense that showed its best form of the season last weekend?
One big matchup to watch on Saturday could be Atlanta’s double-team against Allan Laviolette, whose improved passing has transformed Carolina's offense over their last three games.
One Big Number:
7 - Seven of Atlanta's eight games, all played within a little over a month, have been against playoff-caliber teams.
97.43 - Laviolette completed 97.43 percent of his throws in Carolina's last three games, a notable increase from his 92.03 percent in their first three.
Philadelphia Phoenix at Boston Glory
Saturday, June 7 - 7:00 PM/ET - Watch link
The initial hype around Philly is fading, making their upcoming game against Boston, a UFA powerhouse, feel like an uphill battle.
Jeff Babbitt is, unsurprisingly, the primary reason for Boston’s success this season. He's been even more impactful than last year, making more big plays, racking up more receiving yards and goals, and even becoming much more vocal during timeouts.
As for Philly, will they start with an aggressive defensive effort against a potentially rusty Boston, who hasn’t played in three weeks? This is particularly relevant because the Phoenix are undefeated this season when holding a halftime lead, and I don't anticipate much offensive success against Boston's stingy defense.
Philly's underrated defense is allowing the fifth-fewest goals per game. This success is largely due to Paul Owens' return to a full-time D-line role and the emergence of Nate Little as a standout blocker.
One Big Number:
14.5 - Boston's defense is allowing just 14.5 goals per game this season, tied for the second-lowest in the league.
8 - Owens and Little are one of only two D-line duos where each player has at least eight blocks this season.
Austin Sol at San Diego Growlers
Saturday, June 7 - 9:30 PM/ET - Watch link
The playoff race in the South Division will likely see Austin and San Diego vying for the second or final spot, making their single regular season encounter a hugely significant head-to-head battle.
The Sol will be well-rested, having not played since Kyle Henke lifted them over the Summit on May 17th.
I'm particularly excited to watch Henke's performance against San Diego's block-happy defense. This is a prime chance for him to shine, given that Max Gibson is expected to be inactive. Gibson leads the Growlers in blocks this year, and his imposing 6’5” stature would’ve been very helpful against the 6’3” Henke.
One Big Number:
57.97 - Austin's D-line offense has been quietly excellent this season, converting 57.97 percent of their possessions (second in the UFA).
11.43 - The Growlers have more blocks per game (11.43) than any other UFA team that has played at least five games this year.
Madison Radicals at Chicago Union
Sunday, June 8 - 6:00 PM/ET - Watch link
It's a revenge matchup for Chicago – they face Madison, who ended their season last year.
The Rads appear to be performing at around the same level as last year; they’re still getting standout performances from their dangerous weapon in Anthony Gutowsky and their other versatile players, Mitchell McCarthy, Luke Marks, and Pieran Robert.
Defensively, they've also maintained their strong metrics, ranking high in blocks per game, break percentage, and opponent hold percentage.
But will any of that matter against Chicago, a proven UFA heavyweight?
Unbeaten this year, the Union have secured two wins against top-tier UFA teams, largely thanks to their mighty defense. In a double-overtime game against the Hustle, they showcased their strength by allowing just 18 goals and racking up 14 blocks.
The Union D-line is expected to control the Rads’ O-line, which only converts 44.44 percent of its possessions. So this game could be determined by Chicago’s improving O-line, with Brandon Van Deusen, Pawel Janas, and Nate Goff looking to develop more chemistry.
One Big Number:
11.5 - The Radicals are averaging 11.5 breaks per game over their last two contests (just four per game in their first two games)
24 - After a 38 percent hold rate against Minnesota, Chicago's hold rate jumped to 62 percent in their second game against the Hustle, a 24-point increase.
