Offense often earns the headlines and crowds the highlight reels but as fun as it may be to light up the scoreboard, in the pursuit of hardware, it is equally important to keep the other side from doing so.

With the Fans' Choice vote for "Goal of the USL Playoffs" already underway, we introduce to you eight of the most spectacular stops from throughout the 15-game postseason that may very well have nullified potential candidates for the aforementioned honor and will now contend for the right to be called "Save of the USL Playoffs."

Two of the nominees came from a dramatic Eastern Conference Quarterfinal clash between host Louisville City FC and the Richmond Kickers. Louisville keeper Greg Ranjitsingh, whose rapid ascension was one of the intriguing storylines from the 2016 campaign, sprawled to deny a point-blank, downward header off a corner kick; providing an opening for his side to find a way past his counterpart, Andrew Dykstra.

Dykstra earned Man of the Match honors despite his squad coming up short, totaling 10 stops with the most impressive of the group coming through a dummy from a Louisville City attacker at the top of his six-yard box.

While those two goalkeeping standouts clashed in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, one of the more memorable playoff results came in the Western Conference opener for in-state rivals Sacramento Republic FC and OC Blues FC.

OC invaded Bonney Field and upended top-seeded Republic FC due in large part to a superlative showing from Josh Cohen between the posts. Cohen's denial of Matt LaGrassa was key as the game progressed into a dramatic shootout where the native Californian turned away JJ Koval's effort from the spot to help seal the club's first-ever playoff victory.