By: Tim Moony, Editor & NLL Correspondent
The Colorado Mammoth (4-0) looked to continue their winning ways, at Langley Events Center, in Vancouver Saturday evening, versus the Vancouver Stealth (1-2). With a convincing 14-5 victory behind stellar performances from John Grant, Jr., Jeremy Noble, Callum Crawford, and net minder Dillon Ward, Colorado would remain unbeaten through week three of the National Lacrosse League season, with a resounding win against the Stealth.
The ice would be broken for the Mammoth, just over four minutes in to the first quarter, as Jeremy Noble of the Mammoth scored the first goal of the night, with an outside, low sidearm shot, to the low-left corner, past Vancouver starting goalie Eric Penney. Callum Crawford and Eli McLaughlin provided assistance for the game’s first goal. A Jordan Gilles goal would follow for Colorado, over four minutes later, in transition, with an assist from Robert Hope. Gilles’ goal would beat Penney on a bounce shot to the lower-right area of the net. At the 10:42 mark in the first frame, Adam Jones would continue the Mammoth scoring run, with an overhand shot through the five-hole, with credit to Crawford and Mike Burke for the assist. And just over a minute later, John Grant, Jr. would also beat Penney five-hole, on a fade-away shot, to give the Mammoth a 4-0 lead through the first quarter, a lead they would never relinquish.
After an early second-quarter penalty on Cam Holding gave the Stealth a power play opportunity, they would get on the scoreboard, and stop the Mammoth run with an extra-man goal from Corey Small, with assistance from birthday boy Logan Schuss and Rhys Duch. The Mammoth would answer 20 seconds later, as Adam Jones scored his second of the night, off a behind-the-back feed from Robert Hope. Just over a minute later, McLaughlin and Jones would set up a Callum Crawford goal for Colorado, which would send the starting Stealth goalie, Eric Penney, to the bench, for backup Chris Levis. Crawford’s tally for the Mammoth was off a topside curl, on a bounce shot off a screen. The Stealth would respond eight seconds later, with a high, top-shelf goal from Travis Cornwall, assisted by Tyler Garrison and Matt Beers, at the 4:11 mark in the second quarter. Callum Crawford would score the next two goals in the game, within 30 seconds of each other, with a laser to the high, far side on the power play, followed by a spinning, backhanded shot, close to midway through the second. Logan Schuss would respond for the Stealth, with a dive across the crease, that would beat Colorado goalie Dillon Ward through the five-hole. After that, John Grant, Jr. would score the next four goals for the Mammoth, with the last two goals on the half on a power play, from a 5-minute boarding major assessed to Vancouver’s Tyler Garrison. After a second quarter with 11 combined goals, the Mammoth were in command, and would enjoy a 12-3 lead, going in to the break.
Around three minutes in to the third quarter, Crawford would beat Penney, whom returned to net for the Stealth, with a move underneath, through three Stealth defenders. Noble and Jones would assist on the goal. A holding call on Greg Downing would put Vancouver in a man-up situation, and Joel McCready would score on the power-play, beating Ward from 10 yards out, on a sidearm shot, past his five-hole, five minutes in to the third. Noble would score next for the Mammoth, with a dip-and-dunk on the doorstep, off feeds from Grant and Chris Wardle. McCready would score his second goal of the third, on a power-play, from a delay of game penalty charged to Adam Jones. After three quarters of play, the Mammoth enjoyed a commanding 14-5 lead.
Neither team scored a goal in the final quarter of play, and the Stealth’s frustration was evident, with five penalties in the final stanza. Colorado would be penalized 17 minutes on seven infractions, while Vancouver would also be charged with seven penalties for a total of 28 minutes, respectively. The Stealth tried to get the ball past Dillon Ward’s five-hole throughout the night, but the goalie was very consistent, and up to the task, only conceding five goals, with none allowed to the Stealth in the first and fourth quarters. Despite the lopsided score, Vancouver would outshoot Colorado, with 55 shots on goal, compared to 49 for the visiting Mammoth. The Stealth would also win more face-offs than the Mammoth, but Ward was tough to beat in net, and Vancouver sent starting goalie Eric Penney to the bench, early in the second quarter. Although Penney would return, to relieve backup Chris Levis after halftime, there was a considerable difference in net for both teams, along with the offensive firepower. Jones, Crawford, and Grant are in the top-3 in NLL scoring for the Mammoth, and Ward is only conceding 10 goals per game, while the offense is scoring over 15 goals, on average.
Attendance was a low 3,626 fans at the Langley Center in Vancouver. The three stars for the night were Adam Jones at number three, with two goals and five assists; Jeremy Noble at number two, with two goals and two assists; and John Grant, Jr. at number one star, with five goals and two assists. The Stealth visit the Calgary Roughnecks next on January 30, and the Mammoth look to continue their unbeaten 2016 NLL season as they visit the Saskatchewan Rush on January 29.
Tim Moony, Editor and NLL Correspondent @tmoony22
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