By: Di Miller, Beat Writer Colorado Mammoth
On Saturday March 26, the Colorado Mammoth (8-3) hosted the Calgary Roughnecks (6-8) at the Loud House in Denver, CO. The 14,127 fans were prepped and ready to see their team back in action and clinch a play-off spot. When these two teams met on March 19 at the Scotiabank Saddledome, the Riggers went on to defeat the Mammoth 13-9 giving them their third loss on the season, a loss that put them in a tie for first place with their Western Division Rivals the Saskatchewan Rush. The Mammoth are undefeated at home and with a win over Calgary and a loss by the Rush would put the Mammoth back into first in the NLL and Western Division. But, if both teams were victorious, the Rush would statistically stay ahead of the Mammoth. Colorado was ready and fired up to take down the Roughnecks and they did just that. The game consisted on non-stop action; fans on their feet; spectacular goal tending; and virtually no penalties. Final Score in OT: Mammoth 13—Roughnecks 12.
Only 31 seconds into the first, the Roughnecks would pull goalie Frank Scigliano and Mike Poulin got the call. With 2:14 having ticked off the clock, Mammoth defenseman Ilija Gajic would score; followed by Greg Downing (2:53); and Adam Jones (3:24). It wouldn’t take long for the Roughnecks to break the momentum when Wes Berg would score only 25 seconds later; and Curtis Dickson would get his first of two in the quarter (6:36). At that point, the offense came to a halt as the net-minders and defense kicked it in full gear. It took close to six minutes before the ball would find a spot between the pipes. Roughnecks forward Jeff Shattler would break the silence at 12:24, assist to Tyler Digby and Berg to tie the game. With only 37 seconds left in the quarter, Dickson would get his second (unassisted) to put the Roughnecks up by one. Score: Calgary 4—Colorado 3.
The second quarter started slow until the Mammoth put the pedal to the floor scoring five unanswered goals. Chris Wardle and John Grant, Jr. were trading goals with Wardle starting the match. He would get a nice behind the back feed from Callum Crawford at 6:10; followed by Grant Jr. (8:02); Wardle (9:23); Grant Jr. (10:05); and Cam Holding who would score on a loose ball in front of the crease when he tip toed over the line as the ball crossed the plane of the goal at 10:48 (assist Adam Jones). This would be the final point for the Mammoth in the second. Digby would score the only goal for Calgary at 14:13. Score at the halfway point: Colorado 8—Calgary 5.
The third quarter mirrored the second except Calgary was the ones in control this time. After the break, Calgary would match the Mammoth’s second quarter scoring barrage when they want on a five goal run. At 2:03 Dan MacRae would start off the run; followed by Digby (5:55); Shattler (6:20); Berg with his second (8:26); and Dickson at 8:54 for the hat-trick. It was then that the Mammoth would pull Dillon Ward and Alex Buque got the nod. For the remaining six minutes of the third, Buque stopped shot after shot as though he was bullet proof. Jones would finally hit net for the Mammoth at 10:48 his second of the game. With the Roughnecks outscoring the Mammoth, they would take back the lead 10-9.
Going into the fourth was pivotal for the Mammoth. They needed to halt the Riggers and get those much needed goals to insure a play-off spot. Mike Burke, forward for the Mammoth would tie the game at 1:41, assist to Crawford and Eli McLaughlin. At 3:03 in the fourth, Karsen Leung would head down the field on a break-away with all intentions of sending one past Buque, but Buque wasn’t about to let that happen and came flying out of the crease with one of the biggest hits seen by a net-minder. He flattened Leung who must have felt like he was hit by a train and the crowd went wild. After Leung came off the floor, Garrett McIntosh would get his only point of the game for the Roughnecks breaking the tie at 3:12 (unassisted). Oddly enough, the Roughnecks would have the only unassisted goals (2) in the game. But the Mammoth would quickly follow up 32 seconds later with Jones scoring for the hat-trick again tying the game. Dickson was on fire scoring his fourth of the game (5:56) again putting the Riggers back in the lead. It would be almost six minutes before another point would be put up on the board when Grant Jr. would tie the game at 11:33 (12-12), assist to Wardle and Crawford. The fans were on the edge of their seats hoping the Mammoth would get the go ahead goal for the win. Buque staved off shot after shot and Poulin did the same. Neither team could break the tie sending the game into OT. Score at the end of regulation: Colorado 12—Calgary 12.
Going into OT, the Pepsi Center definitely lived up to its name “The Loud House”. The Riggers had possession of the ball and the Mammoth defense wouldn’t allow them to get a shot off causing a shot-clock violation. This would be the set up the Mammoth needed. The fans were on their feet and watched Grant Jr. with all his finesse score the GWG at 1:56, assist to Jeremy Noble and Jones. Final Score in OT: Colorado 13—Calgary 12.
Even with the intensity and ramifications of the outcome of this game, it was a clean game with only three penalties. Combined, the two teams had 123 SOG; 134 LB; and 83 saves.
Stars of the Game:
John Grant, Jr.: 4 G (tying and GWG); 1 A; 3 LB
Alex Buque: 16 SOG; 14 Saves; .875 SV%
Curtis Dickson: 4 G; 1 A; 6 LB
Game Stats:
Mammoth: 51 SOG; 21 SOFF; 59 LB; 10-29 FO; .345 FO%; 1-1 PP; 1.00 PP%
Roughnecks: 57 SOF; 25 SOFF; 75 LB; 19-29 FO; .552 FO%; 2-2 PP; 1.00 PP%
Goalie Stats:
Mammoth—Dillon Ward: 38:54 minutes; 41 SOG; 31 Saves; .756 SV%; 10 GA
Mammoth—Alex Buque: 23:02 minutes; 16 SOG; 14 Saves; .875 SV%; 2 GA
Roughnecks—Frank Scigliano: 0.31 seconds; 1 SOG; 0 Saves; 1 GA
Roughnecks—Mike Poulin: 61:25 minutes; 50 SOG; 38 Saves; .760 SV%; 12 GA
Next up for the Mammoth (8-3) they head to the Mohegan Sun Arena to face the New England Black Wolves (7-4) on April 2, 2016.
Di Miller, Beat Writer Colorado Mammoth
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