Di Miller, Beat Writer Colorado Mammoth
Lacrosse is Awesome
The Colorado Mammoth (2-2) hosted the Calgary Roughnecks (2-1) in front of 12,735 screaming Mammoth fans Friday January 20, 2017. The Mammoth were hoping to keep their home field record against the Roughnecks perfect, but it just wasn’t in the cards. The Mammoth had defeated the Riggers at the Pepsi Center in the last four contests, all in overtime, all with Colorado coming out on top. In fact on May 7, 2016 the fans in Colorado would be treated to the longest play-off game in NLL history with the Mammoth going up against the Roughnecks in double OT. Although the game was an exciting one, the Mammoth would be defeated by Calgary by the score of 14-12.
The first quarter would start out with Mammoth defenseman Jordan Gilles netting the first goal only 2:12 into the period with a quick stick right handed shot left side top corner past Frank Scigliano. But Roughnecks forward Curtis Dickson who had an amazing game the week before, would answer back 26 seconds later with a bullet that squeaked by the lower right corner past Ward between the pipe. For the next nine minutes, the fans would watch spectacular net minding on both ends with shot after shot being staved off by Ward and Scigliano. The Riggers were rushing their shots; and turning over the ball with sloppy play in the first five so Scigliano playing tough in net kept them in the game. The Mammoth on the other hand were passing clean; had nice foot work and were getting their own rebounds. Jeremy Noble would be called for slashing, putting the Roughnecks on the power-play with 5:53 left in the quarter. Dane Dobbie would lay out flat above the crease and put it in lower right corner on Ward. It was called a “No Goal” by the referees, so Calgary would toss the challenge flag. It was obvious by the replay that Dobbie didn’t touch the crease until well after the ball crossed the plane of the goal, however the crew held by their original call giving the Mammoth a freebie in the quarter. Callum Crawford would be called for holding with only 4:59 left in the quarter, which some fans felt was a make-up call for the previous missed call on the goal putting Calgary back on the power-play. That’s when Dobbie would strike pay dirt with a quick stick shot at 3:52 top shelf right side (assist Dickson). Catching Ward off-guard, Jeff Shattler would pass to Tyler Digby deflected off the back of Robert Hope and the ball was an easy score for the Riggers as Ward expected the shot to deflect wide putting them up 3-1 with less than three minutes in the period. Dobbie would get his second of the night off a flip-toss from Digby at 14:41. Noble would fire back only 17 seconds letter when Colorado would go with the extra-attacker to bring the Mammoth back to within two. Score at the end of one: Calgary 4—Colorado 2.
Shattler would start off the second for Calgary with back-to-back goals at 1:16; followed by a short-handed goal at 4:36. It was then that the Mammoth would pull Ward in favor of back up net minder Alex Buque. Noble would follow it up with one on the power-play for the Mammoth less than a minute later. Tyson Bell would score for the Riggers putting them up 7-3, with Digby putting the final point on the board for the Roughnecks at 8:17. 
The Mammoth would come alive and go on a three goal run with Noble getting the hat-trick; Zach Herreweyers would net his first NLL goal (assist Crawford, McLaughlin) with an amazing jump shot on the stick side of Scigliano hitting top right corner at 11:23. Calgary would throw the challenge flag, but the goal would stand and the fans went wild. Zack Greer would close out the first half with 44.1 seconds left on the board from a sweet across the chest pass from Crawford to Greer dunking it in net. Score at the end of two: Calgary 8—Colorado 6
The third quarter would go back and forth with the Roughnecks scoring only to be followed by the Mammoth. Dickson would start it off at 2:58 on the power-play. Then the teams would be nailed with four penalties at 4:36. The Mammoth would see Noble hit with a five minute interference call along with Jacob Ruest for a two minute dead ball fowl putting Calgary on the 3 on 5 power play. The Mammoth would hold tough with amazing defense and net minding, not allowing a goal on man down. We’d see Greer score six minutes in; followed by Digby (hat-trick) on the power play. Then Joey Cupido would score on the breakaway off the face-off from Dan Coates. But Digby would follow it up with his fourth of the night on the power-play off a stick holding penalty on Cupido. The penalty on Cupido would release and he would immediately score again on a fast break only six seconds later. Then tempers would flare with only 1:02 left in the period. 
Greg Harnett would slam Noble into the boards causing a fight to ensue. He’d be nailed with a ten minute match penalty; Josh Sullivan would get the five minute roughing major; Jon Harnett a two minute unsportsmanlike; and G. Harnett another five minute boarding major causing him to be ejected from the game as the penalties wouldn’t release until two seconds were left in the contest. Noble would leave the game with a hand injury and did not return to the floor heading into the fourth quarter. Crawford would close out the quarter on the power play with only nine seconds remaining. The Mammoth were closing in. Score at the end of three: Calgary 11—Colorado 10.
When the fourth quarter began, Mammoth fans were hopeful their team would come out victorious again. Bell would start it off for the Roughnecks with an unassisted shorthanded goal 12 seconds in. But Eli McLaughlin would score on the power-play only 26 seconds later (assist Crawford, Hope). Again the Mammoth were only down by one, but Digby would get his fifth on the night; and Dickson would net the hat-trick at 8:45. With only 48 seconds left on the clock, Calgary would be called for an illegal substitution and because there was less than two minutes remaining on the clock, it was an automatic penalty shot for the Mammoth. They would choose Assistant Captain Zack Greer to take the shot and he would nail it, putting the Mammoth within two. But it wasn’t enough as the Riggers would come away with their first win in five attempts at the Pepsi Center. Final Score: Roughnecks 14—Mammoth 12.
Before this game, the Mammoth would lead the league with the least amount of penalty minutes at 16, but at the close of this game, the Mammoth would rack up 24 penalty minutes.
Here’s your game stats:
Mammoth: 12 G; 45 SOG; 19 SOFF; 58 LB; 15-29 Face-offs; .517 FOW%; 4-5 PPG; 24 PIM
Roughnecks: 14 G; 44 SO; 13 SOFF; 62 LB; 14-29 Face-offs; .482 FOW%; 4-8 PPG; 33 PIM
Goalie Stats:
Mammoth—Ward: 19:36 Min; 12 SOG; 6 Saves; SV% .500; GA 6
Mammoth—Buque: 40:24 Min; 32 SOG; 24 Saves; SV% .750; GA 8
Roughnecks—Scigliano: 60 Min; 45 SOG; 33 Saves; SV% .733; GA 8
Players of the Game goes to—Tyler Digby 6 points (5 G, 1 A); Curtis Dickson 7 points (3 G, 4 A); and league leading scorer Callum Crawford 6 points (1 G, 5 A)
Next weekend Saturday January 28, 2017 the Mammoth (2-2) head up to Scotiabank Saddledome for the rematch against the Roughnecks (2-1) for the second of three games the two teams will meet during the regular season.
Di Miller, Beat Writer Colorado Mammoth
Lacrosse is Awesome