Di Miller, Beat Writer Colorado Mammoth
Lacrosse is Awesome
The Colorado Mammoth (1-1) hosted the Vancouver Stealth (2-0) at the Pepsi Center on Saturday night, January 7, 2017. The temperature was cold outside, but the Pepsi Center was heating up as the 14,631 anxious Mammoth fans were pumped and ready for their team to open the 2017 NLL season in Colorado. Unfortunately for the Mammoth, the Stealth brought with them, the momentum they had after their stunning victory over the Calgary Roughnecks the previous night. Vancouver 15—Colorado 9.
The Stealth would open up the scoring in the first with a goal from Rhys Duch who also started off the Vancouver victory the night before, but instead of scoring within the first 30 seconds, fans would have to wait almost six minutes before they would see the goose eggs come off the board. Fan fave John Grant, Jr., would answer back for the Mammoth less than two minutes later; followed by yet another Mammoth point, this time from Greg Downing only 16 seconds later. The fans were screaming until Logan Schuss (assist Duch, McCready) would find twine a minute and a half later and would close out the quarter putting the Stealth ahead 3-2 at the end of one.
Corey Small would start the scoring off in the second (assist McFetridge) putting them up 4-2. But Ilija Gajic would pick off the pass, and on a breakaway, would score off the assist from Zack Greer to bring the Mammoth to within one. But it was short lasted as the Stealth would fire back 40 seconds later off another from Duch. The Mammoth would pull Ward for the extra attacker and it paid off as Eli McLaughlin would put it between the pipes (assist Crawford, Noble). The Stealth came back strong with back-to-back goals from Small and Duch (hat-trick) closing out the half with the Stealth still ahead 7-4.
Heading into the third, the Mammoth would score four unanswered goals starting off with McLaughlin firing one back for the Mammoth at 1:35; followed by Jeremy Noble at 2:24; McLaughlin another (hat-trick); and Callum Crawford at 6:16 giving the Mammoth the lead 8-7. But the lead and the barrage were short lived as Vancouver would answer back with three of their own. McCready; Schuss and Duch would close out the third with the Stealth still in the lead 10-8.
Mammoth fans were stunned and although loud, they couldn’t nudge their team to victory. Duch would open up the final 15 with his fifth on the night only 14 seconds in. McLaughlin would be the only Mammoth player to get it between the pipes in the fourth. Colorado fans would see the Stealth go on their final four goal run of the game with Duch getting the sock-trick; Justin Salt with his first; Schuss with his fourth and Travis Cornwall scoring the empty netter with less than two minutes remaining. There was no way Colorado with only 120 seconds left on the clock would be able to put up six goals to tie the game. Vancouver would go on to win the contest 15-9.
In the stats category, face-offs would be almost even with Colorado 15-29 and Vancouver 14-29; and shots on goal were fairly close as well, this time the Stealth would lead in the category 55-52. The difference in the game being the Stealth finding the net and the Mammoth making poor shots; sloppy passes and not setting up in transition allowing their forwards to get in position for their shots.
Next weekend, Colorado will host the New England Black Wolves who are coming off just as bad a beating as the Mammoth took. Both teams have 1-1 records and each will be hungry for the win. Who’s got the biggest appetite for the win? Mammoth fans hope their team brings their appetite to the Pepsi Center on Saturday January 16, 2017 and gives the Wolves their second loss on the season.
Di Miller, Beat Writer Colorado Mammoth
Lacrosse is Awesome