Di Miller, Beat Writer Denver Outlaws
Lacrosse is Awesome
The Colorado Mammoth (9-9) headed to the Langley Events Centre in Vancouver to face the Stealth (9-9) for the first round of the NLL playoffs. Numerous scenarios played out before the two teams would find out who would have home field advantage in Round One. The Mammoth needed to defeat the Rush on the final game of the regular season on April 28 to have the first play-off game at home. If they didn’t, the Vancouver Stealth would have to lose to the New England Black Wolves in their final regular season game. Because the Stealth would defeat the Black Wolves in overtime, the Mammoth would head to Vancouver for their first ever playoff game since moving to Vancouver four years ago. Although the Stealth fans were hopeful, and got to watch some of the best lacrosse played in 2017, they would not see their team advance to the Round Two to face the Western Division Champions the Saskatchewan Rush. Final Score: Mammoth 13—Stealth 12.
The Mammoth would be without Jacob Ruest but would have Zack Greer back in the line-up after missing the last two games. Colorado would see Dillon Ward, perform some of the best saves of the 2017 season during the contest staving off shot after shot. Tye Belanger on the other end was also holding his own between the pipes.
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Mammoth Assistant Captain Zack Greer (2G, 3A) would get the scoring started in the first when he found an open lane far side with a bounce shot past Belanger 3:06 into the frame. Chris Wardle (1G, 1A) would get the feed from Brett Adams and send a quick shot shoulder side past Belanger a little over three minutes later. Eli McLaughlin (2G) would get a twister left side of the net on the outside lane. 
It was obvious that Vancouver weren’t moving their feet so they weren’t making accurate shots and Colorado wasn’t giving up any passing lanes either. But Corey Small would finally get one on the board for the Stealth at 10:03 his first of six in the game (assist Logan Schuss). Score at the end of one: Colorado 3—Vanouver 1.
Vancouver would start off the second with another from Small only 1:34 in. But Colorado would strike back on a breakaway from Joey Cupido (2G) on a corkscrew left to right top shelf on Belanger unassisted at 5:40. The Mammoth would follow up with two more the first from Callum Crawford (3G) when he back stepped Ian Hawksbee and snuck a shot past Belanger stick side top left corner; Jordan Gilles (2G) on transition was wide open and would snatch a lob pass from Ward at 9:51 to beat Schuss (3G, 6A) sending a bullet past Belanger putting the Mammoth up 6-2 with less than six minutes left in the half. But Vancouver wasn’t going away that easy. Bryce Sweeting defenseman for the Mammoth would be hit with two illegal crosschecking penalties at 10:36 and head to the box for four minutes. 
This would be the only penalty of the game, and the Stealth would make the Mammoth pay. Schuss would score hard high and upstairs glove side on Ward on the power-play at 11:04, which released one of the two penalties; however, the Stealth would strike again on the power-play when Jordan Durston would get the feed to the crease from Cory Conway, double pump faked and tip-toe the line hitting net at 12:01. Schuss would hit net with back-to-back shots at 12:44 and 13:56. Both shots were identical one-handed shots, the first when Schuss backed up against Robert Hope catching Ward off guard; the next was a high feed from Rhys Duch and Schuss would fool Taylor Stuart shooting one handed for the second time again catching Ward of guard and stunning the fans. With less than 10 seconds on the clock, the Mammoth would regain possession while the Stealth had thought time had run down enough to pull Belanger. However, Ward would lob yet another shot down field to Cupido and with only one second remaining would send a stinger past Belanger. It was definitely a sloppy finish to the first half by the Stealth. Score at the end of the first: Colorado 7—Vancouver 6.
The third would start with a breakaway by Justin Salt on transition scoring high glove side at 1:51 to tie the game at 7 apiece. The play was almost identical to the stinger Cupido had to end the second. Crawford would answer back for the Mammoth when he barreled by the defenders with a nice swim dodge, twist and tucked it in low at 3:15. But the Stealth would tie it up yet again when Joel McCready would tip-toe the line went airborne pump faked and hit stick side on Ward to tie the game at 8 apiece. Colorado would close out the quarter with McLaughlin on a quick stick short side top corner on a twister; and Brad Self (assist Ward) in a one-on-one situation with a side arm shot on Belanger high to low. Colorado was winning the majority of the face-offs through the third which was playing a major role in the game remaining close. Score at the end of three: Mammoth 10—Stealth 8.
Heading into the fourth, the Stealth were not ready to slow their game. Their record had them 1-6 when they were behind heading into the fourth and they wanted to make it to the NLL Semi-Finals in Round Two. Small would hit his first of four in the quarter when he would shake off Gilles, tucked it in and shot left and hit top right corner glove side on Ward at 1:15. Gilles would answer back on the Mammoth second transition goal on the night after being fooled by Small when he split the defenders and shot left side on Belanger at 2:27. Greer would tuck fake high and shoot low to score at 7:52; followed by the final goal of the game for the Mammoth at 8:09 when Crawford would walk the line and use his jump shot and popped it in stick side on Belanger. Small would close out the game with a true hat-trick at 10:51 and 12:25. Both shots were rolling shots the first from the restraining line; and the second when he came right down the middle and split the defenders again rolling it past Ward. His sixth (sock trick) and the final goal of the game came at 13:49 on the extra attacker to bring them to within one. Although the Stealth made a last ditch effort, it just wasn’t enough with only thirty seconds remaining; they just couldn’t pull off the final shot to tie the game to send it in to overtime. Final Score: Colorado 13—Vancouver 12.
This had to be one of the most exciting games of the 2017 regular and post-season. The action was non-stop with the fans watching a Wimbledon® like tennis match, seeing the ball move back and forth down the field for the full 60 minutes.
The Mammoth have made it to the play-offs every year since 2011 and this would be the first year they would make it to the second round. In 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016 the Calgary Roughnecks would knock them out of the play-offs; and in 2012 and 2015 it would be the Minnesota Swarm.
Next week, Saturday May 13, the Colorado Mammoth will host the Western Division Champion Saskatchewan Rush at the Pepsi Center for Round Two of the 2017 play-offs. The following week, win or lose the teams will head back to Saskatchewan for the Game Two of the Second Round. If the games are split one apiece, there will be a 10 minute mini-game immediately following to determine who will head to the NLL Playoffs to face the champions of the Eastern Division, either the Georgia Swarm or the Toronto Rock.
Di Miller, Beat Writer Colorado Mammoth
Lacrosse is Awesome