Di Miller, Beat Writer Colorado Mammoth
Lacrosse is Awesome
On Saturday April 7, 2018 the Saskatchewan Rush (12-3) hosted the Colorado Mammoth (10-6) at the Sasktel Centre in Saskatoon. Tragedy struck the night before when the Humbolt Broncos, a junior hockey league in the small town of Humbolt suffered a horrific loss the night before. The Rush dedicated this game to the family; friends and players in a show of their support. The Rush came into this game with a 3-0 record against the Mammoth in the 2018 season. The Mammoth wanted to stop the sweep while the Rush wanted this win to clinch the NLL Western Division. Saskatchewan had the Mammoth’s number dominating the entire game only allowing the Mammoth to have the lead for 40 seconds in the first. The Rush would come away with the victory. Final Score: Rush 11—Mammoth 8.
Ryan Benesch (3G, 1A) would start out the game with a shorthanded goal (assist Brad Self and Robert Hope) at the 6:58 mark, giving Colorado their only lead in the contest. The Rush would score three unanswered goals in the frame, the first from Ben McIntosh (2G, 2A) scoring top left corner on Dillon Ward. Mark Matthews (1G, 6A)
would capitalize on the man up situation off the Joey Cupido ‘holding stick’ penalty at 10:59. Saskatchewan would score yet again at 13:34 with Ryan Keenan (2G, 1A) would close it out off the feed from Matthew Dinsdale and would hold off the powerful Colorado offense until the first buzzer. The Mammoth looked as though they were holding it together for the first six and half minutes of play, but the Rush were better in transition and moving the ball downfield. Score at the end of the first: Saskatchewan 3—Colorado 1.
After the five minute break, Colorado came out gunning. Greer spun around two defenders sent a cross field pass to Jeremy Noble (1G)
who sent the ball through the five hole on Evan Kirk 51 seconds in, but that would be it for Colorado. Robert Church (3G, 4A) would score back to back goals. He’d hook up with Matthews at 1:22; then Keenan and Jeff Shattler at 3:46. That would be it for the first half. The frame was a defensive battle of the net-minders stopping shot after shot while the fans watched a track meet on the floor. There would be three penalties in the second, two for the Rush and one for the Mammoth, but neither team could capitalize on their man up situations. With 7.3 seconds remaining, Colorado would pull Ward in favor of the extra attacker, but even with the three on four, the Rush defense kept the Mammoth from scoring. Score at the end of the first half: Rush 6—Mammoth 2.
Mammoth fans wondered if their team would come out of the locker room in the third and play the a full 30 minutes of lacrosse. Brett Mydske
would get called for a ‘holding stick’; Benesch got the rebound off the glass and would capitalize scoring unassisted on the power-play at 3:31. After play went up and down the field, Bryce Sweeting would get the turnover; feed it to Greer who passed the ball to Cupido (1G) and on the break would score stick side on Kirk at 5:14. Again, Saskatchewan on the three goal run would control the remaining nine minutes of the third. This time, Keenan (2G, 1A) would score on the man-up off the Taylor Stuart ‘holding stick’ penalty at 6:35. As the ball rolled around near the crease, Matthews picked up the loose ball, fed it Keenan who was behind the net and caught Ward sliding right, came around and dove across the crease with a one handed shot past Ward. Curtis Knight (1G, 1A) would team up with Matthews and Church 61 seconds later hitting stick side; followed by Shattler (assist McIntosh and Curtis Knight) with the shovel shot between the outstretched legs of Ward at 13:48. Kirk was seeing the ball well. Colorado was taking that extra second or two before making their shots giving Kirk enough time to read the shot and make the save. Score at the end of three: Rush 8—Mammoth 4.
Rush fans were feeling good that their team had this one in the books and were cheering them on. They’d start up the fourth with another from Church at 3:09 (assist McIntosh and Matthews) as he went airborne in front of the crease slam dunking the ball over the shoulder stick side. At this point, Ward was not seeing the ball and should have been pulled in favor of Steven Fryer, but the bench boss Head Coach Pay Coyle stayed with his starter. Saskatchewan would go on another man-up situation, this one off a Sweeting ‘roughing’ in front of the Mammoth net. Again, they would take advantage and score on their fourth power-play opportunity as McIntosh found twine again at 4:46 getting the flip toss from Matthews hitting Ward stick side. All of a sudden, Colorado came to life notching a four-goal run. Greer would find his way to the net scoring unassisted at 8:00; followed by Brad Self (assist Sweeting and Stuart) pulling the Mammoth to within three but time was running out. Benesch after getting slammed into the boards came up with the loose ball and found Sweeting in front of the empty net scoring at 13:37 closing the gap 10-8 still in favor of the Rush. Colorado would pull Ward with too much time left on the clock. With 34 seconds in the game Ward headed off the field, but the Mammoth could not control the ball in the red zone and with an over and back, Chris Corbeil would find the empty net four seconds later sealing the final nail in the coffin for Colorado. Final score: Saskatchewan 11—Colorado 8.
Saskatchewan would win the series 4-0 and clinch the NLL Western Division for the second year in a row. Colorado looked off in their transition; weren’t getting their rebounds, while the Rush controlled the ball for the majority of the game.
This means, the Rush have a bye week for the play-offs and will face either Colorado or the Calgary Roughnecks (6-8) in Saskatoon. The first round of the play-offs the fans should see the Roughnecks head to the Pepsi Center the first weekend in May. In 2013; 2014; and 2015, Calgary has had the Mammoth’s number when it comes to the play-offs. Will this year be different? With a single elimination game in the first round, Colorado is going to have to get back in their groove if they want to advance to the second round. Their record at (10-6) and Calgary at (6-8) so every win counts.
NEXT UP:
Colorado returns home after a three game road trip to host the New England Black Wolves (6-8) on Saturday April 14, 2018 for Lacrosse Out Cancer night. The NLL Eastern Division is still fighting to see who will head to the play-offs. The Rush have a double-header weekend, with an away game on Friday April 13 at Vancouver to face the (2-13) Stealth and will head back home on Saturday April 14 to face the Georgia Swarm (7-7) the defending NLL Champions.
Di Miller, Beat Writer Colorado Mammoth
Lacrosse is Awesome