Christopher Crane, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Justin Ivey
In this weekend’s NLL action would see the Georgia Swarm (7-3) travel out west to take on the Colorado Mammoth (3-5) at the Pepsi Center on Saturday February 16 in front of 12,958 fans. It certainly wouldn’t be a game that would disappoint as both teams kept it very close throughout the contest, but it would be the Mammoth squeezing out the 10-8 win.
First period action would only have the Georgia finding the back of net twice while their defense and goaltending shut out the Colorado offense to go ahead 2-0 at the end of the first. Netting scores for the Swarm came from the likes of Miles Thompson (1G) and Zed Williams (2G).
The Mammoth offense would come alive in the second as Jordan Gilles (1G, 1A) finally found a hole on Georgia’s net minder at 5:17 to make it a 2-1 game. The Swarm would answer back with a score of their own coming from Randy Staats (2G, 3A) to put the Swarm up 3-1. From there on out, Colorado would begin to keep the game close as Brent Adams (1G, 1A) netted a score for the Mammoth at 10:28 to make it 3-2. Georgia would net one more in the period from Holden Cattoni (1G, 2A) which would come as a power play opportunity putting Georgia up 4-2. The Mammoth wouldn’t make it easy for the Swarm as they would answer back with their final score of the period coming from Eli McLaughlin (4G, 2A). Score at the end of two: Georgia 4—Colorado 3.
Colorado would turn the tide in the third as they would only give up two scores to the Swarm and would net three of their own. Both sides would exchange scoring opportunities with goals for the Swarm coming from Shayne Jackson (1G, 2A); and Lyle Thompson (1G, 3A). Netting scores for the Mammoth came from the likes of Ryan Lee (1G, 1A); Taylor Stuart (1G); and McLaughlin with his second of the night to make it a 6-6 game at the end of the third.
The Mammoth defense would keep the pressure on the Georgia offense and it would be enough as the Mammoth would outscore the Swarm 4-2. The Mammoth would net their first two from McLaughlin grabbing a hat trick at 1:28; and teammate Kyle Killen (1G, 1A) netting his at 5:57 to put Colorado up 8-6. Georgia would get one back from Williams netting his second of the night to make it 8-7. The Mammoth then would get the final two from McLaughlin for his fourth; and Joey Cupido unassisted (1G, 2) netting his only score of the night to make it a 10-7 game. The Swarm would get one more from Staats netting his second at 14:19. Connor Sellars would win the ensuing faceoff for Georgia and as Chad Tutton scooped the loose ball, the Swarm would call the time out with 36 seconds remaining. After the time out, Staats would recover the loose ball with 10 seconds left, but with a Georgia turnover and six seconds on the ticker, Colorado would recover as the buzzer sounded. Final Score: Mammoth 19—Swarm 8.
NEXT UP:
Colorado (3-5) heads up north to face the Saskatchewan Rush (4-4) on Friday February 22, game time 8:30 p.m. EST.
Georgia (7-4) gets the week off before hosting the Rochester Knighthawks (2-6) at home on Saturday March 2, game time 7:05 p.m. EST.
Christopher Crane, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©