Di Miller, Correspondent Colorado Mammoth
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Candice Ward
The Colorado Mammoth (4-8) headed north to Calgary to face their Western Division rivals the Roughnecks (6-7) on Saturday March 16 in the Scotiabank Saddledome. There were 13,946 Calgary fans in attendance wearing their green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day while the Roughnecks donned special black with green jerseys. The inconsistent Calgary Roughnecks had put it all together last Saturday night against the Toronto Rock, with a dominating win 15-9 in regulation time to register 6-6 on the season. They had been cycling the ball around to other than the usual suspects who contributed on the score sheet: Rhys Duch with a stellar performance (4G, 2A); Tyler Pace (3G, 1A); and Riley Loewen (3G, 2A). Colorado has been active with their roster of late in the hopes to get that much needed spark. The rookies are faring well so far and with a lot of criticism by the Mammoth fans they are hoping to salvage what they can of the remainder of the 2018-2019 season. Although Calgary would dominate the first quarter outscoring the Mammoth 4-1, the tables would turn in the second as the Mammoth would outscore the Roughnecks in the second and third 7-2 and allowed only three in the fourth. Colorado had it together last night; were in sync and able to put together the “W” over Calgary to win the series 2-1. Final Score: Mammoth 11—Roughnecks 9.
The Mammoth would start out the first at the 2:26 mark as co-captain Robert Hope would score his lone goal of the game unassisted off the break hitting top corner over the shoulder of Riggers net-minder Christian Del Bianco. Calgary would go on a man-up situation off the John Lintz boarding call on Tyson Bell and they would cap the Mammoth scoring from the 4:27 mark on starting off with Curtis “Superman” Dickson (2G, 1A) coming from behind the crease stick side on Dillon Ward as he reached across the chest of Ward to send it far side. Calgary would put up three more starting with the flip toss from Dane Dobbie to Riley Loewen (1G, 4A) stick side top left at 7:05. At the 8:07 mark Mammoth Forward Jeff Witting went to the box off a delay of game penalty giving the Roughnecks a man up opportunity and they would capitalize again as Rhys Duch (1G, 1A) with the assist from Pace and Loewen would catch a piece of the net two minutes later; and a quick stick pass from Dickson to Dobbie (2G, 4A) for the shovel shot through the five hole on Ward would put Calgary up 4-1 at the end of the first.
The tables would turn in the second as Colorado would dominate Calgary outscoring them 4-1. The Roughnecks would score their lone goal in the frame, but it was another beauty. Only 30 seconds in, Pace would feed the ball to a waiting Dan Taylor (2G) behind the net as he step faked and dove from behind the cage to score on Ward glove side. With only 26 seconds having gone off the clock, Anthony Kalinich would get nabbed for an illegal substitution giving the Mammoth their first man-up opportunity and Kyle Killen (3G, 2A) would capitalize with the shot through the five-hole on Del Bianco at 2:02. The defensive maneuvers of the net minders were spectacular for the next 10 minutes as each held off shot after shot. But the Mammoth would break the silence at the 12:08 mark as Ryan Lee (3G, 1A) on the door step would dive head first sending it past a stunned Del Bianco; Dan Coates (1G, 1A) would follow up with another at 12:21; followed by another from Lee with the slam dunk right corner tying the game at 5 apiece. At the end of the first half, Colorado leads in shots on goal 24-20.
With the momentum in their favor, the Mammoth would start out quick in the third as Defenseman Jordan Gilles (1G) would hit net unassisted 37 seconds in. Dickson would break the five-goal run for Calgary and the lone goal once again. Lee would notch his hat-trick at 7:51; and Eli McLaughlin (2G, 3A) would get on the board off the extra attacker at 9:52. Again the fans would see stellar net-minding as both Ward and Del Bianco stood tall between the pipes holding their opponents for just over five minutes of scoreless lacrosse. There would be no penalties in the third. Score at the end of three: Colorado 8—Calgary 6.
Calgary wasn’t going down without a fight, and with a full 15 left in regulation and a two goal differential, anything was possible. Given the Mammoth season so far, a two goal lead can quickly fade away and they were going to do everything possible to keep that from happening again. The Roughnecks would score two in the first six minutes starting it off on a short-handed goal off another Kalinich illegal substitution. On the break Eli Salama (1G) would find a piece of the net at 3:31 to bring the Roughnecks to within one. Colorado was awarded a penalty shot off the holding call against Mike Carnegie, but Killen was unsuccessful in his attempt as Del Bianco was lying in wait and with his precision stick stills stopped the shot. Dobbie would tie it up at eight apiece with another Pace-Loewen assist at 6:45. But the Mammoth weren’t going down without a fight. Killen would get his second of three on the night at 8:20; and McLaughlin his second at 11:39. The Roughnecks would pull to within one with a shot from Taylor at 12:25 but it wasn’t enough. Killen would notch the hat-trick at 14:20. Calgary would pull Del Bianco in favor of the extra attacker, but it wasn’t enough as they wouldn’t gain possession and with the last seconds’ ticking off the clock, Ward would send the pass down field just missing the Riggers net to give Colorado the win. Final Score: Mammoth 11—Roughnecks 9.
TEAM STATS
Colorado—46 SOG; 23 SOFF; 52 LB; 9-25 FO; 1-4 PP
Calgary—44 SOG; 20 SOFF; 70 LB; 16-25 FO; 2-2 PP
GOALIE STATS:
Dillon Ward—9 GA; 44 SOG; 35 Saves (7 first quarter; 8 second quarter; 6 third quarter; 14 fourth quarter); .795 SV%.
Christian Del Bianco—11 GA; 46 SOG; 35 Saves (9 first quarter; 10 second quarter; 7 third quarter; 9 fourth quarter); .760 SV%.
Although Calgary dominated on loose balls and face-off wins, a lackluster offense in the second and third cost them the win. Colorado put together a well-organized offense and their defense came to life.
NEXT UP:
Next weekend Colorado (4-8) will play home and away, as they head west on Friday March 22 to face the Vancouver Warriors (4-8) game time 10:00 p.m. EST; and will head back home on Saturday March 23 to host the Warriors game time 9:00 p.m. EST. The teams are in a statistical tie for last in the west with the differential being goals against 139-138.
Calgary (6-7) will make the trek east across Canada to face the last place Rochester Knighthawks (2-10) on Saturday March 23, game time 7:30 p.m. EST.
Di Miller, Correspondent Colorado Mammoth
Lacrosse is Awesome©