Di Miller, Colorado Mammoth Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Candice Ward
On Saturday February 4, 2023, the Colorado Mammoth (4-3) headed to Michelob ULTRA Arena to face the Las Vegas Desert Dogs (2-5) for the first meeting ever of the two teams. The Mammoth had just come off an exciting but grueling victory the night before against the Georgia Swarm (0-5) in a close contest that went right down to the wire. They arrived in Vegas in the early hours to get settled and rested for the game. They knew it wouldn’t be an easy game but they would never lead in the contest and looked flat for most of the game. Landon Kells who was in cage for the Dogs was absolutely amazing, ending the game with an .837 Sv% stopping 41 of 49 shots on net. Jack Hannah (6g, 3a) would notch a sock-trick in the contest and the first sock-trick in Desert Dogs franchise history. Final Score: Mammoth 8—Desert Dogs 13.
The Desert Dogs would win the opening draw and got on the board quickly with a quick release skip shot five-hole by Charlie Bertrand (1g, 2a) at the 1:15 mark. Just over a minute later, in transition Jack Hannah (6g, 3a) made a one-handed catch on the run and went down low far side at 2:20 to put the Dogs up 2-0. The final goal in the frame came from the Mammoth. Eli McLaughlin (2g, 1a) got a step on his defender, leaned in and fired across his body over the left shoulder of Kells at 4:55 to get Colorado on the board 2-1. The first quarter was a track meet with both net-minders standing on their heads and making tremendous saves. At the 7:16 mark, Dillon Ward had stopped 7 of 9 shots and Kells had stopped 8 of 9. Vegas was doing well in getting the rebound loosies and both teams were keeping the opposing shooters from finding their lanes. Score at the end of one: Desert Dogs 2—Mammoth 1.
Colorado would win the draw to start the second and 41 seconds in would go man-up. It took only 9 seconds for McLaughlin to take a shot from the point and send a skip shot past Kells 50 seconds into the frame to tie it at 2’s. But the tie was short-lived. Hannah on a second chance opportunity got the rebound, jumped in front of the net and hit top shelf over the shoulder of Ward at 2:02 and it was 3-2 Dogs. Almost four minutes ticked off the timer before another ball hit twine. Chris Wardle (2g, 2a) got the quick dish from Rhys Duch and he sent an overhand shot past Kells with 6:16 left in the half to tie it 3-3. But that was it for the Mammoth in the half as the Dogs would go on a three-goal run. On the ensuing draw, Connor Kirst (1g) grabbed the loosie and on the fast break, fired it over the shoulder with a quick stick shot with 6:08 to go 4-3. Zack Greer (2g, 4a) finally got on the board when he wound up and found the back of the net from right out in front with 5:20 on the clock 5-3. Las Vegas would close it out on the 3:16 mark and Hannah would notch a hat-trick with a shot around his defender, he bounced it into the far side of the net. First Half Stats: Colorado SOG—27; FO 6-11; Saves 22; Sv% .786%. Las Vegas SOG—27; FO 5-11; Saves 24; Sv% .888%. Score at the end of two: Desert Dogs 6—Mammoth 3.
The Mammoth would be first to get on the board in the third. Wardle set up behind the cage and got the pass from Duch and would dunk it in from behind the net at 2:16 and it was 6-4 still in favor of the Dogs. This would be the closest Colorado would get the remainder of the contest. The Mammoth would go man down a cross-checking penalty and Jon Phillips (1g, 4a) fired a laser top shelf left side at 4:12 putting them up 7-4 for a power-play tally. Two minutes later, Hannah from the middle sent a low-to-low skip shot into the back of the net at 6:11 to double the score 8-4. At 7:34 Zed Williams (2g, 1a) finally got in on the action. He would step back and fire a bullet top corner 8-5. But Vegas wasn’t going away and would tally two more before the end of the third. Rob Hellyer (2g, 2a) walked right to the net, faked three passes and dunked it far-side for a power play tally with 4:49 in the frame 9-5. In the closing seconds, Greer fooled the Mammoth. He was pointing to the middle to direct the attention away from him and fired a shot into the back of the net with 28.5 seconds in the quarter and once again, the Dogs had doubled down on the Mammoth. Score at the end of three: Desert Dogs 10—Mammoth 5.
Starting the fourth, the Desert Dogs were going into the frame with the biggest lead in franchise history and against the defending NLL Champs to boot. But they would go man-down once again and Colorado made them pay. Williams was left all alone with a ton of time and connected down low for a power-play marker at the 2:16 mark closing the gap 10-6. Connor Robinson (1g, 4a) finally got on the board at the 5:25 mark off a nifty tic-tac-toe play, he would tuck the shot down below Kells knees and it was 10-7. And once again two minutes later, Hellyer would rip a sub-shot past Ward on the short side at 7:16 and it was 11-7. As it had been for most of the game, each time the Mammoth would hit, the Dogs hit right back. The final two Dogs tallies would come from Hannah. With 4:53 in the frame, Hannah would head to the net, went airborne and slam dunked it far side over the shoulder of Ward increasing the lead by five 12-7. Then less than 30 seconds later, he’d go far side down low for his sock-trick on the night and the final goal of the game for Vegas 13-7. Unfortunately for him, lacrosse is so new to Vegas fans he didn’t get the traditional “tossing of the socks” onto the field. This was the first ever sock trick for the franchise as well. Colorado would for the last three and change go with the empty net giving Ward the rest, while having back up net-minder Tyler Carlson come on and off the bench as possession would change. In the closing seconds, Las Vegas would be called for an illegal substitution penalty giving Colorado a penalty shot. Rhys Duch (1g, 3a) would get the honors, come down the floor go the left and fire it right over the shoulder of Kells with 23.5 in the game. The six-on-five for the Mammoth for the last three minutes was unsuccessful but the penalty shot erased the six goal gap. Unfortunately, the defending champions were taxed from the tough game the night before, the flight and lack of sleep and were no match for the rested fired up Desert Dogs. Final Score: Desert Dogs 13—Mammoth 8.
STATS:
Colorado Mammoth—SOG 49; FO 14-25; Saves 40; Sv% .755%; PP 2-2
Las Vegas Desert Dogs—SOG 53; FO 15-25; Saves 41; Sv% .837%; PP 2-3
NEXT UP:
The Colorado Mammoth (4-3) will head north of the boarder to face their rivals the Calgary Roughnecks (4-3) at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday February 11, 2023, game time 9:00 p.m. EST. This game is for third place in the West. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the action on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
The Las Vegas Desert Dogs (2-5) have a bye week, but will head to New York to face the Albany FireWolves (2-5) on Saturday February 18, 2023, game time 7:00 p.m. EST. Fans in Canada can see the action on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
Di Miller, Colorado Mammoth Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©